Philadelphia mask mandate

Officials could update Philadelphia's COVID-19 response levels on Monday, and there is a chance the mask mandate could go back into effect.

"If we fail to act now, knowing that every previous wave of infections has been followed by a wave of hospitalizations, and then a wave of deaths, it will be too late for many of our residents," said Bettigole, noting about 750 Philadelphia residents died in the wintertime omicron outbreak. "If we fail to act now, knowing that every previous wave of infections has been followed by a wave of hospitalizations, and then a wave of deaths, it will be too late for many of our residents," said Bettigole, noting about 750 Philadelphia residents died in the wintertime omicron outbreak. Now, 41 days later, the city is bringing it back. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen more than 50% in 10 days. Now, 41 days later, the city is bringing it back. "This announcement is a major blow to thousands of small businesses and other operators in the city who were hoping this spring would be the start of recovery," said Ben Fileccia, senior director of operations at the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen more than 50% in 10 days. (1/4) April 11, 2022 Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said mask precautions begin Monday, but in order to provide a one-week education period for businesses, masks will be required in all indoor public spaces as of Monday, April 18. "This announcement is a major blow to thousands of small businesses and other operators in the city who were hoping this spring would be the start of recovery," said Ben Fileccia, senior director of operations at the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association. "This is our chance to get ahead of the pandemic, to put our masks on until we have more information about the severity of this new variant." Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said mask precautions begin Monday, but in order to provide a one-week education period for businesses, masks will be required in all indoor public spaces as of Monday, April 18.

Philadelphia skyline, May 2021 · Average new daily cases are higher than 100 and fewer than 225 · Hospitalizations are between 50 and 100 · Cases have risen more ...

“I expect this wave will be smaller than the one we saw in January,” Bettigole said. “It looks like we may be at the start of a new wave.” Health officials will carefully watch the numbers over the next few weeks, Bettigole said. By afternoon, a photo of him supposedly having a drink at a Center City restaurant was circulating on social media. Bettigole said the city is recording an average case count of 142 per day, which is less than 5% of the huge numbers Philly saw during this winter’s omicron surge, but nearly 70% higher than 10 days ago. As of April 18, masking will again be required indoors at all businesses and institutions in the city.

Covid-19 cases have risen more than 50% in 10 days, the threshold at which city's guidelines call for masking indoors.

“But I am very worried about our vulnerable neighbors and loved ones.” Confirmed cases have since risen to more than 140 a day – still a fraction of what Philadelphia saw at the height of the Omicron surge – while hospitalizations remain low at only 46 patients. Philadelphia on Monday became the first major US city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate after reporting a sharp increase in coronavirus infections, with the city’s top health official saying she wanted to forestall a potential new wave driven by an Omicron sub-variant.

Philadelphia will reinstate indoor mask mandates Monday, April 18, as its Covid-19 cases quickly rise, the city's Public Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl ...

"In terms of what to do about it, we really want to be guided by the CDC on this," Jha said. Jha also said the CDC will share a scientific framework this week for the federal transportation mask mandate set to expire April 18. "I suspect that this wave will be smaller than the one we saw in January," she said.

Before the newly-instated mask mandate goes into effect on April 18th, here's what you should know about Philadelphia's restaurants and bars.

The city’s mask mandate won’t go into effect until Monday, April 18th, in order to give indoor businesses a week to inform staff of the change and put up signs. “Businesses can help do this not only in their storefronts but by making announcements on their websites and social media accounts,” a spokesperson from the agency said. The new mandate, which starts April 18th, only requires masks be worn in indoor spaces. Bettigole confirmed on Monday that city officials assume a rise in cases can be linked to the new omicron variant, B.A. 2. Today Philadelphia Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole announced that the city will reinstate a mask mandate in all public indoor spaces – including restaurants and bars – starting Monday, April 18th. Our city remains open; we can still go about our daily lives and visit the people and places we love while masking in indoor public spaces.

Philadelphia has become the first major U.S. city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate after reporting a sharp increase in coronavirus infections.

But Adams, a Democrat who has said New Yorkers should not let the pandemic run their lives, has already lifted most other mask mandates and rules requiring proof of vaccination to dine in restaurants, work out at gyms or attend shows. Adams was asked at a virtual news conference Monday afternoon if he was considering reimposing the New York City mask mandate in light of Philadelphia’s decision. “If we fail to act now, knowing that every previous wave of infections has been followed by a wave of hospitalizations, and then a wave of deaths, it will be too late for many of our residents,” said Bettigole, noting about 750 Philadelphia residents died in the wintertime omicron outbreak. The CDC said at that time that with the virus in retreat, most Americans could safely take off their masks. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen more than 50% in 10 days, the threshold at which the city’s guidelines call for people to wear masks indoors, said Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, the health commissioner. Adams himself tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.