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As employees go back to work, City Council looks to protect them | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, experts suggest an alternative to masks

Attendees at a rally and protest to support sanitation workers who are requesting hazard pay and PPE, engage in a social distancing protest at LOVE Park, in Philadelphia, June 09, 2020.
Attendees at a rally and protest to support sanitation workers who are requesting hazard pay and PPE, engage in a social distancing protest at LOVE Park, in Philadelphia, June 09, 2020.Read moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer

TL;DR: Philadelphia could become the first big city across the country to give workers stronger legal protection if they call out unsafe working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. Some doctors are now saying face shields — curved sheets of clear plastic covering the entire face —can be used instead of masks or bandanas to prevent the spread of coronavirus while making it easier to breathe and communicate. Here is a video showing how a shield and mask affect germ spread.

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

What you need to know:

🏠 Southeastern Pennsylvania counties will officially move into the “green” phase of reopening tomorrow. Philadelphia will also proceed to the green stage, but with a modified version that keeps some restrictions in place until July 3 or later.

😷 Bucks County officials said they have seen an increasing number of residents who contracted the coronavirus after traveling out of state. The county’s health department will patrol bars and restaurants to ensure patrons are wearing masks and social distancing as the county enters the “green” phase.

🏥 New Jersey added 1,854 coronavirus deaths on Thursday after the state began including probable cases in its count.

👐 Delaware was set to loosen restrictions Monday, but Gov. John Carney iss delaying the next reopening phase because “too many Delawareans and visitors are not following basic public health precautions.”

📚 The University of Pennsylvania will test all students for the coronavirus when they return to campus for the fall semester.

📰 What’s going on in your county? We organized recent coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by local counties mentioned in the stories to make it easier for you to find the info you care about.

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.

Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved a bill that will make it illegal for employers to fire, discipline, or otherwise retaliate against workers who call out unsafe working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, my colleague Juliana Feliciano Reyes reports. If Mayor Jim Kenney signs, Philly would become the first big city in the country giving workers stronger legal protection against this kind of retaliation. Read more about the anti-retaliation bill here.

Some doctors are now saying face shields — curved sheets of clear plastic covering the entire face —can be used instead of masks or bandanas to prevent the spread of coronavirus, while making it easier to breathe and communicate, my colleague Stacey Burling reports. Read more here.

Helpful resources

  1. What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus? Pink eye is also a possible early warning sign of coronavirus, eye doctors report.

  2. Your reopening questions, answered: Is it safe to return to the gym, how does outdoor dining work now, and how dangerous are public bathrooms?

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

  4. Not sure what a medical term means? We have definitions for you.

  5. Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.

You got this: Defuse arguments over masks and personal space

As the region approaches the “green” phase of reopening and people are leaving their homes more, my colleague Nick Vadala spoke to local mediators and conflict-resolution experts about what to do if you need to defuse arguments over masks and personal space. Read the tips here.

🎆 Fireworks seem to be the soundtrack of the summer. Here’s what the rules are.

🎶 Hot picks for this summer weekend: The Roots Picnic live stream, a Garth Brooks drive-in concert, must-see TV, and outdoor attractions that are open.

😷 Video: How a shield and mask affect germ spread

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. The Washington Post reports that the U.S. treasury sent more than 1 million coronavirus stimulus payments, totaling nearly $1.4 billion, to dead people, a congressional watchdog finds.

  2. The Philadelphia suburbs are preparing for the looser restrictions of the “green” reopening stage, WHYY reports.

  3. The New York Times published an interactive visualization of how the coronavirus spread undetected for months.

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