Latest COVID Vaccine News

Latest COVID Vaccine News

• Get a vaccine without an appointment - Starting July 7 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (8am to 1:30pm) at the following Ambulatory Health Annex locations:
  °Health Center 3 Annex (4219 Chester Ave, 19104)
  °Berks Street Annex (2001 W. Berks St, 19121)
  °Health Center 6 Annex (301 W. Girard Ave, 19123)
  °Health Center 10 Annex (2230 Cottman Ave, 19149)

• For more information about vaccine clinic dates or to schedule an appointment, visit www.phila.gov/vaccine or call 3-1-1.

Health Center #6 Vaccination entrance on 3rd Street

Philly officials say even fully vaccinated people should again wear masks inside public spaces

Philly officials say even fully vaccinated people should again wear masks inside public spaces
Stacey Burling and Sarah Gantz, Philadelphia Inquirer

The recommendation is meant to "normalize" mask wearing and protect children too young for vaccines. As the highly contagious delta variant fuels COVID-19 case spikes among the unvaccinated in many parts of the country, Philadelphia health officials said Thursday they now “strongly recommend” that everyone — including the fully vaccinated — wear masks inside public places. James Garrow, a spokesperson for the city Department of Public Health, said officials are concerned about a small increase in hospitalizations among children too young to be vaccinated. Vaccines are only approved for people 12 and older. National statistics also point to trouble ahead.
Read here.

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Updated Mask Recommendations Due to the COVID Delta Variant
James Garrow Board of Health, Department of Public Health

Countries around the globe, and states throughout the United States, are seeing the number of people infected with COVID rise as the Delta variant spreads. Even here in Philadelphia, we’re seeing more people test positive. Because of the rapid increase in cases here and around the country, and because we are seeing hospitalizations rise among children in Philadelphia, we are now strongly recommending that everyone mask while indoors in places where you do not know that everyone is vaccinated.
Read here.

SEPTA Summer 2021 Travel Survey

We would like to hear from you in our Summer 2021 Travel Survey. If you’ve taken one of our Travel Surveys in the past, you'll notice some differences with the new survey, but the goal remains the same: To help us improve our service and keep our passengers and employees safe.

View here the results from the SEPTA Winter 2021 COVID-19 Travel Survey

Click here to participate.

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Webinar: SEPTA is the WAY TO GO BACK
Aug 4, 2021 12:00 PM

Tune-in to hear what SEPTA is doing to meet your safety, security, and service needs through this recovery and beyond - including cleaning protocols, mask requirements, new fare options, and schedule changes.
Speakers:
°Leslie Richards, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
°Scott Sauer, Assistant General Manager Operations

Click here to register.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance - FEMA

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. We are working with stakeholder groups to get their input on ways we can best provide this assistance, and to enlist their help with outreach to families and communities. FEMA will begin to implement COVID-19 funeral assistance in April.
Additional guidance is being finalized and will be released to potential applicants and community partners as soon as possible. In the meantime, people who have COVID-19 funeral expenses are encouraged to keep and gather documentation.

Details here.

PGW Covid-19 Relief Grant

Read more about the PGW COVID-19 Relief Grant here, and PGW COVID-19 UPDATES here.

Financial Assistance for Renters, Businesses & Property Tax

Philadelphia’s COVID rental assistance program to roll out differently in 2021
Taylor Allen, WHYY

After a year of hard lessons, Philadelphia officials say a new and improved COVID-19 rental assistance program will come online in March. Among the changes in the works for the program funded by Congress as part of a $900 billion COVID relief package passed in December, are new income requirements and up to 12 months of aid, though only three months of that can be for forward rent, according to the federal rules.
Read here the new rules.

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Everything Restaurants Need to Know About the $284 Billion PPP Program
Ryan Sutton, EATER New York
Here’s how bars, cafes, and restaurants can qualify for the PPP loans, which fully convert to grants if used properly. Read here.

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Owe business taxes because of COVID-19? We have a plan for you
Lana Adams, Department of Revenue Philadelphia
The Department of Revenue understands the COVID-19 health crisis impacted businesses in Philadelphia tremendously. In response, we’re releasing a new payment plan to support businesses that were in tax compliance before the pandemic struck. If you needed a plan to get back on track with taxes, we’ve got one for you. More information here.

