Indoor dining in Philadelphia restaurants will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 8, with restrictions to no more than 25 percent capacity.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jim Kenney was widely criticized on social media after being photographed eating inside a Maryland restaurant, without a mask and not socially distancing.
Indoor theaters and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen on Sept. 8. Venues are not to exceed 50 percent capacity, with a maximum of 25 people allowed. All of these venues will need to prohibit food and drink on site in order to open.
Mask wearing remains required in all businesses, and the state has issued an order requiring masks while out in public.
The city, at press time, reported 33,909 confirmed coronavirus cases.
An interactive map of cases broken down by ZIP code can be found at phila.gov.
There have been a total of 1,751 deaths in the city. Eight-hundred and seventy-five of those deaths have been in nursing homes.
Anyone who wants to find a testing site can go to https://www.phila.gov/covid-testing-sites/#/.
Kenney on Tuesday noted that September is National Suicide Prevention Month.
“The month is of added importance this year as we all face the stress, anxiety and hardships of COVID-19,” he said. “In Philadelphia and nationally, we’re seeing heightened levels of adverse mental health conditions, substance use and suicidal ideation — especially among younger adults, racial and ethnic minorities, essential workers and unpaid adult caregivers.”
Statewide, there are 134,795 cases in all 67 counties, with 7,691 confirmed deaths, including 5,192 in nursing homes or personal care facilities.
“The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as we protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including our children as they start school and our loved ones in long-term care facilities,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings, and telework will help keep our case counts low. We know that the cases in schools and in facilities such as nursing homes are often a reflection of the spread of the virus in the local community. Together, as Pennsylvanians, we each have a part to play in working to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low.”
The Philadelphia Water Department and Water Revenue Bureau will not shut off customers unable to pay water bills through Sept. 30. This extends a pause on shutoffs that began in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers who cannot pay their water bill should apply for help at 215-685-6300 or www.phila.gov/waterbillhelp.
Philadelphians looking for the latest local information on the coronavirus can visit phila.gov/COVID-19.
Residents with questions can call a 24-hour helpline at 800-722-7112.
Or, text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive updates to your phone. ••
