Coronavirus cases in the Philly region

Though most COVID-19 cases are mild, the virus has proven deadly, killing more than 2.4 million people throughout the world. More than 500,000 Americans have died. The elderly and people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. They also include fatigue, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, runny nose, nausea and diarrhea. The incubation period is 2-14 days. 

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia reluctantly closed its schools on Friday, March 13 – shortly before Wolf announced that schools would close throughout the state. Philly officials had sought to keep their schools open, arguing that closing them would disrupt much of the city and that students were safer there. But closures in Montgomery and Delaware counties created staffing shortages within the School District of Philadelphia, forcing their hand. 

Wolf also directed all Delaware County retailers to close. Chester County announced its first case on Friday, March 13.

Wolf called on all bars and restaurants to close in the four suburban Philly counties on Sunday, March 15. The next day, Philly ordered its bars and restaurants to do likewise – an hour before Wolf enacted the restrictions across Pennsylvania. Additionally, the University of Pennsylvania called off The Penn Relays for the first time in the event's 125-year history. 

Penn Medicine opened the first two coronavirus testing sites in the region on Monday, March 16. Patients needed a doctor's referral to get tested.

Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close indefinitely on Thursday, March 19. Those that failed to comply faced fines, citations or license suspensions – the first time Wolf had put teeth behind his mitigation efforts. 

Philadelphia officials opened the city's first public, drive-thru testing site– outside Citizens Bank Park. It was restricted to people older than 50 or health care workers, but a doctor's referral was not required. 

Mayor Jim Kenney ordered residents to stay at home except for essential trips– like those to the grocery store or pharmacy – or essential work. 

Montgomery County reported the first coronavirus-related death in Southeastern Pennsylvania on Sunday, March 22. 

Rite Aid opened a drive-thru testing site for emergency responders and health care personnel in Philadelphia's West Oak Lane neighborhood on Monday, March 23. The city postponed the Broad Street Run until October. Gov. Tom Wolf placed all residents in the four suburban Philly counties under a stay-in-place order.

Philadelphia and Delaware County announced their first coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday, March 25. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia canceled all Holy Week services, including Easter Mass. 

Pennsylvania officials put aside $50 million to be used to purchase medical equipment and supplies, including beds, ventilators and respirators, on Thursday, March 26. They said they expected a surge of coronavirus cases. 

The next day, Philly officials announced plans to use Temple University's Liacouras Center as a makeshift hospital if city hospitals became overwhelmed. 

Bucks County announced its first COVID-19-related death on Saturday, March 28. 

On Monday, March 30, Wolf announced schools and non-life-sustaining businesses would remain closed indefinitely. He also extended his stay-in-place order, which grew to include 26 counties, to April 30. President Donald Trump declared Pennsylvania a major disaster, paving the way for additional federal funds. 

Wolf placed the entire state under his stay-in-place order on Wednesday, April 1.  

State health officials advised all residents to wear cloth masks in public in anticipation of new federal guidelines, which were announced later on Friday, April 3. The Philadelphia prison system announced it was supplying all inmates with masks and mostly restricting them to their cells to prevent COVID-19 spread. 

Chester County announced it would begin offering COVID-19 antibody tests to workers on the front lines, becoming the first in Pennsylvania to do so, on Monday, April 6. Additionally, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania began enrolling patients in clinical trial evaluating the drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential COVID-19 treatment. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House COVID-19 task force coordinator, identified Philadelphia as a potential hotspot on Wednesday, April 7, but city officials reported a modest dip in new cases, a hopeful sign. Vice President Mike Pence urged Philly residents to practice social distancing "now more than ever." Wolf signed an executive order allowing state officials to redistribute personal protective equipment to hospitals. 

On Thursday, April 9, Wolf announced schools would remain closed through the academic year. 

