Why vaccine holdouts are reconsidering | Morning Newsletter
And, the changing demographics of Pa. politics.
The Morning Newsletter
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Another week is here, so let’s get it started with a fresh edition of The Inquirer Morning Newsletter.
First: Doctors and researchers share what they think is swaying vaccine holdouts.
Then: The new census data reveals a significant shift in Pennsylvania demographics ... and politics.
And: Philly’s free internet program for students falls way short of its goal — so far.
— Olayemi Falodun (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
A growing number of unvaccinated residents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are crossing the vaccine divide and getting inoculated.
The daily total of vaccinations in each state has risen steadily over the last month. But according to medical experts and researchers, the reasons for the uptick go further than the rise in delta variant cases and the recently adjusted coronavirus guidance.
Medical experts point to the impact of the virus on family and loved ones, and possible lifestyle changes, as the bigger reasons behind the vaccine crossover.
Reporter Erin McCarthy shares what doctors, psychologists and sociologists in the region have seen change minds about the vaccine.
Racial and ethnic demographics across Pennsylvania are changing, according to new data by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Pennsylvania’s population growth of about 300,000 people over the last decade — especially in urban areas like the Philadelphia region — could mean more political power for people of color, primarily Latino communities.
Jonathan Tamari and Jonathan Lai explore the shift across the state and what it means when it comes to redrawing Pa.’s congressional and state legislative districts for the next decade.
Reopening resources
If you lost your vaccine card, here’s what to do.
Have your card in hand? Here’s what to do with it — and what not to do.
Here’s what Philly experts are thinking about the COVID-19 risk, while the delta variant’s outdoor transmission is still unclear.
Track the latest data on COVID-19 cases in the region.
Before you go out to eat, here’s a list of Philly restaurants requiring vaccination proof to dine indoors.
Oh, and are you in need of a mask upgrade?
What you need to know today
Last year, officials pledged the city’s free internet program for students would provide online connection to 35,000 low-income families. Find out why only about half of those households have been connected since that promise.
Nursing staff shortages have pushed Philly-area hospitals into doing all they can to attract — and keep — help, including offering signing bonuses up to $20,000.
The weekly, in-person Mass obligation is back after a 15-month hiatus due to COVID-19. Here’s how some area Catholics are approaching services while the pandemic remains a part of daily life.
Philadelphia-area Holocaust survivors share their journey through the pandemic and their experience of receiving vaccines from Jefferson University Hospital.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
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That's interesting
🖼️ Meet the women taking the lead on revitalizing the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts after calls for changes to the institution.
🐕 Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov’s golden retriever, Drake The Pup Star, is a social media darling.
Opinions
“If you are making the choice not to be vaccinated, you’re making that choice not just for yourself but for everyone you come in contact with,” writes 6ABC meteorologist Adam Joseph, who details the fallout from an unvaccinated relative exposing his family to COVID-19 infections.
The “misguided” approach of Pennsylvania policymakers who assume doctors overprescribing opioids led to the crisis is causing many patients in pain to suffer unnecessarily, argue surgeon Jeffrey A. Singer and Josh Bloom, who is the director of chemical and pharmaceutical science at the American Council on Science and Health.
What we're reading
Philly Voice recounts Kevin Hart’s viral and humorous exchange with acclaimed actor Don Cheadle during an interview on Peacock.
It’s a summer to let the hair down — quite literally — according to a Philly Mag report about the return of an iconic hairstyle.
The genomes of humans and cats look and behave similarly. Researchers looking to identify the early signs of health issues in felines think their findings can aid in early detection of diabetes and heart problems in humans.
Debunking myths about parenting during the pandemic, NPR looks into approaches across the globe for raising kids without stressing.
Some workers are taking advantage of remote work by secretly taking on other jobs, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Photo of the day
Can’t beat the vibes of a Philly icon.