PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s COVID-19 numbers continue to move in the right direction: New cases are down and the vaccine supply is increasing. But there was one stark reminder at Tuesday’s briefing that the pandemic hasn’t released its hold yet.
New cases are averaging less than 250 a day, the lowest level since early October. Health Commissioner Tom Farley said if the trend continues, the city will relax more restrictions.
He was also optimistic about the timeline for getting the city fully vaccinated, with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine expected to be shipped in March and word from the White House that it's purchased 600 million total doses of all three vaccines.
“I can estimate that we will be in phase 1B until approximately the end of April, phase 1C until the end of May and then we’ll be phase two — and in phase two everyone is eligible — in June and that we would reach everyone that wants a vaccine by the end of July,” he said.
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Residents can sign up on the city’s website or through a pharmacy website — Rite Aid, ShopRite, Sun Ray, Walmart and Acme are among those giving shots.
Hospitals and health centers are calling their patients in to get the vaccine. And the city and a few other nonprofits are holding clinics. You can also call 311 for help getting on the list.
As positive as the outlook is, there was a grim reminder of the virus’s toll. Philadelphia reported its 3,000th death Monday.