In anticipation of a potential surged of hospitalized patients, Montgomery County officials said on Friday, April 10, that they would establish a temporary, 40-bed facility at Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton Township. They also said the county's COVID-19 testing site would shift from Temple's Ambler campus to Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell. Wolf announced the creation of a $450 million loan program for financially-strapped hospitals. 

Pennsylvania joined six other states, including New Jersey, in forming a multi-state council to develop a plan to reboot the Northeast economy while mitigating spread of the virus, on Monday, April 13. Kenney sent a letter to Congress asking for personal protective equipment and rapid COVID-19 tests.

Philly officials reported the first inmate death in the city's correctional facilities, on Tuesday, April 14. 

Some Philadelphia hospitals neared capacity in their intensive care units on Wednesday, April 15, though ICUs across Southeastern Pennsylvania still had 27% of their beds available. Wolf ordered all Pennsylvania residents to begin wearing masks while shopping at grocery stores, pharmacies and other businesses still open. He also expanded business safeguards – like temperature screenings – designed to protect essential workers. 

Wolf announced the framework of his plan to reopen Pennsylvania on Friday, April 17, saying state officials would take a regional approach based on scientific evidence. But he offered no specific timetable.

On Monday, April 20, Wolf extended the statewide stay-at-home order through May 8, reiterating that reopening would occur on a regional basis. Pennsylvania also began offering curbside pickup at 176 state liquor stores – a test to determine whether similar arrangements could be safely conducted at retail outlets closed by his executive order. 

Wolf unveiled a detailed version of his reopening plan on Wednesday, April 22. The three-phase plan would gradually relax business and social restrictions in regions where new COVID-19 cases fall below a certain threshold. But it appeared the Philadelphia region would likely be among the last to emerge from the stay-at-home order.

On Monday, April 27, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said the city appeared to be 'past the peak' of the COVID-19 crisis, but stressed the city was a long way from hitting the case thresholds needed to reopen according to Wolf's plan. State officials gave hospitals the go-ahead to resume elective procedures and announced golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately-owned campgrounds could reopen beginning May 1. 

Philly officials said the makeshift hospital at the Liacouras Center would close once its current patients recovered because city hospitals had the capacity to handle COVID-19 cases. 

On Friday, May 1, Wolf announced that coronavirus-related restrictions would be eased in 24 counties located in northwest and north-central Pennsylvania beginning May 8. 

Philadelphia made COVID-19 testing available to anyone with symptoms, greatly expanding the criteria for testing at its public site, on Monday, May 4. Testing previously was restricted to older residents and health care providers. 

On Friday, May 8, Wolf formally extended his stay-at-home order through June 4, excluding the 24 counties that had begun moving through his reopening plan. He also announced another 13 counties, all in western Pennsylvania, would advance to the next phase on May 15. SEPTA announced it would resume most regular transit schedules beginning May 17 and 18. 

Health officials rolled out a plan to make COVID-19 testing widespread at longterm care facilities, which had been hard hit by the coronavirus, on Tuesday, May 12. 

The next day, health officials announced 1,200 doses of remdesivir, which had shown some effectiveness in treating COVID-19 patients, was being distributed to 51 hospitals. Philly officials announced there would be a sharp reduction in polling places for the June 2 primary. And School District of Philadelphia officials revealed plans for a virtual commencement ceremony.

Philadelphia marked a grim milestone on Thursday, May 14 – more than 1,000 people had died of COVID-19. CVS Health announced it would open five testing sites in Southeastern Pennsylvania as part of a national effort to ramp up testing. 

Philly surpassed 20,000 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, May 19. Gov. Wolf urged Pennsylvanians to avoid going to the beach, despite their openings. The next day, he relaxed restrictions to permit some limited real estate activity. And, on Thursday, May 21, Wolf signed a bill permitting restaurants and bars to serve takeout cocktails amid the pandemic. 

On Friday, May 22, Wolf announced Philadelphia and its four suburban counties would enter the yellow phase of his reopening plan. At that point, all 67 Pennsylvania counties will have exited the red phase. Seventeen counties are set to enter the green phase on May 29. 