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Your 2020 property tax bill is now delinquent, but we can help
Lana Adams Department of Revenue Philadelphia
You may have already been racking up monthly interest and penalties on your unpaid 2020 Real Estate Taxes. But if you don’t pay soon, your account could look worse. Bills for 2020 Real Estate Tax were due on June 15, 2020. As of January 1, any unpaid property taxes mean: Additional costs, A delinquent status on your balance, A lien filed against your property, and Possibly losing your home at a sheriff sale.
You can say goodbye to these additional burdens, whether your debt is big or small. The Department of Revenue:

• Makes it easy for you to make full or partial payments,

• Offers affordable payment plans, and

• Has programs that could help reduce future tax bills.

More information here.

COVID-19 VACCINE PRIORITY GROUPS

Phase 1a, 1b or 1c? Understanding Coronavirus Vaccine Priority Groups. Dena Bunis, AARP

CDC panel recommends Americans 75 and older, frontline workers be second in line for shots.

People age 75 and older and frontline essential workers, including police officers, firefighters, teachers, grocery store staff and U.S. Postal Service employees, should be next in line to get a COVID-19 vaccine, a federal advisory panel recommended on Dec. 20.

By a 13-1 vote, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) also recommended to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that people ages 65 to 74, people ages 16 to 64 with high-risk conditions and other essential workers follow in what's being called Phase 1c, behind Americans 75-plus and frontline essential employees in Phase 1b. Whether or not to include all people 65 and older in Phase 1b consumed much of the debate during ACIP's five-hour meeting.

Read more here.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccines are safe and effective and the best way to protect you and those around you from serious illnesses. The COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed to Pennsylvanians in a phased approach.

*Have a question about the COVID-19 vaccines?

Call PA Health Hotline at 1-877-724-3258

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions, click here for answers.

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Stay Informed on COVID-19 in Philadelphia

Here are some quick ways to stay informed:

• Get COVID-19 updates sent to your phone. Text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive free text alerts with info and updates from @PHLPublicHealth.
  

• Residents with questions about the COVID-19 coronavirus can use the 24/7 helpline to talk to a medical professional. Call 800-722-7112

For the latest updates and information on COVID-19 in Philadelphia
please visit the Phila.gov webpage phila.gov/COVID-19

AmeriCorps members needed for contact tracing

CCCC Philadelphia COVID Response Corps

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) is seeking AmeriCorps members to help support contact tracing efforts. Contact tracing, a core disease control measure employed by public health personnel for decades, is a key strategy for preventing the further spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19.
AmeriCorps Members will rotate between service modules throughout their year including 1) contact tracing, isolation and quarantine support with PDPH or Public Health Management Corporation 2) Food access support at a food share program 3) service at a local health center.

Job description and details click here.

COVID Alert PA App

COVID Alert PA is the official mobile app by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) that uses the Exposure Notification System (ENS) provided by Apple and Google.
You can now add your phone to the fight against COVID-19 by going to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and downloading the free COVID Alert PA app to your smartphone. The app runs on iPhones that support iOS 13.5 and higher, and Android phones running Android 6.0 and higher. The app is not intended to be used by people under 18 years of age.
COVID Alert PA works in Pennsylvania, and when you travel to other locations in the United States including: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Wyoming.
States piloting an exposure notification app with al limited population include: California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington.

Details about the App click here, and about COVID-19 Data for Pennsylvania click here.

Downloadable Resources

You, too, can join in the fight against COVID. We invite you to spread the word about the COVID Alert PA app with your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and employers.

You can find downloadable posters about the app, as well as, stickers, postcards, and social media graphics on the: Community resources webpage.

Coronavirus FAQ: How Do I Clean My Mask

Washing Machine? Oven? Broccoli Steamer?
Sheila Mulrooney Eldred, NPR

Does putting a reusable mask in the oven for 30 minutes at 165 degrees Fahrenheit kill the virus that causes COVID-19 and other pathogens? If not, how do I clean it?
The good news: Yes, baking your cloth or synthetic mask would probably kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Several studies have shown that the virus dies when exposed to 158 degrees Fahrenheit for a length of time somewhere between 2 1/2 minutes and an hour.
The bad news: It may also singe your mask.
Remember, says professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the Biosecurity Research Program at the University of New South Wales' Kirby Institute, "An oven is designed to burn things!"
The jury is still out on exactly how important it is to wash your mask to prevent COVID-19 infection, but MacIntyre dug into some data from her 2015 study on cloth masks and found evidence that washing masks in a machine, instead of by hand, helps prevent infections of other seasonal viruses in health care workers. Her theory is that the longer wash cycle and hotter water temperatures in a machine kill viruses more efficiently than washing by hand.

Click here on how experts advise you care for your masks (to the best of current knowledge, of course).

