Recovery Resources: Vaccine registration, schools reopening update and the Mask Force

Vaccination pre-registration forms available online
Chester and Delaware county residents can pre-register for the novel coronavirus vaccine by completing a form found on the Chester County Health Department’s COVID-19 web page. Montgomery County residents can pre-register on their county’s website. All three counties are administering the Moderna vaccine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Wednesday moved people over 65 and from 16-64 with certain medical conditions into Phase 1A of its vaccine roll out, which Chester County pointed out is likely to exacerbate vaccine shortages.

Biden signs executive orders designed to speed school reopenings
President Joe Biden has signed executive orders putting in place a national strategy for safely reopening schools and restoring full reimbursement for eligible costs necessary to support safe school reopening through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund. Under one of the orders, “Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers,” the U.S. Department of Education and Health and Human Services are partnering to provide school districts with guidance for reopening in-person classes and keeping them open, according to School Transportation News. The Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Health on Jan. 7 recommended that public schools in counties with substantial coronavirus transmission — which as of Monday were all counties in the state — consider returning elementary school students to in-person instruction while keeping instruction for secondary school students fully remote.

Lawsuit to reopen schools dismissed
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has dismissed a lawsuit to reopen schools filed by a parents group called Open PA Schools on behalf of parents of students in some Berks, Bucks, Chester and Montgomery county school districts, according to The Daily Local News. In its ruling, the court upheld arguments made by the Department of Education and the school districts that Open PA Schools parents did not have standing to sue, saying they didn’t state facts from which it could conclude that they had sustained any harm or were aggrieved by the actions of the school districts and the Department of Education. The decision leaves open the possibility that Open PA Schools could amend its lawsuit within 30 days to demonstrate that it has standing to file the suit. Open PA Schools can appeal the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Philly teachers’ union wants to put off reopening schools until staff are vaccinated
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers said in a letter to the leaders of the School District of Philadelphia that reopening Philadelphia schools before their staffs have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus “seems foolish,” according to WHYY. School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite said three weeks ago that he likely would release a reopening plan in 10 days or so, according to Chalkbeat Philadelphia. The PFT and district leaders had agreed to a memorandum of understanding that would govern school reopening, but the union’s letter suggests that it wants to amend that memorandum due to the availability of vaccines and possibly more transmissible coronavirus strains.

SEPTA’s social distancing coaches to become Mask Force Philly
SEPTA said Friday that the “social distancing coaches” who have been engaging customers and distributing masks on its system since summer will be known as Mask Force Philly, effective Jan. 27. Mask Force members will wear logoed apparel or accessories and provide free masks to people who need them, as well as hand sanitizer and printed "safety tips" cards that describe SEPTA’s efforts to keep its system clean and safe. SEPTA in November agreed to join a consortium of public transit providers in the Northeast that is committed to raising public awareness of the necessity of wearing masks when riding buses, trains and trolleys.

Exton company gets FDA approval for virus-zapping face shields
Exton-based Ramshield has received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for a face shield equipped with technology that emits an electrical charge that renders the coronavirus inactive, according to The Daily Local News. The shields, which cost $40, are designed to provide a comfortable seal, intended for hours of use and can be easily handwashed with soap and water or cleaned in dishwashers.