Philly lifted restrictions on food trucks on Tuesday, May 26, and also began permitting restaurants to conduct walk-up services. On Wednesday, May 27, Wolf gave the green light for restaurants to begin outdoor dining in the counties that advance to the yellow phase of his reopening plan. Still, Philly officials said outdoor dining may be delayed when it reaches the yellow stage on June 5.

Temple University announced on June 2 that it would resume some in-person classes during the fall semester. Students and staff will be required to wear masks in buildings and large lectures will still be held online. 

On June 3, Pennsylvania officials gave public schools the green light to begin reopening on July 1 – so long as they have a safe and health plan in effect. 

Philadelphia and its collar counties entered the yellow phase of the state's reopening plan on June 5.

Pennsylvania health officials gave schools sports and youth athletics the green light to resume voluntary workouts on Wednesday, June 10. The next day, Philly officials detailed plans for outdoor eating, which began Friday, June 12. Restaurants must comply with one of four models designed to create safe spaces for diners. 

On Thursday, June 18, Philly officials announced that they hoped the city would move to the green phase of the state's reopening plan on July 3. That was dependent on new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to drop. But they cautioned the green phase initially would include more restrictions in Philly than it does elsewhere in the state. The city also was dispatching so-called "social distancing ambassadors" to several highly-used recreational areas. 

On Friday, June 19, Philadelphia and its collar counties were approved to enter the green phase of the state's reopening plan on June 26, though Philly officials will only partially relax restrictions on that date. At that point, all but Lebanon County will have entered the green phase. 

As Philly grew closer to entering the green phase, Farley acknowledged concerns that the city's COVID-19 cases were beginning to plateau rather than continue to descend. He voiced these concerns on Monday, June 21 as cases had begun to rise across much of the United States. 

Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties formally entered the green phase of the state's reopening plan on Friday, June 26. Philly partially relaxed restrictions, but Farley warned that a "second wave" of COVID-19 infections threatened the city's ability to move more fully into the green phase. 

On Tuesday, June 30, Philly officials announced they would delay the city's full entry into the green phase, pushing back the reopening of gyms, fitness centers and indoor dining until at least Aug. 1. But it would permit malls, casinos, museums and libraries to reopen on July 3. 

Philadelphia advised residents against traveling to Delaware and 17 other states with high rates of COVID-19 on Wednesday, July 8. 

The National Institutes of Health announced on Tuesday, July 14, that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate would soon begin a Phase 3 trial, the final step before being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Philly officials called off all large gatherings, including the Mummers Parade, through February 2021. Eagles fans would not be permitted to watch games at Lincoln Financial Field or tailgate outside the stadium. 

On Wednesday, July 15, Wolf toughened restrictions on restaurants and bars, dropping their indoor capacity limits from 50% to 25% in hopes of halting a surge of COVID-19 cases. The increases were greatest in the Pittsburgh area. Wolf also ordered all music and nightclubs to close. 

The School District of Philadelphia announced students would return to class two days a week in the fall. They would take part in virtual classes the other three days of the week. The staggered schedule was designed to limit exposure and allow staffers more time to clean schools. 

The next day, Philly announced gyms could reopen on Monday, July 20 under strict social distancing guidelines and with a mask mandate in place. Gyms would be subjected to random compliance checks and would be shut down if they were not enforcing the rules. 

On Tuesday, July 21, Farley said he foresaw "cycles of opening and closing" until a COVID-19 vaccine is developed and widely accessible. 

The School District of Philadelphia announced students would start the school year at home, reversing course on its decision to have them split time between in-person and remote instruction, on Tuesday, July 28. However, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia rolled out plans to have students return to schools, with various social distancing measures in place. 

A state official revealed plans to roll out a contact tracing app, COVID Green, that alerts users when they have come in contact with another user who tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, July 30. Philly officials said they would determine whether indoor dining could resume in September by Aug. 21. 

