Masks in Philadelphia recommended indoors as coronavirus cases rise

As the highly contagious delta variant fuels spikes in COVID-19 cases among the unvaccinated in many parts of the country, Philadelphia health officials said Thursday they are now “strongly recommending” that everyone – including fully vaccinated people – wear masks in public places.

James Garrow, spokesperson for the city’s public health department, said officials were concerned about a slight increase in hospitalizations among children too young to be vaccinated. Vaccines are only approved for people 12 years of age and older. National statistics also indicate future problems.

“It’s time for all of us to do what we need to do to protect the children of our city,” Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said in a written statement. “It means being fully immunized if you haven’t already, and it means we all have to start wearing masks in public again.”

Overall, rates of COVID-19 cases are rising again in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, but remain well below peak levels. For two weeks in late June and early July, the city only had about 24 cases per day. As of Thursday, the two-week average was 64. On average, there has been less than one death per day over the past month.

The country now averages nearly 38,000 cases per day, up from just over 11,000 in mid-June, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalizations and deaths are also starting to increase, especially in states with low vaccination rates.

“Now is the time to act,” Garrow said. “Doing it now will help us avoid this before it gets really bad. “

READ MORE: What You Need To Know About Philly’s New Mask Recommendations And Rising Cases

When asked this week how close New Jersey is to reimposing mask guidelines or other restrictions, Gov. Phil Murphy said during his regular coronavirus briefing: “We don’t. are not there yet. We continue to be comfortable with where we are, but we look at it like a hawk. And our strong, strong, strong preference is not to go back. “

The new Philadelphia recommendations call on everyone to wear masks indoors when they are unsure if others are vaccinated. Unvaccinated people, Garrow said, should consider doubling their masks when indoors with others. Socializing outdoors remains the safest bet.

Masks are still required in health facilities, public transportation, schools, daycares, indoor camps, and community living facilities in Philadelphia.

READ MORE: Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster to protect myself from delta and other variants?

This recommendation does not prevent people from eating – you have to remove your mask to do so – inside restaurants. Garrow said officials did not yet believe it was “unsafe” for those vaccinated to eat in restaurants.

Because there is currently no way of knowing whether unmasked people who shop with you are vaccinated or not, the health department believes it is best to “standardize” mask wear for everyone. world. The city considers it too onerous to require companies to check the status of vaccines when customers enter. Plus, Garrow said, it’s not too difficult for people to put on a mask. “We’ve all been wearing masks for months and months,” he said.

Doctors have said that as the COVID virus mutates and more contagious variants emerge, it is reasonable for health officials to reconsider their safety guidelines.

“People have to be a little open to the fact that what is appropriate today may not be appropriate tomorrow,” said Jennifer Khelil, Chief Medical Officer of Virtua Health System. “It’s not about whether it’s right or wrong to wear a mask, but what the data is telling us and what can we do to protect as many vulnerable people as possible. Wearing a mask is not dangerous for anyone. Not wearing a mask could expose people. “

The CDC now says that fully vaccinated people do not need masks in most settings, but the Washington Post reported this week that federal officials are debating whether to recommend more stringent public health measures. The World Health Organization still encourages masking.

Eight counties in California, including Los Angeles County, recently recommended or required that people wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of their immunization status. The number of cases in Los Angeles is much higher than in Philadelphia.

A Chester County spokesperson said “their health department does not provide general advice on masking (although advice on summer camps was given earlier in June)”, but they continue to do so. ” encourage vaccinations.

Montgomery, Delaware and Bucks counties have no plans to change mask guidelines at this time.

“Delaware County Council and the Delaware County COVID-19 Task Force continue to monitor national trends that show an alarming increase in positivity and hospitalizations among the unimmunized,” a spokesperson said.

“I think this is a mistake,” Bucks County Health Commissioner David Damsker, who is a doctor, said of Philadelphia’s decision to encourage indoor masks. “It completely undermines the message that the vaccine is safe and effective. “

Some people have been vaccinated only because they have been told that they will no longer have to wear a mask, while those who are not vaccinated may sink even deeper. Health officials note that the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths now occur among the unvaccinated.

Damsker said he doesn’t think it’s productive to return to mask-wearing and social isolation. Rather, he thinks people should ‘flip a switch’ on how they think about COVID to view it as a chronic communicable disease, like the flu – there is always a risk, but with a vaccine and effective treatment. , people feel secure in their lives.

“I don’t want to be on this COVID treadmill,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t take it seriously or that it’s not real or that we can’t kill people – it’s possible – that’s why we tell people to get vaccinated. “

While more than half of Americans are still unvaccinated, the number of people seeking the vaccine has slowed dramatically in recent weeks. Polls show that there is still resistance to gunfire among Republicans and some racial groups.

Experts say vaccines offer very good protection against the virus, including the delta variant, which now causes more than 80% of cases. Some “revolutionary” cases are expected among the vaccinated because the vaccines are not 100% effective. Philadelphia has been following the breakthrough cases since January and has found that the vaccines hold up well. Fully vaccinated people account for just 1.3% of new cases, 1.5% of hospitalizations and 1.4% of deaths.

At this point, approximately 61% of eligible Philadelphians are vaccinated. Providers have been administering 18,000 to 20,000 doses of vaccine per week since June. The city’s lowest vaccination rates are found in north and west Philadelphia, but there are pockets of low vaccination in the lower northeast and far northeast. By race, vaccination rates are 48% for African Americans, 61% for Hispanics, 62% for whites, and 88% for Asians. Garrow said the vaccination rate among Hispanic residents has improved dramatically in recent weeks and may soon overtake that of whites.

Governor Murphy noted that New Jersey was “one of the most vaccinated states in the country, and that’s a huge plus.” He also said that thousands of shots are still administered per day. “Our great hope is that we can stay as we are,” he said.

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said health officials are closely monitoring the number of cases, especially in children, and that although hospitalizations have increased somewhat, they remain low, as is the number. of patients in intensive care. “The critical illness appears to be under control,” she said.

Editors Allison Steele and Erin McCarthy contributed to this story.