FEMA could take over Philly Fighting COVID’s old mass vaccination site | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, how COVID-19 virus variants are evolving
TL;DR: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in talks with Philadelphia to run a mass vaccination clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The city and FEMA have not finalized plans. Patients who succumbed or barely survived new coronavirus strains had certain conditions that made them the perfect hosts for the virus to mutate. Read more here.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
📚 Pennsylvania will not move teachers into first priority group for vaccines, the commonwealth’s top health official says. Meanwhile, the CDC has released new guidelines on school reopenings, a debate in the Philly suburbs over bringing more students back to classrooms is “as political as the presidential election,” and in the city, it looks as if the timeline could depend on the school.
🏀 Parents of New Jersey youth athletes may attend games and practices, Gov. Phil Murphy says.
💉 Pennsylvania plans to narrow its vaccine network by cutting the number of providers from 1,700 to 200 or 300 in order “to get the vaccine to those providers that have demonstrated that they have the ability to vaccinate the most people quickly,” acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said.
😷 Black Philadelphians aren’t getting their fair share of COVID-19 vaccines. Faith leaders and hospitals are hearing a call to fix that.
🏥 Susan Love spent months trying to keep COVID-19 out of a South Jersey retirement community. Then it killed her.
🍽️ Philadelphia is allowing restaurants to expand their indoor dining offerings to 50% of capacity if they meet new ventilation requirements. Critics call the plan “unclear” and “unenforceable.”
📰 What’s going on in your county or neighborhood? We organized recent coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by local counties and Philly neighborhoods 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.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in talks with Philadelphia to run a mass vaccination clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center — the site that was formerly run by Philly Fighting COVID, a start-up run by a self-described group of “college kids” before the city severed the partnership. The city and FEMA have not finalized plans and if they do, it is unclear when the mass site would open. Read more here.
Patients who succumbed or barely survived new coronavirus strains had certain conditions that made them the perfect hosts for the virus to mutate. Researchers say these mutations are making the virus even more transmissible as it spreads largely undetected around the world. Read more here.
Helpful resources
Wondering where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
The most frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania’s frustrating vaccine rollout.
The coronavirus is mainly transmitted through the air. Here’s how to tell if your ventilation is OK.
If you’ve hit a COVID-19 wall, here are ways to cope.
Here’s what to know about traveling safely during the pandemic.
You got this: Heirloom seeds rich in Philly history
My colleague Grace Dickinson tells you how to fill your vegetable garden with heirloom seeds, where to find them, and their rich Philly history. Read the guide here.
🪴 Amid the COVID-19 economic slump, some Philly businesses are giving back.
🌹 Philadelphia’s florists have seen love on display throughout the pandemic. Valentine’s Day is no exception.
🧶 This Jenkintown scientist is teaching the power to heal — through knitting.
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
STAT reports on the critical role pharmacies are playing in the national vaccine rollout.
The new, more-transmissible coronavirus variants have experts worried about a spring surge, the Washington Post reports.
“Forced to compete for COVID-19 vaccines, some older people in Pennsylvania are struggling to book appointments,” WHYY reports.
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