Philly Imposes Masks: New Mask Mandate Announced For City Of Philadelphia Amid Rising Cases Of COVID-19, Delta Variant

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) – Philadelphia officials announced a new mandate for masks on Wednesday morning in a bid to tackle an increase in COVID-19 cases.

According to health officials, the city will require masks to be worn inside businesses unless the company requires proof of vaccination.

The mask’s mandate went into effect at 12 p.m. Thursday.

“This means everyone in Philadelphia must wear a mask when entering a business or institution, except those who require vaccinations. Restaurants and bars will need to require masks for all staff and staff. customers except when people are sitting and actively eating and consuming alcohol, ”said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole.

To prove their vaccination status, people must have their vaccination record or a photo of the card.

“I’m upset that people just can’t act like they’re supposed to… and do what’s right for everyone,” visibly angered mayor Jim Kenney said. He pleaded for people to “just want to get vaccinated.”

Following the announcement, the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association issued a statement saying the changes imposed “an unfair responsibility to enforce these new requirements on operators and their employees.”

“PRLA supports the goal of a vaccinated and safe work environment for all. However, mitigation efforts should not put business owners and operators in a position to choose between fully immunized staff and customers, or face masks for all. burden of the audit on employees who do not have time to train or implement protocols. During the past year, catering employees have suffered serious reactions during the application of these rules, ”the statement said.

Zio’s Brick Oven Pizza on 13th Street in the downtown core has installed signs informing customers of the new mandate.

Many businesses will choose to forgo the hassle of asking customers for their immunization status and simply put up signs up front stating that customers should mask themselves.

Duross & Langel, a company that sells handmade bath, spa and skin care products on 13th Street, already reinstated a mask mandate two weeks ago after seeing cases increase.

“It’s like they keep changing the rules in increments, forward and backward,” said Steve Duross, “(It’s) like they keep changing the line, so what we decided to do is leave the line where it was. “

Officials also announced that outdoor unseated gatherings of more than 1,000 people are needed so that everyone is masked. People sitting outside at a Phillies game, for example, would not need to be masked when seated.

Shortly after the announcement, the Eagles released a statement saying everyone should wear a mask when visiting the interior spaces of Lincoln Financial Field. Fans are not required to wear a mask outside.

If you’re going to the “Made In America” ​​festival in Philadelphia next month, you’ll need to bring more than a mask.

According to Roc Nation which produces the two-day festival, in addition to wearing masks, all participants will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or printed proof of the full COVID-19 vaccination upon entry. .

“The negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 48 hours of participating in the Made In America festival,” Roc Nation said in a statement to Action News.

City buildings will also require everyone in public spaces to be masked.

As of September 1, all new employees hired by the City must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Current employees will need to be either fully vaccinated or double masked whenever they are in an indoor space with others.

A day earlier, Governor Tom Wolf announced that some 25,000 employees in Pennsylvania state prisons and health and collective care facilities have about a month to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or go through weekly tests for the virus.

On July 5, Philadelphia reported the lowest average number of new COVID cases in the pandemic, as the city averaged 23 new cases per day. As of August 9 alone, the city’s average of new COVID cases reported was 180. The average number of new cases per day in Philadelphia has doubled three times in a month.

As of Wednesday, 63.2% of adults 18 and older in the city were fully immunized. Currently, 118 people are hospitalized in the city with COVID-19.

The City of Philadelphia Department of Health recommends calling 215-685-5488 if you’ve lost your immunization card or need to get a new one.

MORE STORIES

The Associated Press contributed to this story.