Masks ordered to protect Philly’s first responders still haven’t arrived | Coronavirus Newsletter

TL;DR: Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said the coronavirus pandemic will cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars, forcing budget cuts and reductions to services and staffing. The city ordered a half-million masks to protect first responders, but they never arrived. In New Jersey, the presidential primary is postponed until July 7 and all state and county parks, as well as state forests, have been closed. In international news, Wuhan, China’s virus pandemic epicenter, ended its 76-day lockdown.

See these photos on how the coronavirus continues to disrupt the everyday lives of people in the Philadelphia area, make sure you check Inquirer.com/coronavirus for the latest news, and please feel free to tell your family and friends to sign up.

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

🇺🇸 New Jersey is postponing its presidential primary until July 7.

🏥 Pennsylvania health officials said there have been "significant increases” in the number of nursing homes and long-term care centers that have reported positive cases of the coronavirus.

🌳State and county parks and state forests in New Jersey are closed because people continued to crowd the areas. In Pennsylvania, Philly’s Wissahickon Valley Park is seeing crowds similar to its peak summer season.

🏠 Delaware Gov. John Carney banned short-term rentals — vacation home and condo rentals, hotels, and motels — through May 15 in an effort to keep visitors away from the state.

🚇 Three men working at SEPTA maintenance facilities have died of the coronavirus. They were Michael Holt, a bus driver who transferred into maintenance at SEPTA’s Midvale Depot; Phillip Williams, out of the Southern Depot; and Ted Nixon, who worked in the Elmwood Depot.

🇨🇳China’s virus pandemic epicenter Wuhan ends its 76-day lockdown.

📈As of Tuesday evening, there are more than 9,000 reported cases in the Philadelphia area. Track the spread here.

Just last month, Mayor Jim Kenney proposed a $5.2 billion spending plan to City Council for the upcoming fiscal year, pitching funding for antipoverty plans, a scholarship to make community college free for thousands of students, and expanded street sweeping.

Now, Kenney said the coronavirus pandemic and related shutdowns will cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue and emergency spending, forcing budget cuts and reductions to services and staffing, my colleague Laura McCrystal reports.

Even though city officials had been preparing for a possible recession, there was no way they could have foreseen this global public health crisis.

The city has about $439 million in its reserve fund, which City Councilmember Allan Domb said the COVID-19 crisis could wipe out.

“This isn’t going to be something that we’re going to be able to tax ourselves out of,” he said.

Kenney will present a new budget plan to Council on May 1.

Philadelphia finally finished its order for 500,000 N95 masks, the high-quality protection first responders and healthcare workers need to stay safe from the coronavirus while doing their jobs. The price was about 5 times normal, or $5.60 per mask, but they were needed. That was on March 25.

The next day, supplier BJ Wholesale Club, reported the order had been canceled for undisclosed reasons. Meanwhile, Philadelphia officials have ordered more masks, but have no idea if they will ever come.

My colleague Jason Laughlin writes about how this failed deal “is a window into what has become a national scandal, the inability of governments and health care systems to protect those on the front line of the pandemic.”

The shortage of masks isn’t a problem unique to Philly. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General released a report Monday saying hospitals were “reporting delays of 3-6 months in being able to replenish key supplies, including surgical and N95 masks." Here are the items hospitals need most right now, and how you can donate.

🌕 Whether you call it Super, ‘Pink,’ or ‘Paschal,’ the moon makes its closest approach of the year.

🏀 Villanova’s Saddiq Bey wins the Julius Erving Award as the nation’s best small forward.

✡️ Having a virtual seder? Share your screenshots and stories with us.

It’s tough to find cleaning supplies in stores these days. Luckily, my colleague Grace Dickinson has you covered with these easy-to-follow instructions on how to make your own disinfecting wipes. It includes getting bleach and an old cloth or rag. Read more here.

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.

My colleague Jessica Griffin took wonderful photos showing how Aaron Talasnik, 42, has been wearing his old Halloween costumes, like the above Easter bunny one, while walking his dog Charlie in Center City. He said he also has costumes of the hungry caterpillar, Buzz Lightyear, and an opening-day Phillies fan. “If I can make somebody smile or make somebody laugh during the day I am helping.” See more photos here.

News about coronavirus is changing quickly. Go to inquirer.com/coronavirus to make sure you are seeing the newest information.