Dolly Parton adds pandemic hero to list of accomplishments
BOSTON (AP) — Dolly Parton is being celebrated in song with a rewritten version of her own “Jolene” for her contribution to an experimental coronavirus vaccine. Northeastern University associate English professor Ryan Cordell posted a video on Twitter of himself performing a tweaked version of Parton’s signature song. It’s renamed “Vaccine” and has drawn tens of thousands of views. The lyrics were written by linguist and author Gretchen McCulloch. She posted them online and invited people to record them. Parton’s $1 million gift to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University helped researchers develop Moderna’s experimental coronavirus vaccine, announced this week.

Sen. Grassley, 87, says he tested positive for coronavirus
By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession, says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 87-year-old Grassley had said Tuesday morning that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for the results of a test. On Tuesday evening, he tweeted that he had tested positive. Grassley said he looks forward to “resuming my normal schedule soon.” He did not say how he was exposed. He was in the Senate and voting Monday. By missing votes Tuesday, Grassley broke a 27-year streak of not missing a single Senate vote.

Harrisburg, PA– As Pennsylvania experiences a resurgence of COVID-19 cases with
significantly higher daily case counts than in the spring and hospitalizations on the rise, the
Wolf Administration has identified four new mitigation efforts, which Secretary of Health Dr.
Rachel Levine announced today.
“It is our collective responsibility to protect our communities and our most vulnerable
Pennsylvanians from COVID-19 and to continue to work together to get through this pandemic.
These targeted mitigation efforts, combined with existing ones, are paramount to saving lives
and protecting our economy,” Gov. Wolf said. “The administration will continue to monitor the
risks posed by COVID-19 across the commonwealth and will reinstate or institute new targeted
mitigation tactics as necessary.”
The efforts announced today include:
Protecting Our Health Care System
Dr. Levine issued a memorandum to acute care hospitals outlining expectations to care for
Pennsylvanians who need care during the pandemic.
Hospitals are to work through the established health care coalitions and other partnerships to
prepare for how they will support one another in the event that a hospital becomes
overwhelmed during the pandemic. Hospitals should also be working to move up elective
procedures necessary to protect a person’s health and prepare to suspend them if our health
care system becomes strained.
Restrictions on elective surgeries put into effect in March and lifted in April were to help with
both PPE and bed capacity and were considered successful.
Hospitalizations are increasing, as are ICU patients, and according to modeling from the
Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, which does not take into account hospitalizations
from influenza, Pennsylvania will run out of intensive care beds in December if ICU admissions
continue at the current rate.
The same modeling indicates we will have sufficient medical-surgical beds with some
uncertainty as to capacity from region to region.
Traveler Testing
Dr. Levine issued an order and Gov. Tom Wolf signed a concurrent order requiring anyone who
visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering the
commonwealth.
If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival
in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72
hours prior to their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to
Pennsylvania.
This order, which takes effect on Friday, November 20, does not apply to people who commute
to and from another state for work or medical treatment.
Strengthened Masking Order
Dr. Levine first issued a masking order on April 15. The order signed today strengthens this
initial order with these inclusions:
• Masks are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home.
• When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you are not able to remain physically distant (at
least 6 feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are
outdoors.
• When indoors, masks will now be required even if you are physically distant from
members not in your household. This means that even if you are able to be 6 feet apart,
you will need to wear a mask while inside if with people other than members of your
household.
• This order applies to every indoor facility, including homes, retail establishments, gyms,
doctors’ offices, public transportation, and anywhere food is prepared, packaged or
served.
Colleges and Universities
The departments of Health and Education issued recommendations for colleges and universities
to implement a testing plan for when students return to campus following the holidays.
These recommendations include establishing routine protocols for testing.
Colleges and universities should have adequate capacity for isolation and quarantine and
should be prepared to enforce violations of established policies such as mask wearing and
physical distancing.
Every college and university should test all students at the beginning of each term, when
returning to campus after a break and to have regular screening testing throughout the
semester/term.
“We must remain united in stopping COVID-19,” Dr. Levine said. “Wear a mask, wash your
hands, stay apart and download the COVID Alert PA app. If you test positive, please answer the
call of the case reviewer and provide information that can help protect others. It’s the selfless,
right thing to do.

Fine Wine & Good Spirits Issues Tips for Holiday Shopping
During Coronavirus Public Health Crisis
Customers urged to shop early, safely

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today urged Fine Wine & Good Spirits customers to create a plan to shop for wines and spirits before the upcoming holidays.

