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Pa. voters might not get their mail ballots in time to actually vote | Coronavirus Newsletter

Plus, a possible PPE fee at the dentist

Volunteers grab absentee ballot applications in both Spanish and English along with fliers to stuff into food boxes distributed by the city, school district, and non-profit groups at 401 Domino Lane in Roxborough.
Volunteers grab absentee ballot applications in both Spanish and English along with fliers to stuff into food boxes distributed by the city, school district, and non-profit groups at 401 Domino Lane in Roxborough.Read more / Staff Photographer, File

TL;DR: Thousands or even tens of thousands of Pennsylvania voters may not receive their absentee ballots in time to mail them back by the June 2 primary election day deadline. New state guidelines require dental practices to invest in more advanced personal protective equipment, like N95 masks, leading dentists to consider charging patients a fee. See photos of Philadelphia city workers rallying today for a “Just Philly” budget following cuts related to the coronavirus.

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

What you need to know:

🎓 Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey schools can hold outdoor graduation ceremonies starting in July, and professional sports teams may resume play and training in the state if their leagues “move in that direction.”

😷 There was a gathering Monday night of more than 200 people on Cecil B. Moore Avenue in North Philadelphia, which police had to break up. Today, Mayor Jim Kenney said those parties hinder the fight against coronavirus. Meanwhile, Delaware will allow outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people starting June 1.

📚 The Community College of Philadelphia said it will start the fall semester with online classes, the first college in the region to announce such plans.

✈️ City officials cleared out about 50 people experiencing homelessness from Philadelphia International Airport Tuesday morning and offered COVID-19 tests to anyone who asked to be transported to a shelter. See photos here.

💰 Scammers are stealing Pennsylvania residents’ identities and filing for unemployment benefits, state says.

🥡 Philadelphia will allow walk-up ordering at restaurants to resume and food trucks to return.

Local coronavirus cases

📈 The coronavirus has swept across the Philadelphia region and cases continue to mount. The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on tests conducted, cases confirmed, and deaths caused by the virus. Track the spread here.

Pa. voters might not get their mail ballots in time to actually vote

Thousands or even tens of thousands of Pennsylvania voters may receive their absentee ballots without enough time to mail them back by the primary election day deadline. These ballots must be received by county elections officials by 8 p.m. on June 2 to be counted, regardless of when they were mailed (postmarks don’t count). “There are going to be many people who are still going to be receiving their ballots very close to election day or on election day,” Delaware County Councilwoman Christine Reuther told my colleague Jonathan Lai. “I’m very worried that people are going to be disenfranchised.” To read more about this issue, and find out how to mail your ballot, read more here.

A PPE fee at the dentist? New requirements could raise prices for patients.

New Pennsylvania guidelines require dentists to invest in more advanced personal protective equipment, like N95 masks, leading dentists to consider charging patients an added fee. “The additional PPE is definitely a significant expense,” said Neil Uffner, owner of Broad Street Braces, whose practice donated many of its masks and gowns to hospitals at the outset of the crisis. “It’s something that we’ve never really had to consider.” Read more from dentists here.

Helpful resources

  1. Do saltwater and sunshine at the Shore kill the coronavirus? Here’s what science says.

  2. Anxious about going back out into the world? Here are some ways to manage your worries.

  3. Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.

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

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

You got this: Fix your home office

“If you’ve spent the quarantine working from home at length, you probably know it can be a real pain in the neck — and back, and hips, and shoulders,” my colleague Nick Vadala writes. He talked to experts about what you can do to improve your work-from-home set up, like how to buy a better desk chair, hack your existing chair, and set up a work station, among other tips. Read more here.

🏖️ Here’s what you need to know about Shore rentals.

🍽️ The rise of the virtual restaurant: Welcome to Top Tomato, Outlaw Burger — and Firebelly Wings.

💗 “The Ministry of Silly Walks” is lording over Elkins Park and Phoenixville.

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. Vox wrote about four ways to think about coronavirus risk as states reopen.

  2. The New Yorker analyzed why remote work is “so hard” and ways it can be fixed.

  3. All families with kids in Philly public school families are eligible for an extra $365 in pandemic aid. Those that don’t need the extra help plan to donate it, BillyPenn reports.

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