Pa., N.J., governors coordinating to plan for the region’s eventual reopening | Coronavirus Newsletter

TL;DR: In Philadelphia, the health commissioner says “we may be at or near the peak of the epidemic.” That mirrors national trends, with the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying the United States seems to be “nearing the peak right now" as the number of known cases appears to be stabilizing. The governors in this area are discussing plans to eventually reopen the region’s economy, and find out what two professors say happened to all the toilet paper.

See photos of some people starting to look toward the future as the coronavirus continues to spread around Philly. 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)

🍅 In Pennsylvania, many grocery stores, like Giant, Acme and Aldi, are now limiting the number of shoppers allowed inside at once. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all stores to limit the number of customers.

🏥 The United States seems to be “nearing the peak right now" as the number of known cases appears to be stabilizing, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. In Philadelphia, the health commissioner says “we may be at or near the peak of the epidemic,” while Pennsylvania officials say the state as a whole hasn’t yet seen its peak. Murphy says the Garden State’s curve is “undeniably flattening.”

👮 A 67-year-old Philadelphia man, who had been serving a life sentence for murder at SCI Phoenix, a prison in Montgomery County, has become the first state prison inmate in Pennsylvania to die from complications stemming from the coronavirus.

🇺🇸 The Supreme Court will hear 10 cases by teleconference, a historic first, due to the pandemic.

📈As of Monday evening, there are more than 15,500 reported cases in the Philadelphia area. Track the spread here.

It seems social distancing may be working and slowing the spread of the coronavirus in this region. The number of new confirmed cases each day has been been holding steady, meaning rate of increase is slowing.

Amid these hopeful signs, the Northeast governors said they are planning how to reopen the region in a coordinated effort, without causing a spike in coronavirus cases. The governors of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island, will each appoint a public health official, economic official, and their chief of staff to the group. They will then develop a regional plan. There is no set date for when the economy will be up and running again.

"This is a time for smart, competent, effective government,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “This virus doesn’t understand governmental boundaries.”

Still, Cuomo said he does not think society will be normal again until a vaccine is developed. Hours earlier, President Donald Trump tweeted that he, not individual governors, would decide when the country relaxes its social distancing guidelines.

The grocery store shelves are emptied of toilet paper. For the stores with some in stock, they’re limiting how many a customer person can take. Even public health officials are talking about it.

If your neighbors are out, Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County board of commissioners, said at a news conference last month, “do a solid and give them some toilet paper."

So, where did all the toilet paper go? My colleague Christian Hetrick asked two local experts — Deborah Small, a Wharton psychologist, and Subodha Kumar, a Temple professor of supply chain management — to explain.

“There’s predictions that households will use around 40% more toilet paper just because they are at home, not using it anywhere else,” Kumar said. "So a lot of business demand has shifted to consumer demand, because businesses don’t need it right now but consumers need it much more.”

Curious about other questions, like “Why does it take so long to get toilet paper back on shelves?” and “Are commercial suppliers sitting on unused toilet paper?” Read more here.

🥘 From coffee to miso to maple syrup, here’s what Philly chefs say are their most-versatile flavor-boosting ingredients.

🌸Today’s weather wasn’t so great. Let’s look back at the 2020 Philadelphia Flower Show instead.

🌟 This small street in Washington Township has produced big-time success stories.

Most Americans will be getting $1,200 from the federal government, thanks to the $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, and the first payments have begun showing up in bank accounts.

If you want this check sooner rather than later (possibly as late as September), then my colleague Rob Tornoe has tips for you.

Read here to find out how to make sure the IRS has your direct deposit information, how to receive a check if you didn’t file taxes, and how to track your payment.

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.

Lady Gaga is putting together a star-studded socially distant concert One World: Together at Home for Saturday.

Stars joining in include Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, John Legend, Billie Joe Armstrong, J Balvin, Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Eddie Vedder, Kacey Musgraves, Burna Boy, and Chris Martin.

It will be hosted by Stephen Colbert as well as Jimmies Kimmel and Fallon and carried live on CBS, ABC, and NBC, and streamed on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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