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CDC issues new eviction ban for most of U.S. through Oct. 3; Philly not following NYC on vaccine proof; second Penn State student dies after contracting COVID-19
Philadelphia Inquirer - 8/4/2021
Aug. 3—What you should know Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks Counties are now seeing substantial transmission of the coronavirus, and the CDC recommends residents wear masks in indoor public places. Both COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths remain low in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, where vaccination rates are higher than the national average. Delta variant's outdoor transmission is still unclear. Here's how Philadelphia experts are thinking about COVID-19 risk. Some Philadelphia-area restaurants are starting to ask patrons to prove they've been vaccinated, and it's sparking a debate. See the latest charts and trends in the Philadelphia region here. The delta variant and kids: Parents' questions answered
For a brief moment, it felt like we parents had made it. School was wrapping up. People, including our kids 12 and older, were getting vaccinated. Mask mandates were easing.
But now we're facing the delta variant — a highly contagious strain of the coronavirus. States with large outbreaks are seeing rising case numbers among children as well as adults. As it reaches into our communities, how does this strain affect children, and how can we help them safely navigate their days?
We spoke with infectious-disease specialists about how to handle this widespread variant. Here are their answers to our questions.
How dangerous is the delta variant for children?
An internal CDC document obtained by The Washington PostJuly 29 said it is "likely" that the delta variant causes more severe illness than previous variants. That has not been conclusively established, however, and some infectious disease experts have said they do not see persuasive evidence of a difference.
The delta variant and kids: Parents' questions answered
— Washington Post
CDC issues new eviction ban for most of U.S. through Oct. 3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new eviction moratorium that would last until October 3, as the Biden administration sought to quell intensifying criticism from progressives that it was allowing vulnerable renters to lose their homes during a pandemic.
The ban announced Tuesday could help keep millions in their homes as the coronavirus' delta variant has spread and states have been slow to release federal rental aid. It would temporarily halt evictions in counties with "substantial and high levels" of virus transmissions and would cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives.
The announcement was a reversal for the Biden administration, which allowed an earlier moratorium to lapse over the weekend after saying a Supreme Court ruling prevented an extension. That ripped open a dramatic split between the White House and progressive Democrats who insisted the administration do more to prevent some 3.6 million Americans from losing their homes during the COVID-19 crisis.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Biden said he pushed the CDC to again consider its options. But he still seemed hesitant as to whether the new moratorium could withstand lawsuits about its constitutionality, saying he has sought the opinions of experts as to whether the Supreme Court would approve the measure.
"The bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it's not likely to pass constitutional muster," Biden said. "But there are several key scholars who think that it may and it's worth the effort."
The president added that the moratorium — even if it gets challenged in court — "will probably give some additional time" for states and city to release billions of dollars in federal relief to renters.
Politically, the extension could help heal a rift with liberal Democratic lawmakers who were calling on the president to take executive action to keep renters in their homes. The administration had spent the past several days scrambling to reassure Democrats and the country that it could find a way to limit the damage from potential evictions through the use of federal aid.
But pressure mounted as key lawmakers said it was not enough.
Administration officials had previously said a Supreme Court ruling stopped them from setting up a new moratorium without congressional backing. When the court allowed the eviction ban to remain in place through the end of July by a 5-4 vote, one justice in the majority, Brett Kavanaugh, wrote that Congress would have to act to extend it further.
But on Tuesday, the CDC cited the slow pace of state and local governments disbursing housing aid as justification for the new moratorium.
Aside from the moratorium, Biden has insisted that federal money is available — some $47 billion previously approved during the pandemic — that needs to get out the door to help renters and landlords.
"The money is there," Biden said.
Read the CDC order here.
— Associated Press
Can bosses insist you get a COVID vaccine? Yes, but with caveats
Can bosses require you to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Legally, yes, they can.
But in reality, it depends on policies at your workplace.
More companies are requiring the vaccine, especially in healthcare and the public sector. But policies vary widely at the moment and many employers are reluctant to change.
It's legal for companies to mandate vaccines, with three caveats, said Amy Traub, chair of the BakerHostetler law firm's labor and employment practice.
