Philadelphia Restaurants Could Be Fined As Outdoor Dining Causes Crowding, Health Commissioner Warns
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The University of Washington model, which has been used by the White House, now projects an additional 85,000 Americans could die of COVID-19 by Oct. 1, raising the total to over 200,000.
There's continued progress fighting COVID-19 in the tri-state region. But the Philadelphia Health Department Tuesday issued new warnings to restaurants not following safety guidelines.
"It seems people have tired of the epidemic, but the virus is not tired of us. There's still plenty of susceptible people out there for the virus to infect," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.
Farley is concerned about crowding and a lack of safety precautions at some restaurants that were just allowed to start outdoor dining. He says if it continues, they'll be cited and fined, if necessary.
"While outdoor exposures are less risky than indoor exposures, certainly the virus can spread among people when they're close together and not wearing masks," Farley said.
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Farley warns that if precautions aren't taken, the Philadelphia region could become part of a dangerous trend happening nationally.
Eighteen states are seeing an increase in week-to-week new cases. An updated model from the University of Washington projects more than 201,000 deaths in the U.S. by October. The estimate is up 30,000 from just last week.
"This epidemic isn't over, far from it. Until we have a vaccine, the only thing protecting us is how we behave," Farley said.
In Florida, where restrictions were limited and lifted early, 12,000 people tested positive over the last seven days. In Miami, the reopening has been put on hold.
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"We are seeing an uptick, particularly in the age demographic 18 to 35, and particularly after Memorial Day weekend," Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said.
"We're seeing rising cases in many states that don't have any restrictions right now and I think that's a big mistake. They're gonna see many more cases, they're gonna be seeing many more deaths," Farley said.
Also, new research shows a potential breakthrough new treatment for COVID-19. It's a cheap, widely used steroid that reduces inflammation called dexamethasone.
The new study says it reduced COVID-19 death rates by about 33%.