“November and December are typically the busiest months of the year in Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, so we ask our customers to plan ahead and stay safe when shopping this unique holiday season,” said PLCB Chairman Tim Holden. “We know that wines and spirits are an enjoyable aspect of many holiday celebrations, and we want to make sure our customers and our employees can enjoy a safe, healthy, happy holiday season.”

Throughout the holidays, FW&GS stores will continue to limit the number of customers in the store at any time, capping the number of people (employees and customers) in every location to ensure social distancing and crowd limitations can be maintained appropriately.

Customers wishing to shop inside a FW&GS store are encouraged to avoid crowds by shopping during off-peak hours, like mid-morning and early afternoon, and to allow extra time for their visits, as there may be a wait to get into the store.

The first hour each store is open each day will continue to be reserved for customers at high risk for COVID-19, including those 65 years of age and older. Voluntary compliance from all customers is encouraged in the interest of protecting the health and safety of our most vulnerable community members.

Customers and employees will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing by staying 6 feet apart, guided by signage throughout the stores.

Signage will also encourage customers to follow traffic flow guidance and refrain from touching products unless they intend to buy them.

All FW&GS employees are provided with masks, gloves, and frequent opportunities to wash their hands. Store employees will perform enhanced and frequent cleaning and disinfecting, and store hours will be modified to ensure appropriate time for cleaning and restocking.

All sales are final, and no returns will be accepted until further notice.

Customers who are unable to adhere to in-store safety measures due to medical conditions and those who simply prefer a contact-free experience can continue to use the curbside pickup service, which continues to be available at every FW&GS store. Contact a store to place an order and arrange for curbside pickup.

Customers can also shop a wide selection of wines and spirits 24/7 from the comfort of their homes at FWGS.com. They can order Chairman’s Selection® products, online exclusives, highly rated products, and more.

Online orders can be shipped to home or business addresses. Online orders over $99 will be shipped for free to any non-store address.

Customers shopping online are also encouraged to place their orders as early as possible, as many national retailers and shippers are predicting record shipping levels this year.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $17.9 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.

(File Photo)

(Ambridge, Pa.) The Ambridge Area School District has announced it will move all schooling to a full virtual learning model starting Monday, Nov. 23 until further notice.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Pasquerilla wrote on the district Facebook Page that the decision was made after Beaver County reached a “substantial” level of COVID-19 transmission, indicating a positivity rate of at least 10% over the most recent 7-day period

Remote learning will continue until further notice from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education.

The superintendent wrote that all of Ambridge’s athletics and extra-curricular activities are also postponed.

Gov. Wolf: COVID-19 Mitigation Efforts in Place are Vital to Help Stop the Spread

Pennsylvanians must unite against COVID

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf reminded Pennsylvanians that as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the state’s existing mitigation efforts remain in place and are more important than ever to understand and follow.

“The fall surge in cases is something we expected and were prepared for and we’ve learned a lot since the spring, but as I’ve said many times, the virus goes where it wants, we must do all that we can to ward it off and protect ourselves, our loved ones, our communities, and our health care systems,” Gov. Wolf said. “The current mitigation efforts and orders in place are more important than ever. We must unite against COVID and follow these orders.”

The following chart outlines current restrictions in place:

BUSINESSES, WORK, SCHOOL, CHILD CARE & CONGREGATE SETTING RESTRICTIONS

Child care may open, complying with guidance Congregate care restrictions in place Prison and hospital restrictions determined by individual facilities Schools subject to CDC and commonwealth guidance Telework must continue where feasible Businesses with in-person operations must follow updated business and building safety requirements Masks are required in businesses All in person businesses may operate at 75% occupancy, except where noted Self-certified restaurants may open at 50% capacity for indoor dining On-premises alcohol consumption prohibited unless part of a meal; cocktails-to-go and carryout beverages are allowed Serving alcohol for on-site consumption must end at 11 p.m, and all alcoholic beverages must be removed from patrons by midnight Personal care services (including hair salons and barbershops) open at 50% occupancy and by appointment only Indoor recreation and health and wellness facilities (such as gyms and spas) open at 50% occupancy with appointments strongly encouraged; fitness facilities are directed to prioritize outdoor fitness activities All entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) open at 50% occupancy Construction activity may return to full capacity with continued implementation of protocol.

SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS

Gathering limits determined using maximum occupancy calculator Masks are required in all public spaces

“Decisions are made based on ensuring all Pennsylvanians have access to health care, and never is it more important than those in need of treatment for COVID,” Gov. Wolf said. “Our hospitalizations continue to rise, but our system is not overwhelmed. We need to keep it that way.”

The state has learned a lot about the virus and the work Pennsylvania has done and continues to do in order to meet the needs in hospitals and long-term care facilities also includes providing new treatment drugs like Remdesivir, performing case investigations and contact tracing as necessary, increasing testing, and introducing tools such as the COVID Alert PA app available to notify people of COVID-19 exposures quickly.

Existing orders include:

• Building safety order: For business permitted to conduct in-person operations, this order provides for proper protocols for cleaning and disinfecting.
• Worker safety order: This order from the Secretary of Health requiring certain actions to be taken by employers and their employees to protect their health and lives, the health and lives of their families, and the health and lives of the residents of the Commonwealth who depend upon their services.
• Hospital reporting order: This order requires hospitals to make daily reports of specified data regarding supplies and equipment and an amendment to that order that changed reporting from three times per day to one time per day.
• Hospital safety order: This order requires hospitals to implement measures to protect hospital staff and patients, including notifications for all staff when a staff member is positive, and proper provisions for PPE.
• Universal testing order: This was put in place to ensure testing of all residents and staff of long-term care facilities in the state.
• Long term care facilities personal protective equipment order: This order worked to ensure that all staff and residents of long-term care facilities has proper PPE and protections in place.
• Mask wearing order: This order defines a “face covering,” how to wear one, and when one must be worn.
• July 15 targeted mitigation order: This order placed restrictions on bars, restaurants, social clubs and indoor gatherings to help stop the spread of COVID after multiple research studies noted an increase in cases from these types of businesses.

The Wolf Administration supports local officials who choose to maintain additional restrictions. The following counties are under additional local restrictions: Philadelphia.

“As Pennsylvania continues to see cases rise each day, we remain vigilant in our efforts to protect Pennsylvanians by making testing widely available and encouraging mitigation efforts that we know to be effective,” Gov. Wolf said. “I ask that all Pennsylvanians follow these orders and look out for one another so we can stop the spread.”

Visit pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/ or the Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus pages for more information.

2nd coronavirus vaccine shows early success in U.S. tests
By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer
There’s more promising news on the COVID-19 vaccine front as Moderna says its shot provides strong protection against the coronavirus. Monday’s announcement comes a week after a competitor, Pfizer, revealed its own vaccine to be similarly effective. The announcements come as the virus surges in the U.S. and around the world. Moderna said of 95 infections so far in its 30,000-person study, all but five were in people who got dummy shots. Both Moderna and Pfizer are on track to seek permission for emergency use in the U.S. within weeks. Still, initial supplies will be limited and rationed.

The Beaver County Treasurers Office is now also closed until Monday due to COVID19 concerns. County Treasurer Sandie Egley announced on her Treasurer Facebook Page that:

“Out of an abundance of caution to our employees, their families, coworkers and public, the County Treasurers Office is temporarily closed until Monday 11/16 when we will reevaluate the situation of COVID tests in our office. We have had a plan in place for an emergency such as this. Our office is fully operational. Our phones are forwarded to us at home and we are linked to our desktop computers. If you have any questions, please refer to our County Treasurers Office website or call us at 724-770-4540. Thank you for your patience during these unprecedented times.”

709,000 seek US jobless aid as pandemic escalates
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 709,000, the fourth straight drop and a sign that the job market is slowly healing. The figures coincide with a sharp resurgence in confirmed viral infections to an all-time high above 120,000 a day. Cases are rising in 49 states, and deaths are increasing in 39. The nation has now recorded 240,000 virus-related deaths and 10.3 million confirmed infections.

Experts say no need to cancel Thanksgiving, but play it safe
By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer
Health experts say a safe Thanksgiving during a pandemic is possible, but they know their advice is as tough to swallow as dry, overcooked turkey. U.S. health officials say small household gatherings have contributed the the rise in COVID-19 cases. But there’s no need to cancel the holiday. Spending time with loved ones is important for health too. The coronavirus spreads more easily when people are crowded together inside, so experts encourage new outdoor traditions such as hiking as a family. Guest lists for indoor feasts should be small enough so people can sit six feet apart while unmasked.