The Philadelphia Housing Authority extended its eviction moratorium until March 2021, on Friday, July 31. 

On Thursday, Aug. 6, Wolf recommended the PIAA suspended high school sports until Jan. 1, saying congregate settings make the virus easier to spread. The next day, the PIAA postponed fall sports by two weeks and urged further discussion about the season. 

Upper Darby, Delaware County was forced to quarantine its entire sanitation division due to a COVID-19 outbreak among staffers.

The Philadelphia Public League suspended high school sports until 2021 on Monday, Aug. 10. 

Pennsylvania officials rolled out new designations designed to help school districts decide between in-person, remote or hybrid instruction models during the 2020-21 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The University of Pennsylvania decided against bringing students back for the fall semester, instead announcing it would go virtual on Tuesday, Aug. 11. 

Philly officials announced the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths had significantly fallen compared to early April, when the pandemic had peaked. OraSure Technologies, in Bethlehem, announced it was expanding operations as it developed a rapid, in-home coronavirus test. 

On Thursday, Aug. 13, Farley lamented the "fear and mistrust" around the city's COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, saying as many as one-third of Philly residents reached by contact tracers were not cooperating.

Villanova University threatened to send students home after hundreds of students ignored social distancing and face mask guidelines during an impromptu gathering on campus. 

Chester County health officials advised all schools in Chester and Delaware Counties to begin the year virtually on Friday, Aug. 14.

Philadelphia was named to a pilot program designed to determine the best way to distribute an eventual COVID-19 vaccine, reports indicated on Sunday, Aug. 16.

On Monday, Aug. 17, Pennsylvania officials announced they would launch COVID Green, a contact tracing app, in September. State officials issued a memo stressing that the state's face coverings order applies to students, though they said schools could implement 10-minute mask breaks. 

Philly health officials warned of an outbreak that affected at least nine people connected to services at a Tacony church, on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Temple University launched a COVID-19 dashboard to track cases as students returned to campus for the fall semester. 

On Thursday, Aug. 20, Philadelphia announced that indoor dining could resume beginning Sept. 8. Drexel University switched to online-only classes for the fall quarter.

The PIAA voted on Friday, Aug. 21 to move ahead with the fall sports schedule, ignoring Wolf's recommendation to push sports back until January. Despite this, the Philadelphia Catholic League opted to cancel its fall sports season on Monday, Aug. 24. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Pennsylvania to participate in the Lost Wages Assistance program, which provides an additional $300 per week to unemployed residents who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. 

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Farley announced Philly had averaged 98 cases during the previous week, its lowest daily case counts since the pandemic peaked in mid-April. 

The U.S. Department of Justice requested Pennsylvania provide coronavirus data as it considered an investigation to determine whether the state failed to protect nursing home residents, on Wednesday, Aug. 26. 

Philly officials announced they would not follow the CDC's updated COVID-19 controversial testing guidelines, which said asymptomatic people did not need to be tested unless they were vulnerable to severe complications or otherwise advised by a local health official. The city would continue advising everyone exposed to the coronavirus be tested. 

Temple University was battling a COVID-19 outbreak that prompted the university to halt in-person instruction for two weeks on Monday, Aug. 31. Farley said the outbreak threatened to spread elsewhere in the city and urged students to avoid leaving their apartments and dorms.

Temple decided to make the fall semester a virtual one on Thursday, Sept. 3. Residence halls remained open for students who either wanted or needed to stay on campus. 

Farley said he believed the CDC acted appropriately in requesting states expedite permits for vaccine distribution facilities by Nov. 1, saying setting that process up early is a wise decision. Three vaccines were in Phase 3 clinical trials, but it remained to be seen whether any will be approved by that date. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, state officials announced restaurants could expand indoor dining to 50% capacity on Sept. 21 if their owners signed a form pledging to adhere to health protocols. Temple's COVID-19 outbreak appeared to be slowing, but health officials were still worried about parties among students who decided to remain in the area. 

