How risky is a SEPTA ride? | Morning Newsletter
And, the glaring vaccination gap.
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.
First: How risky will it be to ride SEPTA again? We talked to experts about the challenges of a public transportation comeback.
Then: So far, most of the people in Philadelphia who got the COVID-19 vaccine are white. Here’s what’s being done about that.
And: It sounds like Sen. Pat Toomey has never been more done with Trump than he is now.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
SEPTA’s ridership won’t rebound for a long time. Fear of contracting COVID-19 is partially to blame.
It’s no secret that the pandemic upended mass transit as we knew it.
Commuting has been entirely avoidable for some. For others, having the choice not to ride a train or a bus is inconceivable. Right now, SEPTA loses about $1 million a day. And the plummeting fare revenue for mass transit systems is not without reason. Experts warn that riding is potentially risky. As we gear up for widespread vaccination, many say they’re afraid to hop back on. We know it’s not the surfaces that pose the greatest risk. It’s the close contact with people. And when people aren’t taking the right precautions, potentially tight quarters could thrust anyone into an unsafe situation.
There are studies that have found public transportation isn’t the super spreader we once worried it was. But as one of our experts points out, it’s tough to nail down the spread with this kind of travel. Here’s what the experts say about how risky it really is to ride.
People of color are more likely to face grave complications if they contract the coronavirus. The lives this virus has claimed tell us that. But city data show that most of the people who got their vaccines are white, non-Hispanic residents.
This gap tracks with data around the country. As we speak, the COVID-19 vaccine is still accessible only for health-care workers and nursing home and long-term care residents in the region. But now, distribution is supposed to ramp up. To try to ensure the process doesn’t leave behind people of color, Philly’s hospitals and health officials say they’re working to get high-priority communities access. There’s even an outreach group planning to administer vaccines in places like churches. They recognize that if this striking rollout shortfall continues, it could only worsen inequities for those facing higher risks.
Officials point to several factors that could explain the disproportionate vaccination numbers so far.
Helpful COVID-19 Resources
When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Be among the first to know when you’re up. How to sign up for a Philly COVID-19 vaccine alert that will tell you it’s your turn.
Here are the updated coronavirus case numbers as COVID-19 continues to spread across the region.
How to know if you should replace your mask.
Can I travel this winter? Here’s your complete guide.
Sign up to get free coronavirus news updates in your inbox three times a week.
What you need to know today
Sen. Pat Toomey called for Trump to resign after the deadly mob attack on the Capitol.
A Philly police detective has been reassigned temporarily based on a tip alleging that she attended the Washington rally where Trump incited a mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol.
Does Twitter’s ban violate Trump’s rights to free speech? We talked to experts about social media’s new uncharted territory.
People want this Penn professor who used the Nazi phrase “Sieg Heil” and a gesture during a virtual conference fired.
Can you start looking forward to getting your normal life back? The answer is in the very misunderstood concept of herd immunity.
Vaccine hesitancy is plaguing nursing homes where there’s an emotional problem that people saw coming from miles away.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
It really is all about the journey. Thanks for sharing @jtaflinphotography.
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
🦅 Our pro football writer Paul Domowitch and former Eagles president Joe Banner have a frank discussion about the aftermath of the tanking against Washington. And Coach Doug Pederson’s job may not be as safe as expected.
🎞️ A YouTube executive worked hard to take the video platform from Hollywood’s pariah to partner. This is how she pulled it off.
🥪 Let’s dive into the saga of a power struggle between the city’s health inspection efforts and a hoagie destination that keeps getting closed down.
🎸 Is this the marvelous swan song of one of Philly’s most promising young bands already? The band that released one of the most uplifting rock records of the last year is branching out.
Opinion
“When you examine the photographs of Wednesday’s insurrection alongside images of other historical events, you begin to realize, perhaps, that this is America.” — our photographer Tim Tai writes that the events at the Capitol were the inevitable culmination of violent, racist, and autocratic rhetoric.
There’s hard work to be done to purge our government, not only of Trump, but of the lawmakers more than happy to continue his work, columnist Helen Ubiñas writes.
It’s necessary for Republicans to keep stepping out of silence so we can find a way forward after Trump’s destructive presidency, columnist Maria Panaritis writes.
What we’re reading
The Atlantic looks at how Trump rallies laid the groundwork for the attack on the Capitol, recalling an interaction in Latrobe, Pa.
Black Philadelphia Magazine is online in all its shiny new glory, covering local culture and community through the prism of a Black perspective, and you can view it online for free, Billy Penn tells us.
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving popped into a Zoom call with nine lucky Lincoln University seniors to pull out a check that would take care of a major bill, the Philadelphia Tribune reports.
A buzzy family activist-owned tiny Oaxacan restaurant in the Bronx that scored Michelin praise is known for living up to the “No Deportations” sign on the door.
It had to close for a month when the family got COVID-19 symptoms, but the beloved spot raised enough money to reopen. It returned transformed into a soup kitchen serving 650 meals a day.
Feeding the Bronx has made something of a supportive community out of the place.