The coronavirus put these 9 people (and millions more) out of work. Here are their stories. | Morning Newsletter

Economically, things were looking up for many in Philadelphia. But then the coronavirus hit, and thousands lost their jobs and the city began to reassess its budget due to lost tax revenue. And that’s far from the city’s only issue. For example, Philadelphia thought it would be getting a half-million masks for first responders until its order was canceled.

— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

In late March, Philadelphia closed on a deal for 500,000 N95 masks for police, firefighters, and other first responders. Even though they were about five times more expensive than normal, officials were glad to get them. But they never came. The order was canceled by the supplier, giving a window into what has become a national scandal as governments and health-care systems struggle to protect those on the front lines.

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ annual “State of the City” report shows that while Philly’s violent crime rate continues to rise and the poverty rate remains the highest in any big city, there were gains last year in areas including population, educational attainment, and jobs. But the coronavirus has thrown any future gains for a loop. And, more immediately, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is already prepping for “painful" cuts to the city’s budget and services.

Jobs losses across Pennsylvania have been particularly steep. About 783,000 people filed for unemployment claims during the first two weeks of the shutdown. And in Philadelphia, the crisis has struck everyone in some way. In the poorest big city in America, thousands of people had jobs in retail, restaurants, and the service sector, which were among the first industries to suddenly find themselves rudderless.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Thanks for sharing this great shot, @strangerphilly.

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“In other words, these pandemics exposed how treatment of the body is political — which has long been true in the U.S. Slavery reduced black people, and so black bodies, to a commodity and profitable end.” — writes Abdul Aliy-Muhammad, an organizer and writer who was born and raised in West Philly, about the impact of the coronavirus and past pandemics on black bodies.

In 1996, a 4-year-old child lost his foot on a SEPTA escalator. Where is he now? At first, Shareif Hall, who now goes by Reef, was hesitant to show his leg. The 27-year-old is now a model who designs vinyl wraps for his prosthetics.