Pet groomers say they’re essential businesses, so why are they closed? | Coronavirus Newsletter
And with beaches now open, visitors must decide whether to wear masks there
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TL;DR: Pennsylvania’s pet groomers are asking state officials why their businesses pose a safety risk when the coronavirus spreads primarily person-to-person. And as New Jersey’s beaches open, many visitors are defying public heath recommendations and hitting the sand without face coverings.
— Allison Steele (@AESteele, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
🌊 Families flocked to Jersey Shore beaches as they reopened, as captured in photos here. But uncertainty over the coronavirus has also upended the traditional rental season, and many are weighing whether to cancel long-planned vacations.
🚉 SEPTA will resume most regular services on Sunday.
🇺🇸 In a virtual commencement address, Barack Obama took aim at government officials who "aren’t even pretending to be in charge” of handling the coronavirus outbreak.
📁 Jury trials in Philadelphia are suspended through Labor Day, and residents summoned for jury duty for dates prior to Sept. 8 need not report.
🏫 Months after colleges sent most students away, hundreds remain on local campuses because they can’t go home.
Local coronavirus cases
📈The coronavirus has swept across the Philadelphia region and cases continue to mount. The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on tests conducted, cases confirmed, and deaths caused by the virus. Track the spread here.
While grooming may be viewed as frivolous by non-pet owners, groomers say it’s essential for some breeds,and that dogs can suffer infections and require medical care unless their fur is properly maintained. That’s why groomers fear devastating consequences unless they’re allowed to reopen soon. “If we stay closed longer than June, you’re going to see more skin issues, major matting,” groomer Gwendolyn Carry said. “Vets are going to be overwhelmed."
Hundreds of people headed down the Shore to New Jersey’s newly reopened beaches — many without a face mask. Scientists agree that chances of catching COVID-19 are lower outdoors, but the chances aren’t zero. And some experts think the risk may be higher if you’re sitting in one place on a beach blanket for hours than if you’re briefly passing a stranger on the street.
Helpful resources
Anxious about going back out into the world? Here are some ways to manage your worries.
What if someone in my house is sick? How to protect your household during coronavirus.
Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.
Not sure what a medical term means? We have definitions for you.
Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.
You got this: Watch Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in Delco
For the final installment of the Inquirer’s “One Movie, One Philly” series, watch Silver Linings Playbook this weekend, then join a livestream Monday at 5 p.m. to hear Jesse Rosenthal, the movie’s art director, talk about how he went about designing the movie, from Bradley Cooper’s trash bag jogging suit to all of the expertly curated Eagles paraphernalia.
👷 Union leader William C. Sproule wrote about how construction unions have led the way on safely reopening.
🎶 How Adam Weiner of Philly’s Low Cut Connie used his time in quarantine to become a livestreaming star.
🎥 A Jefferson Health doctor was the randomly chosen winner for a role in a future Kevin Hart movie, his prize for donating to an organization that is feeding the hungry during the pandemic.
Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.
What we’re paying attention to
In rural Pennsylvania, some residents of places where case counts are low say the state isn’t acting fast enough to reopen the economy. But in areas where COVID-19 cases have had dramatic spikes, the feeling is more cautious, reported Laura Benshoff of WHYY.
Thirteen people shared the last “normal” photos they took pre-pandemic with the BBC.
Philadelphia might be one of the cities that will struggle the most with post-pandemic recovery, according to Moody’s Analytics and Forbes.
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