Can bosses insist you get a COVID vaccine? Yes, but with caveats
— Erin Arvedlund
MLK Jr. Drive south of Sweetbriar Drive to remain closed to vehicle traffic because of needed repair work on bridge
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will be reopened to vehicle traffic Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. as planned, city officials announced Tuesday, but the drive will stay closed south of Sweetbriar Drive because of needed repair work to the MLK Jr. Bridge.
The Drive has been closed to vehicles from the Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval since March 2020, and during the pandemic the roadway become a popular spot for bicyclists, walkers, and runners.
"An inspection to the underside of the MLK bridge found one of the connections of the steel framing to be about 75 percent deteriorated. As a result, we will have to keep the bridge closed to traffic until the rehab construction," Mike Carroll, deputy managing director for transportation, said in a statement.
"For now, the bridge can stay open and is still safe for pedestrians and bicycles, but no motor vehicles will be able to use the bridge until the full rehabilitation project is complete," Carroll said.
The city will continue to close the drive for weekend recreational use and city holidays from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval through the end of October.
Martin Luther King Drive reopening to cars the first week of August, Philly officials say
— Robert Moran
McDonald's now requires masks for customers, staff across most of Pa. and N.J.
McDonald's is now requiring all customers and employees to wear a mask in areas of the country with "substantial" or "high" risk of COVID-19 transmission as determined by the CDC, the Associated Press reported.
The new policy went into effect Monday.
Twenty-five counties in Pennsylvania, including nearly the entire Philadelphia suburbs, and all but one county in New Jersey are listed as having "substantial" or "high" risk of transmission.
Several large retail chains — including Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Home Depot, and Starbucks — have all issued mask mandates over the past week.
— Rob Tornoe
Upper Merion teachers, staff required to get vaccine or submit to testing
Teachers and staff in the Upper Merion Area School District must get vaccinated or wear a mask and submit to routine COVID-19 testing this fall, in what appears to be one of the first moves by a Philadelphia-area district to impose rules around employee vaccination.
The school board voted 8-0 Monday night in favor of the plan, which will require teachers and staff to show proof of vaccination. If they don't, they will have to wear a mask and be tested twice weekly.
"I kept thinking: I have an obligation to do everything I can to ensure that our kids are safe and healthy," said board president Gary Lebedur, who proposed the requirement.
The district's lawyer, Jeffrey Sultanik, said the board's action stopped short of a vaccine mandate, avoiding the need for collective bargaining with its unions. The measure was supported by the union representing the district's teachers and other professional staff.
In a possible first around Philly, Upper Merion teachers and staff must get vaccinated or take two COVID tests each week
— Maddie Hanna
Philadelphia hopes to keep COVID-19 restrictions to a minimum
Philadelphia officials are hoping to respond to the recent spike in new cases of the coronavirus with minimal changes to restrictions, but the acting health commissioner said Tuesday that limitations on events may become necessary.
"Our commitment is to keep Philadelphians safe but also to keep the restrictions to the minimum that's necessary for that safety," Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said. "We know that weddings and celebrations matter to people a great deal. We are not looking to make people's lives miserable. So we'll try to do what's necessary but to minimize restrictions where possible."
While no mask mandates or restrictions on businesses or gatherings have been instituted, health officials are advising Philadelphia residents to wear masks in indoor public settings. And Bettigole advised residents Tuesday to avoid large indoor events and consider wearing a mask outdoors if in a very crowded setting, such as a Phillies game.
But even as she expressed a reluctance to re-institute restrictions, Bettigole emphasized that the she will be "following the science day to day as it changes."
"I think one of the things we've all learned with this pandemic is that things we know today change tomorrow," she said. "And that's been true again and again."
She said the city will continue to review its case counts and health guidance.
"Numbers [of new cases] were low, they've only started to increase recently," Bettigole said. "So we're taking a look at everything."
— Laura McCrystal
Philly cases rising fastest among young people, who have lowest vaccine rates
The highest rate of increase in new cases of COVID-19 in Philadelphia has been in young people, who have the lowest rate of vaccine uptake in the city.
Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said Tuesday that Philadelphia residents between the ages of 20 and 34 have the lowest vaccination rates and the highest recent case rates.
"And from what I hear from colleagues across the country, this is who's in the hospital," she said. "They are taking care of people in their 20s who are in ventilators."
