Confused about getting the vaccine in Pa. and N.J.? You’re not alone. | Morning Newsletter
And, the Eagles picked a “fairly smart but not super smart” coach.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning. Before we jump into today’s top stories, I have a quick note of personal news. Today is my last day at The Inquirer. It has been an honor to take you through the news each morning and I really appreciate you allowing me into your inbox. I know this newsletter will continue to bring you The Inquirer journalism that serves, informs, entertains, and surprises you.
Thanks for reading.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Millions of people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s been five weeks since the rollout of the shots began across the country, but states in our region are getting fewer vaccine doses than they need. There’s also no centralized system for giving them. The combination has led to mass confusion and frustration, report my colleagues Justine McDaniel, Allison Steele, and Laura McCrystal.
For more on the vaccines, check out these resources:
💪 This is what happens when the COVID-19 shot goes in your arm.
💉 Use our lookup tool to see where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area.
📧 You can register to get an alert that will tell you when it’s your turn to get a vaccine.
The Birds have found their Doug Pederson replacement in the form of 39-year-old Nick Sirianni, who spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts. Sirianni worked under Colts head coach Frank Reich, the former Eagles offensive coordinator when the Birds won the Super Bowl.
Columnist Marcus Hayes wrote that Sirianni’s hiring could be another example of owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman out-smarting themselves. Coincidentally, they picked a coach that one NFL source described as “fairly smart but not super smart” while questioning whether he could lead a team to the Super Bowl. Other than that, here are 15 things you should know about the Eagles’ new head coach.
Helpful COVID-19 Resources
We’re answering some of the most common vaccine questions in our updated FAQ.
Here are the updated coronavirus case numbers as COVID-19 continues to spread across the region.
What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus and what are the differences between COVID-19, the flu, a common cold, and allergies?
You can get this info and more in an email newsletter that goes out three times a week. Sign up here.
What you need to know today
When the Harrisburg woman accused of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during the Capitol insurrection left her home, changed her phone number, and shut down her social media accounts, her lawyer said she didn’t do so in an attempt to flee authorities.
A likely result of COVID-19 social distancing: fewer flu and other infections.
Chester County will have new protocols for how it buys products and services moving forward after a failed COVID-19 antibody testing program led to an $11 million county lawsuit.
During a visit to the Montgomery County Democratic Committee headquarters this week, executive director Brian Levy found that the building had been shot three times through its front glass window. According to reporting from my colleagues Vinny Vella and Robert Moran, police are investigating the shooting, and party officials were shaken by what they found.
Patrick A. Stedman, a self-described Haddonfield sex and “relationship strategist,” was arrested yesterday in connection with the Capitol riot investigation. Prosecutors said that he captured his storming of the building online — and then blamed leftist demonstrators.
Addiction and mental-health treatment centers are struggling to contain coronavirus outbreaks as the pandemic leads to more people seeking help.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Love this shot of nature at its finest. Thanks for sharing, @jbake_photography.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!
That’s interesting
💥 Atlantic City’s former Trump Plaza is set to be imploded next month.
🏀 No matter what the Boston Celtics tried to do, they just couldn’t contain Joel Embiid in the Sixers’ 117-90 win on Wednesday night. They play again tonight.
🤔 Zalika U. Ibraorimi, a West Oak Lane native and doctoral candidate studying Black sexual politics, has developed a theory about how the word jawn functions within Black Philadelphia. My colleague Cassie Owns has the story about how jawn, depending on the context, could elicit a range of connotations for women or femme presenting people.
🏘️ You can now own part of a town — a miniature town, at least. The property that housed the little town Laurence Gieringer hand-built and turned into an off-highway tourist attraction in Berks County was sold in December and parts of the fictional village are up for auction now.
🍕 These are the best healthy-ish takeout options in Philly. (Yes, that includes pizza.)
🗓️ Looking for something to do this weekend and next week? How about binging a new show? You can check out all the best things to do in Philly right here.
Opinions
“His wisest point: that unity doesn’t require agreement. It does require a shared confidence in our systems, a shared sense of truth, a shared belief that fairness will prevail.” — writes The Inquirer Editorial Board about President Joe Biden’s difficult path to unity.
With Rachel Levine’s historic cabinet nomination, Pennsylvania will be looking for a new health secretary. Tanmoy (Tom) Das Lala , an M.D.-Ph.D. student in New York City, and Valerie Yeager, an associate professor at Indiana University, write about whether her successor should be a physician.
Vaccine distribution is a mess, write Efrat R. Kean and Patricia C. Henwood, emergency medicine physicians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Their recommendation: Call in the National Guard.
What we’re reading
With my Inquirer tenure ending, I’m going to share three of my favorite, timeless pieces of Inquirer journalism from the last few years. I hope you enjoy them.
Legendary: 30 years of Philly ballroom by Cassie Owens, Raishad Hardnett, and Lauren Schneiderman
Love in Philly’s Italian Market — where everybody knows your business by Astrid Rodrigues
Nick Foles’ Super Bowl trick-play touchdown catch was one for the ages by Jeff McLane
Your Daily Dose of | The goats who ate Christmas
One of the unofficial signs of the end of the holiday season: when Philadelphians feed their Christmas trees to farm animals. In this photo, staff photographer Tyger Williams showcases Teddy, a Nubian goat, munching on a tree at Awbury Arboretum, which is home to the headquarters of the Philadelphia Goat Project.