Philadelphia raised its outdoor gathering limit from 50 to 150 people on Thursday, Sept. 10. It previously delayed property value reassessments until 2022 due to the pandemic. 

A federal judge ruled Monday, Sept. 14 that Wolf's stay-at-home orders, limits on public gatherings and business closures were unconstitutional, siding with a group of plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit in April. The Wolf administration was expected to seek a stay while it appeals the decision. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, Philadelphia's average daily case total and positivity rate were the lowest since the onset of the pandemic, Farley said. 

Pennsylvania launched its coronavirus contact tracing app, COVID Alert Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Philadelphia officials announced they would allow restaurants to increase their indoor dining capacities to 50% on Oct. 2, noting the city's progress against COVID-19. 

Philly officials said they would allow trick-or-treating and other Halloween festivities, but released a set of safety guidelines on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, telling people to 'be afraid' of the coronavirus. State officials changed public gathering limits to allow stadiums and entertainment venues to permit limited numbers of fans. 

Philly officials altered their limits on public gatherings, allowing indoor venues to permit up to 10% of their maximum occupancies, with a 250-person cap, on Tuesday, Oct. 13. They allowed outdoor venues of less than 2,000 people to allow 20% of their maximum capacities and larger venues to allow 15% capacity, with a 7,500-person cap. The changes allowed the Eagles to welcome fans at their games. 

The School District of Philadelphia unveiled a plan to allow a limited number of students to return to school on a part-time basis on Wednesday, Oct. 14.  

Wolf and state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine warned Pennsylvania residents of a fall resurgence on Monday, Oct. 19, noting the state recently had recorded its second-highest single-day total since April 7. The next day, Farley warned Philadelphia residents that the city could be entering a 'dangerous period' of the pandemic. 

Due to the state's rising rates of COVID-19, Pennsylvania qualified for New Jersey and New York's travel advisories on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The advisories directed travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, but states' officials said Pennsylvania would not officially be added to their lists. Rather, travel to-and-from the states would be discouraged. 

Narbeth passed became the first Pennsylvania municipality to pass an ordinance that would fine people who failed to wear face masks in public. People would be cited $15 if they refused to put on a mask after a verbal warning. 

The annual Army-Navy Game was moved from Philadelphia to West Point due to the city's limits on public gatherings, the military institutions announced on Friday, Oct. 23. 

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, Philly officials said the rising daily case counts were the highest since the first week of May. The test positivity rate was the highest it had been since the first week of June. 

Pennsylvania surpassed 200,000 cases on Wednesday, Oct. 28. 

Philadelphia reported a record 742 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, Nov. 6 as transmission continued a rapid ascent that began in October. Pennsylvania also reported a record high – 3,384 cases. 

Ezekiel Emanuel, a vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania, was named to President-elect Joe Biden's Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board on Monday, Nov. 9. That same day, Pfizer announced that early data showed its COVID-19 vaccine was 90% effective. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, the School District of Philadelphia postponed its plans to bring some students back in late November due increased spread of the coronavirus. The next day, experts from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia called for all Philly-area schools to revert to remote learning until 10 days after the Thanksgiving holiday.

After months of loosening restrictions, Philly officials announced sweeping new restrictions on Monday, Nov. 16 in response to escalating cases ahead of the holidays. 

They ordered indoor dining, gyms, museums, libraries, casinos, movie theaters and performance venues to close through the end of the year. Youth sports were shut down, and people were advised to work from home, if possible. Outdoor gatherings, businesses and religious services were subjected to capacity limits. High schools and colleges were instructed to go all-remote. 

Levine stiffened the state's mask mandate to require people to wear face masks indoors when they are around someone from outside their household on Tuesday, Nov. 17. She also ordered all travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of entering the state and instructed colleges to develop testing strategies for the spring semester. 

On Thursday, Nov. 19, Philly health officials reported noted severe COVID-19 cases and deaths were at significantly higher levels than when they bottomed out in late summer. Infections among nursing home residents also were on the rise. 

