[ad_1]
Philadelphia officials have revised the city’s mask guidelines, encouraging everyone to wear face masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status, as the more virulent delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread.
The mayor’s office said recent figures showed a “slight but worrying” increase in hospitalizations. The number of cases has also doubled, according to Acting Health Commissioner Dr Cheryl Bettigole.
Most notably, the city “strongly recommended” that everyone, including fully vaccinated people, wear masks again in indoor public spaces.
UNIVERSAL HIDDEN CALLS REACH ADMIN BIDEN AS DELTA FEAR, PUSH FOR RESTRICTIONS VIRUS REACHING PITCH FEVER
The city’s health department cited the delta variant as the determining factor in its new recommendations. The strain is now responsible for 83% of cases in the United States
The greatest concentration of delta variant cases is in the Midwest, but states with high populations, including New York City, have also seen the variant quickly take over as the dominant strain.
APPROXIMATELY 100 US OLYMPIANS AT TOKYO GAMES UNVACCINATED, OFFICIAL SAYS
Philadelphia reported about 24 cases per day throughout June, but that number was closer to 64 in the past two weeks, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The death toll has hovered around one a day for the past month.
In addition to indoor masks, authorities also recommend that unvaccinated people “double face mask” when indoors in public spaces.
DELTA VARIANT ONE OF THE MOST INFECTIOUS RESPIRATORY VIRUSES I HAVE SEEN: WALENSKY
The city also insists that vaccination is the main method of controlling the spread of the delta variant.
“As of this week, over a million people have been vaccinated in Philadelphia,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a press release. “The numbers clearly show it: vaccinations are the best way to fight COVID-19 by protecting us and the people around us. “
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The city has fully vaccinated about 61% of its adult population, with about 74% having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Philadelphia Department of Health and the Mayor’s Office did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
[ad_2]
Source link