There is now a city-wide mandate to wear a mask.
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Philly is holding back on reopening after key coronavirus metrics appear to have stalled rather than continue their downward trend.
Health Commissioner Dr. Tom Farley warned Friday that as he is, Philly is not ready to move into the modified “green” phase on July 3. In an effort to mitigate what appears to be a possible increase in the spread of COVID, he announced the mandatory mask use order for the city, effective immediately.
Masks are now required whenever you are indoors (outside your home) and whenever you are outdoors within 6 feet of other people. The order does not apply to children under the age of 8 and will not be enforced by police, Farley said.
The caution comes from a few things, including the massive increase in other regions of the country and an increase in the positivity rate within the city, which appears to be more prevalent among residents age 20 and younger.
In Philadelphia, after a month and a half of steady decline, the 7-day average positivity rate has stagnated at around 5% or 6%.
That is the case even though the number of daily tests continues to increase.
Meanwhile, states like Texas, Florida and Arizona are seeing big spikes in the number of positive cases reported, and although the increase is in a different region of the country, the national totals have returned to levels that coincide with or exceed the peak of mid-April that was concentrated in the northeastern United States.
In particular, an increase in the number of people dying from COVID-19 has not yet followed the rise in positives. That’s true for the big jump in other states, and also the small bump in Philadelphia.
There are some possible explanations for this. An undeniable factor is the increased knowledge of health professionals on how to deal with the virus and its effects on patients, as well as the experience of how to assign crucial supplies such as ventilators and PPE.
Another possible contributing factor: the age of those who test positive.
In the city, teens and young adults are increasingly catching COVID, while the number of cases among older adults continues to decline. There has also been a slight increase in people in the middle-age groups: These people are more likely to have returned to the workforce as the regional economy slowly reopens.
Here’s a close-up of the past few weeks.
Until now, Philadelphia officials have not removed any of its relaxed restrictions. Lounges and spas, private pools and al fresco dining are allowed to continue. But whether the additional facilities will restart on July 3 (indoor restaurant service, gyms, libraries, shopping malls) is still up in the air, Farley said.
Business owners who have been planning for Friday’s goal are frustrated, but Mayor Jim Kenney said he would rather safely reopen than be in the situation currently unfolding in Texas, where previously open activities are closing again.
What can you do to help? Continue social distancing and wearing masks, and spread the word about their effectiveness.
