Philadelphia bans indoor gatherings, broadens coronavirus rules

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia is banning indoor dining at restaurants and indoor gatherings of any size, public or private, as the city battles a resurgence of the coronavirus, officials announced Monday.

The city also plans to shutter gyms, museums and libraries, prohibit in-person instruction at colleges and high schools, and reduce occupancy at stores and religious institutions, the health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, said at a news conference Monday.

The new restrictions take effect Friday and extend at least through the end of the year.

The Philadelphia school district had planned to start returning K-12 students to the classroom, but said last week that schools will remain virtual for the foreseeable future in light of the explosion in cases.

City officials said dramatic action is needed to respond to an exponential growth in cases and hospitalizations.

Pennsylvania has shattered daily case records recently. The state is reporting an average of 4,900 new infections per day, up nearly 120% in two weeks, according to AP analysis of data from The Covid Tracking Project. The daily death toll has nearly doubled in that period, to about 42 per day, though it remains far below what it was last spring. Hospitalizations and the percentage of virus tests are also up sharply.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed a statewide mask mandate, occupancy restrictions at bars and restaurants and limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings, but has not moved to reimpose broader restrictions seen earlier in the pandemic.