A group of Philly restaurant owners sued Kenney on Friday, Nov. 20, claiming his ban on indoor dining was unconstitutional. The judge denied their request for an emergency injunction. 

Independence National Historical Park announced it would close all indoor sites, including the Liberty Bell Center, until at least Jan. 1.

On Monday, Nov. 23, state officials announced all restaurants would be forbidden to sell alcohol on Thanksgiving Eve, an effort intended to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus on one of the busiest drinking nights of the year.

On Tuesday, Nov. 24, city officials announced that MLK Drive would remain closed to vehicular traffic through the spring. The roadway had become a popular – and safe – destination for cyclists, runners and walkers during the pandemic. 

On Wednesday, Nov. 25, A Philadelphia City Council committee approved an amendment that would extend the mandates for the Eviction Diversion Program into 2021. 

A state health official complained that too many Pennsylvania residents with COVID-19 were refusing to cooperate with contact tracers, saying they don't understand how severity of the disease and its ease of transmission. 

Despite the city having canceled all large public events through February, the Mummers reportedly were planning to march on New Year's Day on a smaller and less organized scale. 

A state order went into effect on Monday, Nov. 30, requiring hospitals to reduce elective surgeries if demand for beds reached critical levels amid the COVID-19 surge. 

On Thursday, Dec. 3, Pennsylvania recorded 11,406 new COVID-19 cases – the highest daily increase yet. Philadelphia surpassed 2,000 deaths. Jefferson Health announced it was opening a COVID-19 testing center at Philadelphia International Airport, allowing travelers to get tested before they depart.

Philadelphia reported more than 1,800 daily cases for the first time on Friday, Dec. 4. 

On Monday, Dec. 7, Wolf warned that new restrictions would be implemented in response to a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Philadelphia Department of Corrections instructed inmates to shelter-in-place in response to growing asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. 

Philadelphia's rising case counts appeared tied to social gatherings that occurred at Thanksgiving, Farley said on Tuesday, Dec. 8. That put the city in a vulnerable position as the holiday season continued.

Wolf announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society announced the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show would be held in June – three months later than usual – and outside. 

On Thursday, Dec. 10, Wolf announced a slew of new restrictions would take effect over the following three weeks. They included a ban on indoor dining, extracurricular school activities and closures to gyms, entertainment venues and museums. In-person businesses would be limited to 50% capacity and indoor gatherings were limited to 10 people. 

Wolf received his second consecutive negative COVID-19 test result on Thursday, Dec. 10., suggesting the virus had run its course when he first tested positive. Wolf remained asymptomatic. 

Levine detailed the state's COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan during testimony to the U.S. Senate, noting Pennsylvania would roll it out in three phases. Health care workers were among those eligible in the first stage. 

Pennsylvania hospitals began administering the initial doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine on Monday, Dec. 14. The first vaccines were administered at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Philly was expected to begin its vaccines two days later. 

Pennsylvania surpassed 500,000 total cases on Tuesday, Dec. 15. An impending snowstorm was not expected to delay COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Wolf said. Philly officials released the order that people would receive vaccines, beginning with health care workers exposed to COVID-19 and nursing home residents and staffers. 

On Thursday, Dec. 17, Wolf exited his quarantine after 10 days. He remained asymptomatic the entire time and twice tested negative. 

On Monday, Dec. 21, CVS Health and Walgreens said they were on track to begin vaccinations at Pennsylvania nursing homes on Monday, Dec. 28. 

On Tuesday, Dec. 22, Philadelphia extended many of its stringent COVID-19 restrictions, including those affecting restaurants, colleges and indoor gatherings, until Jan. 15 – an additional two weeks. The Philadelphia Auto Show was considering postponing its annual show until June. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 30, Wolf said the most recent round of COVID-19 restrictions – including a ban on indoor dining and gyms — would lift on Jan. 4 — as planned. 

