Philly fireworks canceled; N.J. water parks to open | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, volunteers keep hunting for lifesaving PPE for health care workers
TL;DR: Philadelphia’s Wawa Welcome America festival — held virtually this year — will not include a traditional live fireworks display over the Art Museum. Fireworks displays were also canceled in Camden and Ocean City. After months of COVID-19, medical PPE is still so scarce that volunteers keep hunting for lifesaving supplies.
— Kelly O’Shea (@kelloshea, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
🎢 Outdoor amusement and water parks in New Jersey can open July 2, including rides on boardwalks, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday.
☎️ Philadelphia officials expect to have a fully operational contact tracing system for COVID-19 cases in place by July 1.
🤒 In New Jersey, the percent of confirmed cases that involve younger patients has increased, State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli warned.
⚾ MLB plans to implement a season that will be between 50 and 60 games, with opening day slated for the weekend of July 24.
🍺 Two New Jersey bars are under fire from Gov. Murphy for allowing big crowds of mask-less people.
🛍️ Just because stores are open in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are they safe? Here’s what you need to know about the rules and how to shop safely.
📰 What’s going on in your county? We organized recent coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by local counties mentioned in the stories to make it easier for you to find the info you care 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.
Philadelphia’s Wawa Welcome America festival — held virtually this year to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus — will not include a traditional live fireworks display over the Art Museum, my colleague Oona Goodin-Smith reports. Following the lead of Philadelphia and most cities across the country, Camden and Ocean City also canceled their annual Fourth of July fireworks.
Health-care experts say the disrupted supply chains that left doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients without proper gear has improved, but not enough, as cases surge in the south and west, and the threat of a second wave in the fall looms, my colleague Jason Laughlin reports. Meanwhile, the public focus that drove donations of cash and material is drifting. Read more here.
Helpful resources
What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus?
Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.
Anxious about the prospect of socializing again? Here’s what psychologists say you can do to ease those worries.
Not sure what a medical term means? We have definitions for you.
Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.
You got this: Make the most of summer
After months of being shut in to slow the spread of the coronavirus, our cities are finally starting to eke back to life. The virus is still spreading but that doesn’t mean the magic of summer has to disappear. My colleague Elizabeth Wellington says this is the summer for projects that give you life. Build that swing on your porch, or plant those gerbera daisies in your flower garden. Read more ways to reclaim the magic of the season here.
🐘 The Philadelphia Zoo reopens to the public July 9. Here’s what will it look like.
🧼 The FDA issued a warning that nine hand sanitizers on the market contain toxic substances that could potentially be lethal.
👜 PREIT plans to reopen its Fashion District Philadelphia mall in Center City on July 3.
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
Is a second wave of coronavirus coming? PolitiFact checked with experts to better understand what wave we’re in, what the outlook is for a possible new wave, and what, if anything, we can learn from the history of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
European Union countries rushing to reopen their borders after months of coronavirus restrictions are prepared to block Americans from entering because the United States has failed to control the virus, The New York Times reports.
President Donald Trump insisted he was serious when he revealed that he had directed his administration to slow coronavirus testing, Politico reports.
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