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Philly-area teens want their vaccines | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, businesses say they can’t find enough workers as unemployment remains high

East Hartford students receive the Pfizer vaccine at a mass vaccination site. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for young adults aged 12 and older by next week, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year.
East Hartford students receive the Pfizer vaccine at a mass vaccination site. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for young adults aged 12 and older by next week, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year.Read moreJessica Hill / AP

The gist: Adolescents may not have to wait too much longer to roll up their sleeves for a shot — and they’re excited. Although unemployment remains high, some Philly-area businesses report they are struggling to hire workers. It may seem like a “counterintuitive problem,” but the situation is more complicated, my colleague Christian Hetrick reports. Read more here.

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

What you need to know:

💉 Philadelphia continues to offer walk-up vaccine appointments at the FEMA-run clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.

🦠 Pennsylvania and Delaware will also drop most COVID-19 restrictions in the next few weeks as cases plummet and more people are vaccinated.

😷 At the current rate of vaccinations, Pennsylvania could do away with mask mandates by mid-June.

🏈 If you want to see Penn State play football games with Beaver Stadium at full capacity in the fall, coach James Franklin says to get a coronavirus vaccine.

📺 A Philadelphia sixth-grader surprised a Fox News host by defending President Joe Biden’s pandemic response. Watch the video here.

🏥 Indian Americans offer a hand at Philly vaccination sites as COVID-19 threatens their loved ones an ocean away.

📚 Cherry Hill schools will be open for in-person learning five days a week, beginning May 17.

📰 What’s going on in your county or neighborhood? We organize recent coverage of the pandemic by local counties and Philly neighborhoods to make it easier for you to find info you care about. Sign up here to get those local headlines sent directly to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Local coronavirus numbers

📈The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on confirmed coronavirus cases, deaths caused by the virus, and vaccinations to curb the spread. Track the latest data here.

Philly-area teens are ready for their COVID-19 vaccines

The FDA is expected to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include those ages 12 to 15 as early as next week and Philadelphia-area teens are excited. “I’m mainly excited because this means that we learned a lot about the virus and how to stop it. It means that things will go back to normal,” one Chester County teen told my colleague Bethany Ao. Public officials have said vaccinating kids is a key step to getting back to normal. Read more here.

Unemployment remains high, yet many businesses say they can’t find enough workers

Some small businesses are struggling to hire workers for low-, mid-, and high-paid jobs, even though unemployment remains high. Company officials, economists, and workers explained to my colleague Christian Hetrick why this confusing problem is happening. For example, a lack of child care is a barrier for many workers with school-aged children and workers who are not vaccinated may be hesitant to accept low wages for risky jobs during a pandemic. Read more here.

Helpful resources

  1. Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids and teens: Safety and side effects, explained.

  2. Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.

  3. Here's how to prepare for your vaccine appointment.

  4. What you can do safely once you're fully vaccinated.

  5. Symptoms of COVID-19, flu, common cold, and allergies can overlap. How to tell the difference.

You got this: Volunteer in a garden or farm

Looking to try something new and get out in nature? Try volunteering at a local farm. Many farms across the region rely on volunteers to keep their operations running and most places don’t require experience. Here’s where to volunteer at a local farm or garden this summer.

🎼 Drumroll, please: The Philadelphia Orchestra is returning to Verizon Hall live this fall.

🍽️ June BYOB, the French restaurant that shut down last year, will reopen in Collingswood.

🎥 Drive up to a paddling film festival in Pottstown.

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. Mass vaccination sites may have played a crucial role in getting large amounts of people vaccinated quickly, but now vaccine distribution is going hyperlocal, the Atlantic reports.

  2. The coronavirus is spreading a deadly amount in poorer countries as rich nations like the United States are shifting back to normal life, the New York Times reports.

  3. A federal judge ruled that the CDC overstepped its legal authority when it imposed the nationwide eviction moratorium, the Washington Post reports.

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