Bettigole said that there has not yet been a spike in deaths due to COVID-19 in Philadelphia, and such an increase typically lags behind an increase in cases. As cases have risen, hospitalizations have not risen as steeply, which she attributed to both vaccination and the age of people getting infected.
But Bettigole said it is important for young people to get vaccinated, especially young Black residents, who have the lowest vaccination rate.
City data show that in the age range of 18 to 44, 30% of Black residents have had at least one dose, along with 52% of Hispanic residents,5 3% of white residents, and 79% of Asian residents. Vaccination rates are higher in older age groups, and citywide, 75.9% of adults have received at least one dose of vaccine.
"I think young adults have felt pretty safe through this and that is not as true as we would like it to be," Bettigole said.
— Laura McCrystal
Philadelphia continues to explore mandating COVID-19 vaccine for city workers
Philadelphia city employees are not required to be vaccinated, but officials said they are continuing to discuss the issue as a growing number of city and state governments institute mandates.
Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said Tuesday that "conversations are ongoing" with stakeholders in the city about such a mandate.
Other city and state governments, including New York City, New York state, California, and San Francisco, have said they will require the coronavirus vaccine for government workers. President Joe Biden also announced last week that federal government employees must be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing.
"The conversations about vaccine mandates take some time to have, in terms of what that looks like, who we need at the table," Bettigole said. "We can't declare it today unless we know how we're going to do it."
Mayor Jim Kenney gave a similar answer when asked about the issue Monday, noting that the city is "looking at all options available."
Some cities are requiring government workers to be vaccinated. Philly isn't — for now.
— Laura McCrystal
Philadelphia not considering requiring proof of vaccination for indoor activities
Philadelphia has not considered requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining, gyms, or other indoor activities and events, as New York City announced Tuesday.
"I don't want to take anything off the table but it's certainly not top of mind for a next step," Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said at a virtual news conference.
Bettigole said it could be challenging to have a patchwork of different systems for verifying vaccination status in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties. But she said individual businesses are welcome to mandate masks or vaccination if they choose to do so.
Philadelphia changed its mask guidelines in late July to encourage mask use indoors in public spaces, but the city has not re-instituted a mask mandate or other restrictions amid a surge in new cases of COVID-19.
"The situation is very fluid," Bettigole said, noting that she would not rule out the possibility of future restrictions.
"We want to be as restrictive as necessary, but not more restrictive," she said. "So that's how we're basing those decisions."
Philly is encouraging face masks as COVID cases rise — but it's not bringing back restrictions
— Laura McCrystal
Penn State faculty group calls on school to mandate vaccinations
A faculty group at Pennsylvania State University has called on the school to mandate vaccinations and take other precautions to insure a safe return for the fall.
"More than 600 universities and colleges in the U.S. have implemented a COVID-19 vaccination requirement," the group, Coalition for a Just University, said in a press release. "But Penn State is not among them. Instead, the Penn State administration has merely encouraged students to get vaccinated and offered incentives for vaccination. Penn State also has no masking or social distancing in place for the Fall 2021 semester, putting students, faculty, staff, and community members at further risk."
A Penn State spokesperson said the university would be releasing further details about its plans for the fall during a town hall meeting at 4 p.m.
Vaccination policies at area campuses vary. Some — including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, Villanova, Widener, Cabrini, Neumann, the College of New Jersey, and Princeton — are requiring both students and employees to be vaccinated. Others, including Swarthmore, Ursinus, and Rowan, have issued the mandate just for students.
Meanwhile, Temple, Penn State, and the 14 schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, aren't requiring vaccines at all, just strongly encouraging them. The state system has said there is no legislation that specifically enables it to require the vaccine. But state universities in other states, including Rutgers in New Jersey, have required the vaccines. Indiana University also issued a requirement and withstood a court challenge against it.
In their letter, the faculty group, in addition to requiring vaccines, called on Penn State to continue to require masks and social distancing, conduct random surveillance testing, improve ventilation standards and offer more flexible teaching and learning guidelines.
"As the parent of a child too young to be vaccinated, I am extremely nervous about a return to campus in the fall." Tracy Rutler, assistant professor of French and francophone studies and women's, gender, and sexuality studies, said in the release.
