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Do you still think COVID-19 is just like the flu? | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, Philly cases are rising at slower rate, but the White House called the city a potential hot spot

People were making use of Clark Park in West Philadelphia to escape the concerns of the virus and to get some exercise and fresh air on March 19, 2020. Nafi Cannady, 8, wears a mask as he swings. His mother, Trinia Cannady, said “The mask was for his safety and the safety of others.” Her philosophy for her son is “to come out get some air and then go back inside.”
People were making use of Clark Park in West Philadelphia to escape the concerns of the virus and to get some exercise and fresh air on March 19, 2020. Nafi Cannady, 8, wears a mask as he swings. His mother, Trinia Cannady, said “The mask was for his safety and the safety of others.” Her philosophy for her son is “to come out get some air and then go back inside.”Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

TL;DR: Coronavirus cases in Philly are rising at slower rate, but today, the White House called this area a potential hot spot. In preparing for a surge of cases, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered Pennsylvania hospitals to share medical equipment, including ventilators and personal protective equipment. The coronavirus is not just like the flu. Even though Passover is starting tonight, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged residents to stay home.

See these photos of Philly’ iconic buildings lit up in blue to honor those fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Make sure you check Inquirer.com/coronavirus for the latest news, and please feel free to tell your family and friends to sign up.

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— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)

What you need to know

🏥 Pennsylvania’s draft of the medical treatment guidelines for who gets critical care during the coronavirus pandemic discriminates against people with disabilities, activists say.

😷 Gov. Tom Wolf is ordering Pennsylvania hospitals to share medical equipment, including ventilators and personal protective equipment.

👮 Philadelphia police officers will start wearing cloth face masks while on duty.

🚇 SEPTA is dramatically slashing service and urging an end to nonessential rides.

✡️ Passover is starting tonight, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged residents to still stay home. “Tonight is different from all other nights,” he said. “We cannot gather together."

Local coronavirus cases

📈As of Wednesday evening, there are more than 10,500 reported cases in the Philadelphia area. Track the spread here.

  1. PHILADELPHIA: 4,777 confirmed cases (up 505 since yesterday)

  2. SUBURBAN PA: 3,752 confirmed cases (up 409 since yesterday)

  3. SOUTH JERSEY: 2,063 confirmed cases (up 182 since yesterday)

Philly cases are rising at slower rate, but the White House calls the city a potential hot spot

The growth of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia is slowing, but Deborah Birx, the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response director, said the city could be one of the next coronavirus hot spots.

"We are concerned about the metro area of Washington and Baltimore, and we’re concerned right now about the Philadelphia area,” Birx said on Good Morning America.

Hours later, the city’s Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said, “I don’t know what numbers she’s looking at."

“I doubt she’s looking at numbers as updated as we are. So I’m glad that she’s concerned about Philadelphia. We have been hit hard so far but at the moment things are better.”

The city reported 505 new cases during a press conference today, a smaller increase than the city has seen in recent days. The city now has 4,777 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

There have been 78 deaths, officials said at the news conference, with 13 of those announced today.

“I’m not saying it’s turning around, I’m not even saying it’s plateauing," Farley said. “But the growth is slowing.”

» ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

Do you still think coronavirus is just like the flu?

Some people have wrongly equated the coronavirus to the flu, questioning if this is really bad enough to shut down our economy and tell people to stay at home.

My colleague Stacey Burling explains why the new coronavirus is more dangerous.

Sure, the viruses cause similar symptoms, including fever and body aches, and people over age 65 are at a higher risk. And while both diseases can kill, the scale of the coronavirus problem is “much, much larger," said John Zurlo, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Jefferson Health.

A big difference? Every fall, we have vaccines for the flu. They reduce the number and seriousness of cases. There is no vaccine for the coronavirus and there are no proven antiviral treatments.

The coronavirus also seems to be more infectious, experts say. A person with the flu tends to infect one other person. For coronavirus, one infected person seems to pass it to 2.5 others.

“I hate to think of what flu seasons would be like if we had no vaccinations,” Zurlo said.

Helpful resources

  1. What can help protect you from the coronavirus? Also, here’s how to make your own face mask.

  2. What are the first symptoms of the coronavirus? Pink eye is also a possible early warning sign of coronavirus, eye doctors report.

  3. Where can I get a coronavirus test?

  4. Not sure what a medical term means? We have definitions for you.

  5. Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.

Let’s take a quick break

⚾ This “reunion” between Harry Kalas and one of his biggest fans was years in the making.

💗 “I was a party animal." Read about Dolores Paolino, an 86-year-old South Philly grandma known as Dolly Broadway to her more than 1 million followers on TikTok and Instagram.

🏀 Sixers playoff flashback: Allen Iverson dropped 55 points on New Orleans Hornets in a 2003 victory.

Social distancing tip of the day: A break from the city’s wage tax

If you used to work in Philadelphia, but are now stuck at home working from your dining room table, couch, home office, or even your bed, you are most likely able to stop paying the city’s highest-in-the-nation wage tax.

If your company is requiring you to work from home, and your home is outside of the city, you’re exempt from the 3.4481% nonresident tax. How do you withdraw from paying this tax or ask for a refund? My colleague Laura McCrystal answers all your questions here.

Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.

What we’re paying attention to

  1. The Internet is getting stronger because of coronavirus lockdowns. MIT Technology Review explains why.

  2. The Daily Beast explains how a Chicago man who went to a funeral and birthday party before social distancing may have infected as many as 16 people with the new coronavirus.

  3. A member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s security team tested positive for coronavirus, leading the museum to halt construction, WHYY reports.

It’s not all horrible

Coronavirus is not stopping the Easter Bunny from hopping around Jenkintown this weekend. On Saturday, the Easter Bunny will do a ride-along with officers to scout out the area before delivering Sunday candies.

“Social distancing will be in effect,” the Montgomery County department said in a Facebook post. “The bunny is a very busy guy and can’t afford to get sick.”

Read more here, and other ways the Easter Bunny is finding a way amid the pandemic.

News about coronavirus is changing quickly. Go to inquirer.com/coronavirus to make sure you are seeing the newest information.