State officials rolled out a new dashboard to track the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the state on Thursday, Dec. 31. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 5, Farley said the city's vaccine rollout was being hampered by production shortages, saying it would take more than 12 months to immunize the entire city at the current rate. 

State officials confirmed that a Dauphin County resident had the Pennsylvania's first known case of the more contagious COVID-19 variant, which originated in the United Kingdom, on Thursday, Jan. 7.

On Friday, Jan. 8, the city opened its first massive COVID-19 vaccination center at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, in partnership with the group Philly Fighting COVID. It also launched a webpage where residents could pre-register for a vaccine.

State officials expanded Phase 1B of its vaccination plan to include people ages 75 and older, those with significant health issues and essential workers. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, Philly officials announced they would restore indoor dining and ease other restrictions on Jan. 16. 

State officials said they were reviewing new federal guidance recommending seniors and people with medical conditions immediately become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, with the intention to adopt those changes. 

Temple University began a $10 million COVID-19 testing plan that enabled the university to process up to 26,000 tests per week on Monday, Jan. 18. 

Philly officials expanded vaccine eligibility to essential workers, seniors over age 75 and people with certain high-risk conditions on Tuesday, Jan. 19. 

Philly rolled out a new website for residents to pre-register for COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, Jan. 21. 

Philly officials abruptly removed Philly Fighting COVID from its vaccination rollout on Monday, Jan. 25, citing concerns about changes to the organization. The city assured people who were vaccinated by the group that they would receive their second doses elsewhere. 

School District of Philadelphia officials announced a plan on Wednesday, Jan. 27, to resume some in-person learning beginning Feb. 22. 

Andrei Doroshin, the CEO of Philly Fight COVID, admitted to administering COVID-19 vaccines on four friends, saying the shots were set to expire, on Thursday, Jan. 28. 

On Friday, Jan. 29, Doroshin called for the resignation of Farley, claiming he had failed to develop a "real" vaccination plan. Kenney stood by Farley, but ordered the health department to take corrective measures, including holding clinics to ensure people received their second doses. It also was reported that Philly Fighting COVID allegedly provided Councilman Bobby Henon special, at-home testing for his family. 

On Saturday, Jan. 30, Deputy Health Commissioner Caroline Johnson resigned amid the fallout from the split with Philly Fighting COVID. 

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Philly health officials announced plans to expand vaccinations to pharmacies and additional vaccine clinics. Three ShopRite and 20 Walgreens locations were set to join 26 Rite Aid pharmacies in administering shots in the weeks to come. 

On Thursday, Feb. 4, Villanova University threatened to make its semester all-virtual in response to another spike in COVID-19 cases on campus. 

On Friday, Feb. 5, the Philadelphia teachers union instructed its members not to return to schools on Monday, Feb. 8, saying the district had not done enough to protect teachers from COVID-19. 

On Sunday, Feb. 7, Kenney said teachers did not have to report until a mediator had ruled on the dispute. The next day, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia announced a partnership with the city to get teachers vaccinated.  

On Tuesday, Feb. 9, Philly officials said restaurants could expand their indoor dining capacities to 50% on Feb. 12 if they adhered to new ventilation requirements established by the city.

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, Philly health officials said they expected vaccines to become available to anyone who wanted one by the end of July, thanks to the federal government's securement of additional doses. City officials also projected a potential budget gap of $450 million for the coming year, noting the pandemic has depleted the city's reserve fund. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 17, state officials admitted a major blunder with the allocation of Moderna vaccines. Thousands of people were forced to reschedule their vaccines appointments because providers inadvertently used some shots intended as second doses as first doses. 

The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium held a walk-up, 24-hour vaccination clinic at the Liacouras Center on Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20. The clinic was open to city residents in Phase 1B who lived in 20 zip codes with high incidence rates. 

FEMA announced it would open a massive vaccination clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in March. The clinic would provide vaccines on top of the city's regular allotment. 

NEW JERSEY