Bucks County on Tuesday said that Pfizer vaccinations are now available for residents age 12 and older.

The county said the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at its vaccination sites and that walk-ins are being accepted at all locations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children as young as 12.

— Robert Moran

The number of vaccine doses given per week in Philadelphia is continuing to decline as demand for vaccination decreases.

There were at least 64,000 doses of vaccine given last week in Philadelphia, Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said. By comparison, there were 68,000 doses given in the previous week and 89,000 given during the week of April 25.

Due to decreased demand, the federal-government-supported vaccine clinics at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Esperanza will continue offering first doses of vaccines even as they give second doses to people who got their first dose in the last three weeks. People who get a first dose at one of those sites will be directed to get a second dose elsewhere after those sites close, Farley said.

The convention center site will also now offer the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine through May 25, Farley said.

About 39% of Philadelphia residents over age 18 are fully vaccinated and about 49% have received at least one dose.

— Laura McCrystal

The rate of new cases of the coronavirus is declining rapidly in Philadelphia, Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said Tuesday.

“I do see hope that this epidemic is fading,” he said.

For the week that ended Saturday, the city had an average total of 241 new cases per day and a test positivity rate of 3.2%. Those figures are much lower than the previous week, which had an average daily total of 404 new cases and a 5.1% positivity rate for COVID-19 tests.

Deaths have also decreased, after peaking in this spring wave at 60 deaths during the week of April 11. That number dropped to 38 deaths the week of April 25, Farley said. The city announced four additional deaths on Tuesday. A total of 3,533 residents have now died of COVID-19.

Farley said that it is still possible the city could have another surge of the coronavirus in the summer or fall. After the city lifts restrictions on June 11, Farley said he would track hospital admissions to know how many people are getting seriously sick with COVID-19 and to determine if reinstating restrictions is necessary.

There were 215 hospital admissions during the week of April 18, Farley said, and he hopes that number will soon drop below 100. If weekly admissions increase again to more than 100, Farley said that’s the point at which he’d consider additional precautions.

— Laura McCrystal

Although Philadelphia is lifting all of its coronavirus restrictions on June 11, no date or vaccination goal has been set for lifting a mask mandate.

For the rest of the state, Gov. Tom Wolf said he would lift the mandate when 70% of the population is vaccinated. But Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said that he wants to wait and see what is happening with the pandemic, and noted that masks may be necessary through the fall and winter.

“We know this virus last year was at its worst in the middle of winter,” he said. “So if it’s going to come back it might start to come back in the fall and winter and so we may be wearing masks in that season.”

Farley said his decision may depend on whether more evidence becomes available suggesting that the current decrease in case rates is due to vaccinations. If it is not, and it’s instead due to the seasonal pattern of the virus not circulating as much as weather warms, Farley said masks would remain more important.

“I don’t want to put a date on it,” he said. “I want to watch what’s happening with the epidemic here, around the country, what’s happening with our vaccination rates.”

Mayor Jim Kenney noted that flu cases were minimal in the past year because people wore masks. He personally plans to wear one through the winter because masks are proven to be effective at keeping people healthy.

“It’s not a big deal, it’s a very light thing,” Kenney said. “We’re not asking people to carry a piano down the street.”

Farley said the city would also attempt to enforce mask requirements after June 11, through inspections and working with large venue operators such as sports teams.

» READ MORE:  Your guide to when to wear a mask, whether you’re vaccinated or not

— Laura McCrystal

Thanks to Philadelphia loosening its COVID-19 restrictions, the Sixers announced they will increase capacity at the Wells Fargo Center to 50% for the first round of the NBA playoffs, or about 10,000 fans.

“We hope this is only the beginning and look forward to welcoming back even more fans throughout the playoffs,” Chris Heck, president of business operations for the Sixers, said in a statement.

The Sixers have four more games remaining this season, including the season finale at the Wells Fargo Center against the Orlando Magic on May 16. The first round of the NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin May 22.

— Rob Tornoe

Philadelphia will ease more coronavirus restrictions later this month and move toward a full reopening on June 11, officials announced Tuesday.

The city will lift density limits on offices, stores, museums, and libraries beginning on May 21, said Health Commissioner Thomas Farley. Also on that date, the city will lift capacity limits on outdoor catered events. Restaurants will still be limited to 50% capacity, or 75% capacity with advanced ventilation standards — but seats will only be required to be three feet apart rather than six feet, therefore allowing more tables. Indoor catered events will still be capped at 25% occupancy, or 150 people.

Also on May 21, the city will lift the requirement that food must be served with alcohol.

As of June 11, the city will end all capacity limits in every setting. That reopening date is later than the rest of the state, which Gov. Tom Wolf announced last week will reopen on Memorial Day. Both the city and the state will still require masks, except when eating and drinking.

Farley said he strongly advises people to get vaccinated before going to theaters, restaurants, parties, or weddings.

“Now and in the future, do not attend crowded indoor settings unless you are vaccinated,” Farley said.

Mayor Jim Kenney said the city’s reopening is a sign of hope, but encouraged residents to continue getting vaccinated.

“As we work forward to our recovery, which will be a strong one, we have to stay mindful that the pandemic is not over,” Kenney said.

— Laura McCrystal

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday that capacity limits for indoor and outdoor events will increase on Monday, May 17, two weeks before the state is set to lift all coronavirus mitigation measures except for masking requirements.

