WATCH: Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley 'Optimistic' Some Fans Will Be Able To Attend Phillies Opening Day In April
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The City of Philadelphia continues to work to get more residents vaccinated. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley joined CBS3 Thursday morning to discuss the city's vaccination efforts and the potential of loosening some COVID-19 restrictions -- including fans returning to Philadelphia sports stadiums.
Farley recently suggested that some fans may be able to return to Philadelphia sports events if state officials were on board.
He says the city will have an announcement on Friday, Feb. 26 regarding the rolling back of some restrictions we have in Philadelphia. The changes would allow some number of fans in the stadium, but probably not as many as people would like to have.
"I'm optimistic there would be some fans in the stands on Opening Day for the Phillies, but how many is something we have to see," Farley said.
Farley says there will be a mass vaccination site opening in Juniata Park Thursday, and on Saturday the health department will be going to West Philadelphia. Next week, the city will be working with the federal government to open a large vaccination site at the Philadelphia Convention Center which will could vaccinate up to 6,000 people per day.
The city is currently in Phase 1B of vaccination rollout which means people over 75, frontline essential workers and those with high-risk health conditions can sign up to receive the vaccine.
Farley says an estimated 400,000 people will be vaccinated under Phase 1B. But there is still a ways to go before the city moves to Phase 1C.
"I'm estimating we will be in that until the end of April," Farley said. "Now, if the number of vaccines that arrive increases, then it is possible we can get there [Phase 1C] sooner. But people should anticipate it is going to be then until we get to Phase 1C."
He thinks the city could receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within days if it is approved by the FDA, but the first shipment may not have a large number of doses.
Watch the video above for the full interview with Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.
