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Will you have to prove you’ve been vaccinated? | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, what we know about vaccinated people who still get sick with COVID-19

New York's "Excelsior Pass" app, a digital pass that people can download to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars.
New York's "Excelsior Pass" app, a digital pass that people can download to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars.Read moreNY Governor's Press Office via AP

The gist: The idea of a coronavirus vaccine verification, like a “passport” showing proof of immunity, has both fans and foes. Whether you will need one in the Philadelphia region will likely be up to the private sector. It’s rare for a fully vaccinated people to still become infected with the coronavirus, but the idea of it is still disturbing. My colleague Marie McCullough talks to experts to answer the most pressing questions around these types of infections.

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

What you need to know:

📈 Vaccination rates keep rising in some Philly suburbs, as others plateau, facing access and hesitancy challenges.

😷 Delaware County will resume using Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine Saturday.

📚 The Philadelphia School District is temporarily closing another elementary school after seven confirmed COVID-19 cases.

🦠 Vaccination rates for children dropped during the pandemic. Here’s how Philly-area pediatricians worked to increase wellness visits.

💉 Pennsylvania’s former health secretary visited Philadelphia’s FEMA-run mass vaccination site at the Convention Center yesterday and saw few people receiving their shots.

🇺🇸 More than 100 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, roughly 30% of the population.

📰 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.

Will you need a vaccine ‘passport’ in the Philly region?

The idea of a coronavirus vaccine verification, like a “passport” showing proof of immunity, has won fans and foes. Whether you will need one in the Philadelphia region may depend on where you’re headed. While Pennsylvania and New Jersey officials aren’t planning to implement statewide systems requiring proof of vaccination, it remains to be seen if this will be a requirement at sports venues, theaters, universities, theme parks, and restaurants. Read more here.

What we know about vaccinated people who still get sick with COVID-19

It’s rare for a fully vaccinated people to still become infected with the coronavirus, but the idea of it is still disturbing. As of April 20, the CDC had received reports of 7,157 cases among more than 87 million fully vaccinated people, or 0.008%. My colleague Marie McCullough talks to experts to answer the most pressing questions around these types of COVID-19 infections.

Helpful resources

  1. Here’s when it’s OK to ditch your mask, according to the CDC

  2. Am I eligible to get vaccinated? Know the requirements for Philly, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

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

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

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

You got this: Taking allergy medicines before getting vaccinated

Pollen has arrived in full force and many of us are relying on allergy medicine to help with sneezes and itchy eyes. But we’re also hearing from readers asking: “Is it OK to keep taking my antihistamine medications if I’m about to go get the COVID-19 vaccine?” The answer depends on what type of medicine you take. Read more here.

🩰 Pennsylvania Ballet’s latest virtual performance is almost like being there. Read about it here.

🏈 What a poem and an Eagles game may have in common, and a psychiatrist’s unusual prescription in the time of COVID-19.

😷 Pandemic habits: How to hang on to the good ones and get rid of the bad.

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. Disneyland reopens and the Los Angeles Times takes us inside the first day back.

  2. CVS will offer in-store mental-health counseling, NPR reports.

  3. BuzzFeed News published photos showing the devastating impact of the coronavirus surge in India.

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