The number of COVID vaccine doses coming to Philadelphia is about to increase considerably, according to the city’s Department of Public Health’s announcement. As was reported earlier, a new FEMA-run mass COVID vaccination site is expected to open in Philadelphia Convention Center as early as March 3rd. The site will be receiving its own allocation of vaccine doses, about 42,000 a week, directly from the federal government and separately from Philadelphia’s allocation. The site will operate from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days per week, for at least the next six weeks, by appointment only (read more here).

As of this week, Philadelphia’s allocation is 28,000 first doses a week, so together with the FEMA-run site, the city will be able to administer more than a double of the current amount of doses to residents.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia public school students in grades preK-2 who had opted for the hybrid learning model were supposed to return back to school buildings on Monday, March 1. However, due to the ongoing dispute between the School District of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the mediation process by a third party currently underway, virtual instruction for all District students will continue until further announcement.

The City-led third-party mediation process between the School District and PFT on the phased reopening of the city’s public schools is nearing conclusion, according to today’s announcement by Mayor Jim Kenney. Details will be finalized over the next few days, and will be announced publicly at a joint press conference with the City of Philadelphia, School District of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers on Monday, March 1, at 1 p.m.

UPDATE (2/26/2021): All of the available slots are booked for this Saturday’s clinic. Penn Medicine will be hosting another vaccination clinic next week – on March 6th. Stay tuned for more information.

(2/25/2021): West and Southwest Philadelphia residents who are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (Phases 1A and 1B of COVID vaccine distribution) are invited this Saturday, Feb. 27 to a mass vaccination clinic that will be held at the Francis Myers Rec Center (58th and Kingsessing).

Those who live in the following zip codes are eligible to get vaccinated at this clinic: 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151, 19153.

The clinic will be open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Registration is required. Please text READY to (267) 263-7464 to register for the clinic. Continue Reading

More details have been provided about the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the University of the Sciences (USciences), one of three new mass vaccination sites run by the city’s Department of Public Health.

The site will be open twice a week starting this week and will administer vaccine doses to eligible residents who had pre-registered on the COVID-19 Vaccine Interest website or by phone: (215) 685-5488. The department will send out invitations to people by email or call about scheduling an appointment.

The site will offer first doses of the vaccine on one day and second doses on the other day of operation. The Health Department is planning to vaccinate about 500 people per day at each site, gradually increasing the amount to up to 3,000 doses per week.  Continue Reading

The mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the City’s Convention Center, which was previously run by the controversial Philly Fighting COVID organization and then by the City’s Department of Public Health, will soon have a new operator. FEMA will take over the site in early March, according to today’s announcement by Philadelphia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.

The center is expected to open on March 3rd and to administer several thousand vaccine shots per day. Since FEMA is a federally-run organization it is expected to receive its own allocation of vaccine doses directly from the federal government and not use any from the city’s general allocation, which also comes from the federal government, according to today’s announcement. This will help increase the number of vaccinations administered in the city. Currently, Philadelphia is receiving about 25,000 COVID vaccine doses per week.  Continue Reading

The School District of Philadelphia has postponed the reopening date for its schools from Feb. 22 to March 1. The decision to delay the reopening, which is part of the District’s hybrid learning model, was made due to the ongoing third-party mediation requested by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT). The organization has instructed teachers earlier this month not to return to school buildings until it is decided by a third party that it is safe to do so.

The District is now planning to begin the first phase of the hybrid learning plan, which includes welcoming students in PreK-2 back to school buildings, on Monday, March 1. Older students will be phased in later. No additional dates have been provided yet.  Continue Reading