On this week’s Explainer:
More than 25% of Allegheny County residents have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As the pace of vaccination picks up, many people see light at the end of the long pandemic tunnel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says fully vaccinated people can hang out together indoors, without masks, and that low-risk, unvaccinated people can join in too. But WESA's Sarah Boden reports there’s one group of vaccinated people that is still quite isolated: residents of nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
Allegheny County Council has passed a bill mandating paid sick leave for workers. The rule would require companies with more than 25 employees to offer five paid sick days to full-time staff. WESA's An-Li Herring reports a veto-proof majority of councilors voted for the bill, which was introduced nearly a year ago.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has drawn a third challenger in this spring’s Democratic primary. Some see the two-term incumbent as vulnerable, and critics have lambasted him for his response to racial justice protests last summer. WESA's Chris Potter reports on how this and other city races are shaping up.
Pittsburgh Explainer is hosted by Liz Reid and produced by Katie Blackley. New episodes come out every Friday. Listen on the NPR One app or subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