FREE COVID-19 TESTING

STEPHEN AND SANDRA SHELLER 11TH STREET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES
850 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Stephen and Sandra Sheller Family Health Service Center is offering free COVID-19 testing in North Philadelphia for anyone with or without symptoms. Registration is encouraged. This site is open Tuesdays every week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and does not require any paperwork or appointments for walk-up or drive-thru testing.Tests will be administered until supply runs out. Results notification in 5-7 business days. Testing may be cancelled due to inclement weather. More here.

To make an Appointment-
Phone: 215.769.1100

For General Information-
Phone: 267.359.5929
Fax: 215.769.1119

Rental & Mortgage Assistance

Apply ASAP, First come First served

Starting July 6 PHDC will accept applications for a new round of rental assistance. Renters and landlords may submit their application online, by fax, or by mail. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Click here for details and preview the application.

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CARES funding for Pennsylvanians
CARES Assistance for Renters & Homeowners

The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a law to help people hurt financially by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. CARES assistance is now available in Pennsylvania for rent relief and mortgage relief.

Applications are available now for people interested in requesting CARES rent or mortgage relief due to COVID-19. More information click the appropriate link:

The CARES Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program (PMAP). The CARES funding for mortgage relief must be completely distributed by November 30, 2020. Fact sheet [pdf]

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Gov. Wolf Extends Eviction, Foreclosure Ban Through August
Rudy Chinchilla, NBCPhiladelphia

The moratorium, first enacted in March in order to protect people after massive job losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, was originally set to expire on Friday, July 10. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is extending his moratorium on evictions and foreclosures through Aug. 31, his press office announced Thursday. The executive order ensures people are not evicted or foreclosed upon if they have not been able to make payments and have not received aid from state or federal relief programs. More here.

The statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures because of nonpayment is scheduled to end July 10. Philadelphia City Council extended the eviction moratorium until Aug. 31 for residential renters and small businesses. The Federal Housing Administration has also extended its foreclosure moratorium through Aug. 31 for homeowners with federally backed mortgages.

Philadelphia COVID-19 Recovery Office

Working toward a successful, fiscally responsible pandemic recovery that strengthens the economy while protecting vulnerable populations.

The COVID-19 Recovery Office works to ensure that Philadelphia recovers from the pandemic in a way that:

• Protects public health and safety.

• Is fiscally responsible for the City and its taxpayers.

• Addresses the most pressing community hardships caused by the pandemic.

• Puts Philadelphians back to work.

• Helps businesses in hard-hit communities reopen and thrive.

Subscribe to our mailing list here and receive updates from the COVID-19 Recovery Office.

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FILL OUT OUR SURVEY

Business owners in Philadelphia and the surrounding region are encouraged to fill out a new survey about the resources they may need to reopen safely.
The survey is available in:
English, Mandarin, and Spanish

Requirements for resuming construction activity in Philadelphia

As you know, today Mayor Jim Kenney announced an Executive Order that authorizes construction activity, previously shut down by emergency order, to resume on May 1st. Significant restrictions must be in place on construction sites to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
Under the Executive Order, construction work cannot proceed within any occupied dwelling unit or within shared common areas of a multi-family residential building. No underpinning, demolition of attached structures, or other work that requires the support of an existing party wall may take place.
More information is available from a blog post on the homepage of the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) website. The post will be kept updated and FAQs will be added to L&I’s site.

If you are reporting on a project in the neighborhood,
have questions or concerns send to: rco@southkensingtoncommunity.org

Philly 311 Hours
Philly311’s contact center remains open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Friday and will also be open extended hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m this weekend, May 8 and 9.
Residents can place a service request by calling 3-1-1 or dialing (215) 686-8686 or through submitting service requests online.
Language translation services are available.

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Today (Friday 8th) the City of Philadelphia announced its COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program aims to help people who have lost income because of COVID-19 pay their rent. Please note that funding is limited. Not everyone who applies can be served.
The City will begin accepting applications for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 10 a.m. The deadline to apply is Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 5 p.m.
Applications are available through PHLRentAssist.org. Residents without internet access or a smart phone can get program and application information by calling 311.
To be eligible, renters must:

• Rent an apartment or house in Philadelphia

• Have a valid and current written lease signed by landlord

• Have lost income because of COVID-19

• Meet income guidelines

Renters do not have to have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to be eligible.
Renters are NOT eligible if they live in public housing or receive other government rental assistance (Section 8/Housing Choice Vouchers, etc.)
Help us publicize this important program!

• Share PHLRentAssist.org with your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, contacts, and anyone else you can think of

• Download our fliers and distribute them far and wide

• Have a suggestion about who we could reach out to? Send it to us at info@phdc.phila.org, or just share our website, press release, and/or blog.

On behalf of our Philadelphia neighbors in need – thank you!