Penn State forces students to sign COVID-19 liability waiver | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, N.J. schools can start year entirely online
TL;DR: Pennsylvania State University is forcing its students to sign a COVID-19 liability agreement to participate in the fall semester. Heidi Li Feldman, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center who focuses on legal liability, says what she would advise students: “The first thing I would urge is that they do not sign this.” New Jersey school thats aren’t equipped to mitigate the spread of the virus can start the school year entirely online, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said today.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
⚖️ A longtime Philadelphia judge won’t wear a mask in court and ordered others to remove theirs.
😷 A persistent New Jersey advocate helped get personal protective equipment for himself and others with disabilities.
🏖️ Beach home sales at the Jersey Shore are surging during the coronavirus outbreak.
🏈 Doug Pederson returns from coronavirus isolation in time for Eagles’ first full practice of training camp. Meanwhile, the NBA announced zero positive COVID-19 tests for the fourth-straight week.
⛪ An undocumented immigrant family that has lived nearly three years in Philadelphia church sanctuary to avoid deportation is now sick with the coronavirus. Read their story.
🏥 Coronavirus is changing childbirth in the Philadelphia region, including boosting scheduled inductions.
📰 What’s going on in your county? We organized recent coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by counties mentioned in the stories to make it easier for you to find the info you care most 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.
New Jersey school thats aren’t equipped to mitigate the spread of the virus can start the school year entirely online, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said today, allowing Garden State districts to become the latest in the region, including those in Philadelphia, in choosing all-virtual starts. This announcement comes as New Jersey data shows kids are making up a growing share of COVID-19 carriers.
Pennsylvania State University is forcing its students to sign a COVID-19 liability agreement to participate in the fall semester. Heidi Li Feldman, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center who focuses on legal liability, told Sara Simon of Spotlight PA what she would advise students: “The first thing I would urge is that they do not sign this.” Read more here.
Helpful resources
What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus?
Find coronavirus testing sites: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware
Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.
Want to plan a vacation? Here’s what the experts say on how to travel safely.
Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.
You got this: Say no to weddings, birthday parties, and other events
Even though most major events in Philadelphia have been canceled through February, not everyone has cancelled their own celebrations. My colleague Grace Dickinson spoke to etiquette experts about how to decline invitations without sparking a feud. Read more here.
🍎 Here are a dozen pick your own farms near Philly worth a day trip.
🍴 Philly food entrepreneurs are rising during the pandemic.
🎶 This year’s Philly Folk Fest is a massive virtual be-in.
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
Dr. Sanjay Gupta writes for CNN why he is not sending his kids back to school.
This week, Russia became the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine. But scientists are skeptical, the Associated Press reports.
As many as one-third of patients recovering from the coronavirus could experience mental and neurological effects, STAT reports.
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