Some Pa. counties can start to reopen. Here’s what to expect. | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, a cardiologist who suffered a stroke due to COVID-19 isn’t alone
TL;DR: Gov. Tom Wolf announced today that 24 northwest and north-central Pennsylvania counties can start reopening on May 8. The counties (you can find a full list here) will enter the “yellow” phase of Wolf’s tiered plan, meaning more businesses can open in those areas. After Troy Randle’s COVID-19 symptoms ended, he had a stroke. The 49-year-old New Jersey cardiologist is not the only one.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know
⚰️ New Jersey officials are reconsidering a ban on open caskets at funeral ceremonies.
🏖️ Ventnor beaches will reopen next Friday for “passive recreation,” but the boardwalk will remain closed.
🏥 The CDC says Pennsylvania leads the nation in coronavirus cases among meat plant workers
😷 Pennsylvania will partner with health-care workers and academic institutions to increase contact tracing.
⛳ Pennsylvania and New Jersey golf courses are reopening: Here’s what you need to know before you play.
🇺🇸 The FDA is allowing for the emergency use of an experimental drug that appears to help some coronavirus patients recover faster. Read more about the drug, remdesivir, here.
Local coronavirus cases
📈As of Friday evening, there are more than 37,400 reported cases in the Philadelphia area. Track the spread here.
PHILADELPHIA: 15,137 confirmed cases
SUBURBAN PA: 12,741 confirmed cases
SOUTH JERSEY: 9,526 confirmed cases
Gov. Tom Wolf announced today that 24 northwest and north-central Pennsylvania counties can start reopening on May 8. The counties (you can find a full list here) will enter the “yellow” phase of Wolf’s tiered plan, meaning more businesses can open in those areas. The Philadelphia region is expected to be among the last areas to reopen. To find out about the red phase, the green phase, and what you can expect each step of the way, read more here. And in case you need a refresher, here are the ‘life-sustaining’ businesses allowed to stay open in the counties that are shut down.
After Troy Randle’s COVID-19 symptoms ended, he had a stroke. The 49-year-old New Jersey cardiologist is not the only one. It seems more people his age and younger have suffered strokes as a result of infection with the coronavirus, though doctors are just beginning to understand the connections between the two. A Jefferson University Hospital physician and researcher recently reported on coronavirus-positive stroke patients, describing 12 patients and how some of them had no virus symptoms before their strokes. Read more here.
Helpful resources
Why some get really sick from the coronavirus, and others don’t.
If we’ve both been self-isolating, can I hang out with my friend? Can I visit my family?
Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.
Here’s a list of local Philly stores that deliver groceries, meat, dairy, coffee beans, and more.
Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.
You got this: Try these Philly-area meat suppliers
While coronavirus cases and social distancing measures have forced large meat-processing plants to close, less meat is getting to grocery stores. “The food supply chain is breaking,” Tyson Foods’ chairman John Tyson wrote this week in a national ad. So if it has been hard for you to find meat, you can turn to this list of smaller Philly-area businesses, like restaurant suppliers-turned-retailers, area farms, local co-ops and butcher shops.
💰I was denied unemployment. What can I do?
🌸 Can I get flowers delivered on Mother’s Day? (And other gift ideas)
📦How to personally deliver something, safely, 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
Grieving families are turning to GoFundMe, struggling to pay for COVID-19 burials. In past disasters, FEMA has helped pay for the burials of victims, but President Donald Trump hasn’t released that money, ProPublica reports.
Foster kids are aging out of the system and they’re anxious, without housing, food, money, or mental and emotional support. BillyPenn reports Pennsylvania is lagging behind other states in helping foster youth.
Labs across the United States are joining a federal initiative to study the coronavirus, the New York Times reports. They will trace patterns of transmission, investigate outbreaks, and map its evolution.
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