As of Monday, indoor events across the state will be able to have up to 50% of a space’s capacity, an increase from 25%, and outdoor events can have 75% of a space’s capacity, up from 50%. These limits will not apply to Philadelphia, which has its own reopening plan that it announced Tuesday.

Wolf attributed the move to evolving federal guidance and Pennsylvania’s vaccination rate. Nearly 53% of the state’s entire population has received at least one dose.

“We recognize the significant strain businesses have faced during COVID-19 mitigation efforts,” the governor said in a statement. “Throughout the last year and half, we have seen businesses continue to put the safety of their patrons first and I believe they will continue to do so even with this capacity increase.”

Masking requirements remain in place, he said, and six feet of social distance remains strongly recommended. Pennsylvania has said it will lift masking requirements when 70% of adults 18 and older are fully vaccinated. That number is currently around 45%.

— Erin McCarthy

Montgomery County has begun to administer Pfizer’s COVID-19 to residents as young as 12 now that the FDA has expanded the drug’s authorization to more children.

The county announced the vaccine is available beginning today at any of its county-run clinics for children 12 and older, though anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Montgomery County is deviating from the rest of Pennsylvania, which announced it will wait for a vote on the move by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is scheduled to meet Wednesday.

There are roughly 43,000 youths between the ages of 12 and 15 in Montgomery County, according to data from Esri, a mapping and demographics software company.

— Rob Tornoe

After being canceled last year due to the pandemic, the Philadelphia Marathon is back on the schedule for 2021, at least tentatively.

The city announced the race weekend would be Nov. 19 to Nov. 21, though plans remain subject to change depending on the direction of the pandemic over the next six months.

For now, the race will feature 50% fewer runners, though the city said that number could increase if COVID-19 cases continue to decline as more people get vaccinated.

Registration will open May 13 at 2 p.m. on the marathon’s website.

“Today, we’re filled with hope as vaccine distribution continues to increase, making announcements like today’s possible. We are excited as we plan for the return of an iconic Philadelphia event, and we’re committed to creating the safest environment for our staff, athletes, volunteers, and partners,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. “Safety is our top priority, and we continue to work closely with public health experts to plan and execute a safe, successful marathon weekend.”

— Rob Tornoe

The COVID-19 vaccines have been more effective in real life then they were found to be during their clinical trials, Anthony Fauci told members of Congress Tuesday.

“Often, when you get into the real world, the effectiveness of vaccines falls short of the original efficacy,” Fauci testified to senators on Capitol Hill. “That is not at all the case with the vaccines for COVID-19, because the real-world effectiveness is even more impressive than the results of the clinical trials.”

Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, pointed to a study done at the University of Texas of 23,000 employees, which showed just 0.05% of vaccinated workers contracted COVID-19. Fauci also highlighted studies in Israel and Qatar, which both saw a dramatic decrease in cases and hospitalizations once a majority of residents were vaccinated.

President Joe Biden’s goal of getting 70% of adults receiving at least one vaccine dose by July 4 is “attainable,” Fauci said, and necessary for the suppression of the virus across most of the country.

“I believe we are about at that critical turning point, when we get a certain percentage of people vaccinated — we don’t know exactly what it is, but clearly a majority of the people in this country — we will see a sharp turning point and a marked diminution of cases,” Fauci said.

— Rob Tornoe

Before the pandemic, Tyrell Brown spent a lot of his free time socializing.

Brown, a 38-year-old teacher living in Queen Village, organized debate watch parties and other events for the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2019 and early 2020. After those gatherings, he frequently grabbed drinks with his friends at neighborhood bars. His weekends were full of dinners with friends and birthday parties.

When the lockdown in March 2020 took that away, Brown, a self-described introvert who “loves talking to people,” was surprised by the relief he felt.

“I catch myself thinking that I wish I could hang out with my friends, but it’s also really comforting that I don’t have to, that I can stay at home,” Brown said.

While many people felt strain from the dramatic shift in socialization in the last year, scientists predicted that a small group of people, including introverts and those with social anxiety, would adjust well to quarantine and ultimately find that time less stressful. For some people, not being able to socialize the way they used to helped them make new priorities when it came to spending time with others.

» READ MORE: For introverts and people with social anxiety, pandemic lockdown brought relief and more autonomy

— Bethany Ao

— Yong Kim

Martin Luther King Drive, which has become a haven for bicyclists, walkers, and runners since its March 2020 closure, will reopen to weekday car traffic in early August.

The announcement came during a City Council budget hearing Monday and amid a debate between those yearning for more open space in the city and those fed up with increased traffic on alternative routes. MLK Drive will still be closed on weekends for recreational use through the end of October, a city spokesperson said.

The drive has grown in popularity during the pandemic as more people sought safer, outdoor activities.

Randy LoBasso, the policy director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, said his organization proposed a shared roadway, in which MLK Drive would be divided in half with a barrier, creating one area for pedestrians and cyclists and a second for vehicles.

A city spokesperson said this decision was made “based on consultation with City Council and the progress of our infrastructure projects including improvements to the recreational trail, and upgrades to lighting and forthcoming paving.”

Still, a city spokesperson said, “opportunities to extend these closures are being explored.”

» READ MORE: Martin Luther King Drive will be reopening to cars on weekdays in August

— Ellie Silverman

Following a surge of new cases in March, the number of new COVID-19 infections has plummeted in Philadelphia and across the region over the past month as the weather improves and more people get vaccinated.

Here’s where things stand, according to an Inquirer analysis of the most recent data from each local health department:

— Rob Tornoe