She noted that one of her students, Neil Patel of Upper Merion, died Sunday of complications related to the virus.
"I do not want this for myself, my family, my colleagues, or my students," she said. "We must require vaccines and rethink our approach to the fall semester."
The coalition said more than 660 faculty from multiple Penn State campuses had signed the letter.
— Susan Snyder
Acting health secretary warns new cases in Philadelphia have risen rapidly
The rate of new cases of COVID-19 in Philadelphia has rapidly increased due to the spread of the delta variant of the virus, Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said Tuesday.
The rate of new cases is about as high as it was last summer, Bettigole said, but has risen more rapidly in a short period of time compared to last year. The rate of new cases doubled between July 12 and July 19, and again between July 19 and Aug. 1, Bettigole said.
"We need to come together as a city once again to fight back against this new surge," she said.
In response to the rapid rise in cases, Bettigole said the city is continuing to recommend masks be worn indoors, regardless of vaccination status. She said that people should also avoid large indoor gatherings.
"The more people in any one space indoors, the more likely at least one person in that space has COVID," she said.
— Laura McCrystal
Second Penn State student dies after contracting COVID-19
A second Pennsylvania State University student has died of coronavirus-related complications after a months-long fight.
Neil Patel, 20, a finance major and honors student from Upper Merion, had been in the hospital since April, according to a post that his father, Chet Patel, wrote on a GoFundMe page for his son Sunday.
"Our son and my dear boy has moved on to his next journey," Chet Patel wrote. "Neil fought his illness like a brave knight... just as I had raised him to be."
Chet Patel wrote that his son, a drummer, a guitarist, a baseball player, had been rejected when he first tried to get a vaccine at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. He finally was able to get scheduled for the vaccine when he contracted the coronavirus while working a service job to help pay for a planned summer educational trip to France. He had been studying remotely during the last academic year, his father wrote.
He was placed on a ventilator, underwent surgery and lost an arm to amputation during his battle against the virus, his father wrote. The GoFundMe page that was started in April had raised nearly $88,000.
The Upper Merion Area School Board noted his death at its meeting Monday night and Penn State issued a statement.
"The university community shares our deepest condolences with Neil Patel's friends and family during this difficult time," the statement said.
Penn State student Juan Garcia of Allentown died of Covid-related complications last June.
— Susan Snyder
New York City to require proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness, and more
New York City will soon require people to show proof of vaccination in order to participate in certain indoor activities, like at restaurants and gyms, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday morning.
The policy will require patrons to show proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness, and performances. De Blasio said the plan will launch on Aug. 16, and enforcement will begin on Sept. 13. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States.
New York City will create a health pass, dubbed "Key to NYC Pass," that workers and patrons will show to prove their vaccination status. A similar health pass exists in France.
"People are going to get a really clear message — if you want to participate in our society fully, you've got to get vaccinated," de Blasio said during a news conference. "It's time... You've seen over 160 million Americans get vaccinated safely."
The new requirement comes as more health officials and cities begin recommending people resume wearing masks indoors to curb the spread of the coronavirus due to the delta variant. Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks Counties have all recommended residents wear masks indoors in public, regardless of their vaccination status, though it is not required.
Some Philadelphia restaurants and businesses have created their own vaccine requirement policies.
— Ellie Rushing
These are the Philadelphia restaurants that require proof of vaccination
As cases go back up in Philadelphia because of the delta variant, some restaurants are taking steps to keep everyone safe by requiring proof of vaccination.
Here's what you need to know about the new restaurant policies:
You can make a reservation online, however, to be seated, everyone in your party will have to show proof that they have been vaccinated. You do not need the physical card; showing a photo on your phone is acceptable in most places. In many cases, if you cannot provide proof of vaccination, you can still dine outdoors if there is space available, or get takeout. In order to be fully vaccinated, you have to have received your final dose at least two weeks ago. If you haven't already, make a plan to get vaccinated. There are many places throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey — CVS, Rite Aid, neighborhood rec centers, and more — where you can get your free COVID-19 shot. The shot is free for everyone. Find yours at phila.gov. These are the restaurants in the Philly area that require proof of vaccination:
Full list of Philadelphia restaurants that require proof of vaccination
— Michael Klein and Jillian Wilson
Philadelphia to hold COVID-19 briefing Tuesday
The Philadelphia Health Department will hold a COVID-19 briefing Tuesday morning to provide updates on the delta variant and the city's response.
