Hard-hit Philly neighborhoods among least vaccinated | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, fully vaccinated people may travel again without restrictions
The gist: Philadelphia neighborhoods with among the lowest vaccination rates are home largely to lower-income Philadelphians of color and tend to be the same zip codes that have suffered higher coronavirus case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths, according to an Inquirer analysis. Fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States without getting tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine afterward.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
😷 Philadelphia will move into the next phase of its vaccine eligibility Monday, with plans to open eligibility to all adult residents by May 1.
💰 Pennsylvania is allowing utilities to resume service shutoffs for nonpaying customers, ending a coronavirus moratorium that utilities said had contributed to a massive growth of unpaid bills.
⚾ “ For just a few hours in this corner of South Philadelphia, Philly felt like Philly again.” Read what it was like at Citizens Bank Park when Phillies fans returned to a home game for the first time since 2019.
📰 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.
Philadelphia neighborhoods with among the lowest vaccination rates are home largely to lower-income Philadelphians of color and tend to be the same zip codes that have suffered higher coronavirus case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths, according to an Inquirer analysis. Residents of the highest-income zip codes have been vaccinated at twice the rate of the lowest-income zip codes. “At the root of what we’re seeing is really a manifestation of structural racism at this moment,” said Sharrelle Barber, a Drexel University professor of epidemiology and biostatistics.
Fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States without getting tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine afterward, according to the CDC. Still, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the organization’s director, said she would urge people to be cautious and would “advocate against general travel overall” given the rising number of coronavirus infections. Here’s an earlier Inquirer guide for how to evaluate what is safe as you plan your summer vacation.
Helpful resources
Am I eligible to get vaccinated? Know the requirements for Philly, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
Here's how to prepare for your vaccine appointment.
What you can do safely once you're fully vaccinated.
Symptoms of COVID-19, flu, common cold, and allergies can overlap. How to tell the difference.
You got this: Cancel your vaccine appointment if you can’t make it
If you’re lucky enough to book not one, but two vaccine appointments, remember to cancel whichever appointment you won’t be needing. “When people keep appointments that they can’t make, it means that appointment slot is left open and the Health Department has to scramble to fill it, potentially with someone who just happens to be close and available,” said James Garrow, communications director of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. “In the worst case scenario, the dose of vaccine that the Health Department reserved for you might even spoil and need to be thrown away.” Read more here.
🏥 FEMA will pay families up to $9,000 to help with COVID-19-related funeral costs. Here’s how to apply and who’s eligible.
🪴 Where to get great plants in the Philly area for less green.
🎭 The “best seats” at for the Kimmel Center’s Broadway series will cost you.
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
Many businesses don’t want to enforce “vaccine passports,” STAT reports.
Can President Joe Biden’s plan save child-care centers? The New York Times reports on the crisis facing the industry.
NPR spoke to CDC staffers on what it has been like to fight the biggest public health battle in their history.
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