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Rising case numbers could delay one suburban county’s move to ‘green’ | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, essential workers are afraid to call out unsafe conditions

Jeanne Casner, foreground, director of the Chester County Health Department, which also is handling COVID-19 response for Delaware County in suburban Philadelphia, with some of her 100-person-strong coronavirus team behind her: in no particular order: Alexandria Tavoni; Heather DeStefano; Dave Sekkes; Kelly Raum; Dr. Renee Cassidy; Eric Misthal; Michele Steiner; Rachael (cq) Hernandez; Suzy (cq) Curtis; Gianna Megaro; Bill Boyer; Mike Baysinger; Stephanie Steiner; and Meghan (cq) Smith. .in West Chester, Thursday, May 28, 2020
Jeanne Casner, foreground, director of the Chester County Health Department, which also is handling COVID-19 response for Delaware County in suburban Philadelphia, with some of her 100-person-strong coronavirus team behind her: in no particular order: Alexandria Tavoni; Heather DeStefano; Dave Sekkes; Kelly Raum; Dr. Renee Cassidy; Eric Misthal; Michele Steiner; Rachael (cq) Hernandez; Suzy (cq) Curtis; Gianna Megaro; Bill Boyer; Mike Baysinger; Stephanie Steiner; and Meghan (cq) Smith. .in West Chester, Thursday, May 28, 2020Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

TL;DR: Chester County is the only county in this region that has failed to meet two important benchmarks for continuing to ease coronavirus restrictions. Many essential workers don’t speak up about working conditions that are unsafe during the coronavirus pandemic for fear of retaliation, including potentially losing their jobs. But my colleague Juliana Feliciano Reyes reports that a Philadelphia City Council bill aims to change that.

— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)

What you need to know:

😷 Coronavirus cases may be trending downward around Philadelphia, but masks are here to stay.

🍽️ Philadelphia will begin to allow outdoor dining on Friday for restaurants that already have sidewalk cafe licenses. Parks on Tap is also back for 2020 — but grounded at the Horticulture Center.

🍎 Hunger is expected to explode in the Philadelphia region, and throughout America, because of the pandemic. And with undocumented families excluded from coronavirus aid, immigrant organizations are stepping in to help families keep food on the table.

🎥 This Jersey Shore movie theater shuts its doors after being issued three violations.

🚇 SEPTA is partnering with the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium to test employees at stations.

💰 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden introduced a plan to restart the economy during a stop in West Philly today. Watch a video of his visit here.

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.

Rising case numbers could delay one suburban county’s move to ‘green'

Chester County is the only county in this region that has failed to meet two important benchmarks for continuing to ease coronavirus restrictions. Its latest 14-day count of new cases, according to state data, is up 20% and it hasn’t had a positive test rate of less than 10% for 14 days in a row. If these metric don’t improve, the county "will not be able to move to the next phase,” Pennsylvania Department of Health spokesperson Nathan Wardle said. Read more here.

Workers aren’t calling out unsafe coronavirus conditions for fear of losing their jobs. A Philly bill could help.

Many essential workers don’t speak up about working conditions that are unsafe during the coronavirus pandemic for fear of retaliation, including losing their jobs. But my colleague Juliana Feliciano Reyes reports that a Philadelphia City Council bill aims to change that. Read more about the bill here.

Helpful resources

  1. Anxious about the prospect of socializing or shopping again? Here’s what psychologists say you can do to ease those worries.

  2. Philly is in the yellow phase. How far are we away from green?

  3. What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus?

  4. Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.

  5. What to consider before visiting your parents in the yellow phase.

You got this: Get ready for summer

The region was under a stay-at-home order for the spring, so many of us are itching to go out more this summer as we enter the yellow phase. Our reporters wrote a guide on how to navigate this new normal. There’s advice on how to prepare for a vacation, where to eat, and safer ways to go to the beach and camp. Check out our tips here.

🏖️ Can I go on vacation this summer?

📺 New Artemis Fowl movie, Spike Lee’s latest, huge John Prine memorial concert, must-see TV, and more to keep you entertained this weekend.

🐶 Can I get my dog groomed in the yellow phase?

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

  1. Blue Zones published a Q&A with the “Top Epidemiologist Who Predicted the Pandemic.”

  2. Recovering from COVID-19 does not guarantee you won’t get it again, STAT reports. Scientists are trying to figure out how we can get immunity.

  3. The New York Times published an interactive showing how the coronavirus exacerbated existing inequalities in New York City.

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