When: Tuesday, Aug. 3, 11 a.m. Who: Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole Stream: Health Department's Facebook Page — Rob Tornoe
Philadelphia region seeing 'substantial' spread of COVID-19
Residents in Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks Counties are now recommended to wear masks indoors in public, regardless of their vaccination status, according to CDC guidelines determined by COVID-19 infection rates in the three suburban Philadelphia counties.
The masking recommendation is due to the spread of the delta variant of the virus, which new data from the CDC suggests could spread as easily as chicken pox. While vaccinated people are protected from serious illness and so-called "breakthrough cases" remain rare, data also suggests they could still spread the delta variant to unvaccinated people or those at greater risk.
Philadelphia moved into the substantial transmission category over the weekend, but had already recommended masking indoors.
Chester County is the only county in the region where spread remains at a moderate level. Gloucester and Camden Counties also have seen substantial transmission, joining Burlington. The designations, based on new cases in the last seven days, are updated by the CDC daily, meaning counties can move in and out of transmission categories quickly as the level of spread changes.
Philly region seeing a 'substantial' spread of COVID-19, expanding the area where indoor masks are recommended
— Erin McCarthy, Justine McDaniel, and Rob Tornoe
Where COVID-19 transmission levels are highest in Pa. and N.J.
Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties on Monday were moved from the "moderate" to "substantial" level of community transmission of COVID-19 Monday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's system.
The CDC defines "substantial" transmission as at least 50 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days. "High" transmission is more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over the last week.
Two counties in New Jersey — Cape May and Monmouth — currently have a "high" level of transmission," while Warren County in the northwestern part of the state is the only county that currently has "moderate" spread of the virus.
— John Duchneskie and Rob Tornoe
COVID-19 cases up over 140%, but deaths remain low
New COVID-19 cases are up nearly 142% across the country in just the past two weeks driven by outbreaks in states where vaccination rates are low.
The United States is now averaging nearly 86,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, up from a recent low average of nearly 11,000 cases a day at the end of June. More than 46,000 Americans are hospitalized with COVID-19, up 83% over the past two weeks but still well below peaks set before vaccines were widely available.
Florida has more COVID-19 hospitalizations now than at any point during the pandemic, with more than 10,200 patients hospitalized with confirmed cases of the virus according to data reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Florida also represents about 20% of new COVID-19 cases across the country, averaging nearly 16,000 new cases a day over the past week, according to data gathered by the New York Times.
"Short term and long term, the cases are going to explode," Edwin Michael, a professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, told the New York Times. "We are predicting that the cases will be peaking the first week of September."
The number of COVID-19 deaths have also begun to rise slowly. The United States is averaging 341 deaths a day over the past week, up 27% over the past week. More than 613,000 Americans have died after contracting COVID-19.
"We're looking to some pain and suffering in the future because we're seeing the cases go up," Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said on ABC's This Week Sunday. "The solution to this is get vaccinated and this would not be happening."
— Rob Tornoe
COVID-19 news updates: Biden to deliver speech from the White House
New York Times: President Joe Biden is expected to outline his administration's efforts to get more Americans and people around the world vaccinated during a speech at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, scheduled for 3:45 p.m.Associated Press: Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is the first vaccinated senator to contract COVID-19, and will self-quarantine for 10 days. "I am very glad I was vaccinated because without vaccination, I am certain I would not feel as well as I do now," Graham said in a statement. "My symptoms would be far worse." CNN: Due to the spread of the delta variant, the Biden administration will indefinitely extend a Trump-era border policy that allows for the swift expulsion of migrants encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border. Unaccompanied children are exempt, and will still be allowed to enter the country. Miami Herald: ICUs are being overwhelmed with younger — and sicker — patients as the delta variant spreads widely across the state. "It just went boom," said Ademola Ayo Akinkunmi, director of patient care services for Jackson Health. "No matter how hard we work to discharge patients, we know there are others coming."
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