Philly’s mask mandate ends, marking a step closer to normal but drawing mixed reactions

"The statistics that we're tracking have gotten to the point where we think the health department will likely end compliance with the indoor mask requirement," the health commissioner said.

Mask wearers at Reading Terminal Market Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff photographer Updated March 2, 2022 19:23 ET Published March 2, 2022 at 10:35 a. m. ET

Philadelphia on Wednesday postponed the implementation of an indoor mask ban, a major step toward normalcy in the metropolis after nearly two years of pandemic closures and restrictions.

Health General Cheryl Boettigall said the pandemic has reached a new stage but she hasn't decided whether to call COVID-19 an epidemic or a manageable baseline rather than an epidemic.

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I think it's better to talk about a return to normalcy. We're actually assuming that we have enough immunity in the city to really get to the end point.

Philadelphia is the only city in the state that has a public mask mandate indoors. The application went into effect on June 26, 2020, and is in effect every day except from June to August 2021.

As reported by The Washington Post, the statement came days after President Joe Biden proposed a new strategy for preventing and treating COVID, embracing the "Test to Treat" project, which includes the immediate distribution of antiviral drugs to people diagnosed with COVID.

The city plans to postpone mask mandates in schools on March 9 if the baseline continues to decline.

The mask mandate will be reinstated in middle schools for the week after spring break (April 18-22) to reduce the risk of people who may contract COVID during the break. Children under the age of 5 are not yet eligible for vaccinations.

Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan said he "fully and wholeheartedly supports" the mask mandate, but said more clear information is more important.

"We have children and workers who have health conditions that require them to disguise themselves to protect themselves."

The mask requirement in City Hall will continue through Monday, and unvaccinated workers will be required to wear masks indoors.

The city still insists on masks in health care providers and city hall, and the federal government also insists on masks on public transportation.

But most businesses will no longer have to oversee COVID safety protocols.

"We have taken the risk of personal risks and the risk of taking over for loved ones," Betty Goal said.

‘I hope people don’t get too comfortable’

Sheila Davis and Tashanna Walker of the restaurant "Taqueria AMOR" in Manibles are actually agreeing to the city authorities. According to Walker's text, wearing a mask is "just inconvenient", especially in the gym.

"I look at me, people think, and that (Kobid) will not actually come," said Davis, a 2 5-yea r-old Nish i-Oblane. "Everyone is a rudimentary with more security."

Mediki-Student Claire-Vecker and Grace-Hogan still need to wear a mask at work, but they did not remember them when they walked the key street on Wednesday. The students of the Philadelphia Survey Institute were very surprised at the "surprise" of the configuration of the city's politicians, but the warm climate means the best ventilation and awakening air. He explained that they knew it.

"If the temperature rises, I will not disagree as long as people are ready to wear pewmasks," said Becker, a 2 4-yea r-old. "I hope people are too calm."

Because there are some incredible changes.

"4 4-yea r-old Alexander Hicket living in Philadelphia has been observing signs of Cobit for nearly two years."

A group of public network groups for people with long Covid courses heard that the two attacks after COVID had worsened for the people.

"Is it worse for you, or will your progress be canceled?" - She knows that.

Some parents are excited.

"I am quite struggling. Holly Lau talks about her 1 2-yea r-old child, but she was upset and asked to actually postpone school compulsory education." Mask is education. She says she doesn't allow it to stay in the environment.

Lau is excited about how to affect the children with these issues as the abolition of school compulsory education is affected by the abolition of school compulsory education. I'm doing it.

"We all want to come without a mask, but I just doubt that condition," she said.

Losing out to the suburbs

Companies in urban areas have complained that similar regulations have not yet been introduced in suburbs.

"Alex Balloon, an executive director of a tactic social becaming company and a par t-time executive director of the passion Avenue company activation company, says," Filadelphia Great Metropolitan Area, forcibly meets neighboring residents. It's great to promise that, and I think it's a great news for people involved in the leisure and hospitality industry. "

The casino and hotel on the live packer street opened in January 2021, and all were operated within COVID restrictions, except for their privacy rules in the summer of the previous year.

"We are considering the operation as planned in the future," said Joe Bill Heimer, the general manager of the casino.

The casino is owned by Codish Company, which also operates West Moaland casinos.

"At West Moaland casinos, I saw only the largest size that was limited.

Companies and restaurants are still likely to ask customers to offer mouse masks and vaccination certificates. Betty Goal emphasized that COVID bacteria are still widespread, recommending wearing a mask near a large number of crowds, near people who are susceptible to infection or those who are not vaccination. Wednesday, Kimmel announced that he was one of the people who continued to claim masks and vaccination certificates.

How the positivity rate declined

"I don't consider it like you, but it's quite difficult for me to actually happen in Philadelphia in January, and just leave a number of illnesses and deaths," says Betty. Ta. "I doubt that this is the end."

The mask of masks ended only two weeks after the capital introduced its own personal regulations to restrict the protection of COVID-19. Data on the number of cases, the number of hospitalization, positive rate, and the onset rate was used to identify the main restrictions. In order to stop the conspiracy, it was necessary to meet three of the four standards: reducing the average number of people per day to 100, at least 50 COVID infected people, and the results of the tests. The positive rate is at least 2 %, and the number of infected people has not increased by 50 % or more in the past 10 days.

According to government officials, it takes several months to remove the mask.

However, Betigore said on Wednesday that everything has changed since the city has changed the RH factor survey in the positive rate calculation. Previously, the positive rate fell to 1. 7 % after the introduction of this change, although only the PCR test was taken into account.

Metropolis hoped for a PCR test, often called "Gold Standard." Bettigol's textbooks have led to the distortion of the positive results indicators as these studies are used more frequently. With the growing awareness of RH factors on the examiners that are not informed by the examiners, the cheaper characteristics of the general public have also become the lowest reliable features of the general public. 。 In the past week, the number of positive people has not increased much, as the number of illnesses has decreased.

"We tried to understand why the positive rate did not decrease, despite the decrease in the number of cases," says Betty. "And Betty Goal said.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare representative James Galoo said that the CDC Board did not force the capital to review personal management functions.

"We now have a composition in response to our personal internal research, double tests, and public inquiries."

According to epidemiologists' first text, the difference between the previous 2, 6 % indicators before linking research to RH factors is not a new index from the literal real risk.

"Neil Goldstein of the Drexel Ski Research Institute says," This change does not include a small number of companies. "

Goldstein argues that it is critical of urban control indicators, and in fact, the calculation of excitement is almost arbitrary.

According to Bettigol's text, on Tuesday, the average of 87 new cases of illness was recorded in a day, and 156 were detected in a microbial clinic.

The Betty Goal, effectively, has not completely adopted the Federal Council.

"The specific content they present seems to be risky for Philadelphia," I pointed out that our team was returned, and it was managed by the Philadelphia CDC model this fall. I will go without being noticed about it. "

Healthcare representatives probably cover the applications that place masks and approve the existence of vaccination, so the room will be notified of a new option or the Philadelphia will return if the waves stop again. He stated that he had any chance. According to Bettigol's text, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's statement marked the month to generally announce some compositions on Wednesday and change the obligation.

"I believe that when they are already coming, we have an obligation to be really happy in a good era," I said, "and what happened. I'm paying attention to that. "

This memo was created by Justin McDaniel and Kristen Graham.