PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Philadelphia were officially lifted on Wednesday as cases drop and more people are vaccinated.
Businesses no longer have to enforce capacity limits or distancing rules. Because of that, 20,000 fans are expected to fill the Wells Fargo Center Wednesday night for Game Five of the first-round playoff matchup between the 76ers and Washington Wizards. It will be the first full capacity professional sporting event in Philadelphia since March of 2020.
It was at that time when officials in the region and around the country put mitigation efforts in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. People were told to stay home and avoid non-essential travel. Shops, restaurants, museums and entertainment venues were hit particularly hard. Mayor Jim Kenney, on Tuesday, reflected on the sacrifices that were made and the challenges the city faced.
“There are a lot of decisions that we made, that we didn’t want to make, that we had to make,” Kenney said at a reopening ceremony for SEPTA’s 5th Street Station. “And it was hard, and people didn’t understand it, and they complained. And there are a lot of people’s numbers I blocked during the last 14 months. But I will tell you that it was all worth it.”
The original plan was for the restrictions to be lifted on June 11, but Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health, last Friday, moved that up to June 2 because the city was showing the lowest number of new cases since September 2020, and percent positive rates have been below 3%.
The indoor mask mandate and 11 p.m. last call for dining order are still in effect until further notice. However, health officials indicated they would reevaluate data and possibly lift those rules by June 11.
Related
Overall, it is a lot of good news, and city and tourism officials are hoping that the businesses that took big hits since the start of the pandemic can get a shot in the arm themselves.
“The vibrancy, the energy of the city, is coming back. The shops and restaurants and the attractions — Philadelphia has really leaned in for summer,” said Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia.
Related
Guaracino said the hope is that more people, from near and far, will drive to their summer travel destination and that the Philadelphia area is on their lists.
“We’re expecting that people are gonna look to rediscover our great region. That’s an opportunity to help support the restaurants, the museums, the attractions. And what they need is customers now.”
There are some, even among fully vaccinated people, who may still be hesitant to go on a trip or even a night on the town.
Related
“We’re all gonna come back in our own way and our own time,” said Angela Val, executive director of Ready. Set. Philly!, a collaboration of the city, the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, businesses and organizations.
"What we want people to do is take a chance and come out and try one thing so that you start getting used to coming back out again and getting your life back. Our lives were not meant to live separately or just in our homes."
Val, who is also the chief administrative officer for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, said organizations already started to have events in the city in the spring, and conventions are scheduled to take place from the summer through the end of the year.