FEMA vaccine site is widening the racial gap | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, what’s next for Philly’s food scene
TL;DR: FEMA’s mass vaccination site at the Convention Center doubled the daily doses given in Philadelphia, but it also widened the racial gap. My colleague Jenn Ladd asked various players in the Philly food community about what may come next for Philly’s restaurant culture.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
😷 Philadelphia is allowing eligible residents from certain zip codes to receive walk-in COVID-19 vaccine shots at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Meanwhile, suburban Philly officials do not want one mass vaccination site for the region, telling the Pennsylvania health department it would “deepen the inequities.”
💉 As vaccine distribution ramps up, so do efforts to care for Philly’s vulnerable immigrants.
🏥 Delaware has expanded eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations, becoming one of just a handful of states to offer shots to all residents 50 years of age and older.
🎉 Philadelphia is lifting its ban on events of 50 or more people. While Pennsylvania will loosen restrictions on bars, restaurant, stadiums, and other entertainment venues beginning Easter Sunday, Philadelphia will keep its current restrictions for now.
📈 Coronavirus cases are stable in South Jersey, but statewide numbers are creeping up.
🦠 CHOP is part of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine trial in children as 6 months, opening a new front in the fight against the pandemic.
📰 What’s going on near you? 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. Now, you can also get those local headlines sent directly to your inbox by signing up here.
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.
FEMA’s mass vaccination site at the Convention Center doubled the daily doses given in Philadelphia, but it also widened the racial gap. In just two weeks, the gap of 5.5 percentage points between white and Black residents who had been vaccinated nearly doubled to 10.5 points. City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said Tuesday that he’s “very concerned” about the growing racial gaps in vaccine distribution. Read more here.
How will this pandemic year change the culture of restaurants? My colleague Jenn Ladd asked various players in the Philly food community about what may come next. Read more here to see how dining could be changed by the vaccine, mask-wearing, digital-first service, and workers’ rights.
Helpful resources
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
What to know about face masks, including whether to double up and when it might be time to replace yours.
These principles of social distancing can help you figure out what you can and can’t do.
Here’s how to avoid coronavirus vaccine scams.
You got this: Have a backyard vegetable garden
Nicole Enders has a a 170-square-foot back “yard” and she turned the cement patio into a garden. As the owner of Philadelphia Box Gardens, Enders specializes in planning and installing edible gardens in small urban spaces. My colleague Grace Dickinson writes about how you can do the same, with Enders’ guide for building a raised bed, growing within it, and how to make that garden thrive. Read more here.
🏠 How to protect yourself against rental scams.
🍸 Here are 15 distilleries in and near Philadelphia, whether your taste is for whiskey, rum, vodka, or moonshine.
💰 Americans won’t pay 2020 income tax on up to $10,200 of unemployment funds.
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
The Washington Post reports how the pandemic is reshaping education.
A recent analysis suggested as many as nine states were already reaching “herd immunity” status. Kaiser Health News does the math.
People are delaying appointments for mammograms and other tests to detect potential cancers. Now, doctors are warning advanced cancers are emerging, the New York Times reports.
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