HARRISBURG, Sept. 18 – A bill introduced today by state Rep. Rob Matzie would establish a more effective way to trace and detect COVID-19 before it spreads by creating a system of testing for the virus in wastewater.

Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, said his H.B. 2883 would establish the Targeted Outbreak Detection Act, creating a wastewater-testing program that is both cost-effective and more efficient than traditional methods of tracking the virus.

“While temperature checks and crowd-size limits are helpful in slowing the spread of COVID-19, these techniques are not practical in the long term,” Matzie said. “Testing for the virus in wastewater would allow health authorities to know if the virus is present before people feel ill and inadvertently spread it, providing a critical way to contain clusters before major outbreaks occur.”

Matzie said implementing COVID-19 wastewater tracing would be feasible and relatively simple because testing resources are already in place.

“Most wastewater treatment systems are already required to perform routine testing of water samples,” Matzie said. “Sending a portion of those samples, on request, to a designated laboratory to test for the presence of COVID-19 would establish a critical early warning system that would arm health authorities with the data they need to better protect our communities.”

Matzie said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is building a National Wastewater Surveillance System to collect data from local wastewater utilities and that, while some forward-thinking facilities are already conducting some testing, the CDC does not have authority to mandate participation.

He added that testing wastewater for the presence of opioids has been a tool utilized by public health agencies in recent years.

Drug shows promise in 1st largely minority COVID-19 study
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer
A drug company says that a medicine it sells to tamp down inflammation has helped prevent the need for breathing machines in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the first large study that primarily enrolled Hispanics and Blacks. Switzerland-based Roche reported the results Friday for the drug, which is used now to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some other diseases. The results have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists. The study included nearly 400 patients from the U.S., South America and Africa. Hispanics and Blacks have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic.

Barr under fire over comparison of virus lock-in to slavery
By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr is drawing sharp condemnation for comparing lockdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic to slavery. In remarks Wednesday night at Hillsdale College in Michigan, Barr called the lockdown orders the “greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history” since slavery. Rep. James Clyburn, the No. 3 House Democratic leader, told CNN that Barr’s remarks were “the most ridiculous, tone-deaf, God-awful things I’ve ever heard” because they wrongly equated human bondage with a measure aimed at saving lives. Clyburn said: “Slavery was not about saving lives. It was about devaluing lives.”

Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Sept. 4-10

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard. Updates are released each Monday.

The update includes the following:

• Level of community transmission as a basis for the recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to determine instructional models.
• Data on cases among 5 to 18-year-olds.
• Cases that reported visiting a business among potential locations where exposures may have occurred.
• Updated travel recommendations.

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors affecting the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This week’s update compares the period of September 4 – September 10 to the previous seven days, August 28 – September 3.

“Our percent positivity increased again this week, even while the number of new cases dropped, a sign that this virus continues to affect Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said. “We must continue our focus on taking actions to protect ourselves and others, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, washing our hands and avoiding large gatherings. Together, Pennsylvanians can be united to work to prevent the spread of the virus.”

As of Thursday, September 10, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 5,012; the previous seven-day increase was 5,502, indicating a 490-case decrease across the state over the past week.

The statewide percent-positivity went up to 4.2% from 4.0% last week. Counties with concerning percent-positivity include Columbia (13.4%), Indiana (10.7%), Juniata (10.3%), Centre (9.2%), York (7.4%), Fulton (6.7%), Armstrong (6.5%), Chester (6.5%), Butler (6.2%), Franklin (6.2%), Montour (6.2%), Beaver (5.7%), Clarion (5.5%), Mercer (5.4%), Dauphin (5.2%), Greene (5.1%), and Lycoming (5.1%). Each of these counties bears watching as the state continues to monitor all available data.

Community Transmission
As of Friday’s data, Centre, Columbia, Indiana and Juniata counties were in the substantial level with known sources of outbreaks contributing to community transmission. The departments of Education and Health will speak with school district representatives in each county to discuss the implications of this level of transmission.

For the week ending September 10, 20 counties were in the low level of transmission, 43 counties in the moderate level, with four with substantial transmission:

• Low – Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Perry, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wyoming
• Moderate – Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Chester, Clearfield, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, York
• Substantial – Centre, Columbia, Indiana, Juniata

Cases Among 5 to 18-Year-Olds
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of statewide cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been 8,175 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 387 occurred between September 4 – September 10. For the week of August 28 – September 3, there were 486 cases of COVID among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Cases by demographic can be found here.

Business Visits
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Of the 5,735 confirmed cases reported between August 30 and September 5, 37 percent (2,154) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 13 percent, or 274, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

• 51.5 percent (141) of those who said yes reported going to a restaurant;
• 23 percent (64) of those who said yes reported going to some other business establishment;
• 14 percent (38) of those who said yes reported going to a bar;
• 14 percent (38) of those who said yes reported going to a gym/fitness center; and
• 8 percent (23) of those who said yes reported going to a salon/barbershop.

Of the 5,735 confirmed cases, 38 percent (2,176) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 38 percent, more than 12 percent (264) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on September 8, this week’s data saw an increase in people going to a bar (14 percent vs. 11 percent), going to some other business (23 percent vs. 21 percent) and going to a salon or barbershop (8 percent vs. 7 percent) .Numbers went down for this week’s data for people who reported visiting a restaurant (51.5 percent vs. 60 percent). Numbers stayed the same for those who reported going to a gym/fitness center (14 percent vs. 14 percent). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event went down slightly from nearly 13 percent to 12 percent.

On July 13 contact tracers began asking more specific questions on the types of businesses visited and if individuals attended a mass gathering, defined as more than 250 people in attendance outdoors or more than 25 indoors.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. With less than half of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that people answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

Travel Recommendations
Also today, the Department of Health updated its travel recommendations, originally announced on July 2. Hawaii, North Carolina and Texas were removed from the list of states travelers returning to Pennsylvania from are recommended to quarantine for 14 days.

It is important that people understand that this recommendation is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves quarantining.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic.

Judge: Pennsylvania’s pandemic restrictions unconstitutional
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
A federal judge has ruled that Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed size limits on gatherings and ordered “non-life-sustaining” businesses to shut down are constitutional. U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, an appointee of President Donald Trump, sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmer’s market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders.  Courts had consistently rejected challenges to Wolf’s power to order businesses to close during the pandemic, and many other governors, Republican and Democrat, undertook similar measures as the virus spread across the country. A spokesperson for the Democratic governor says the administration is reviewing the decision.

HARRISBURG – Following House Bill 2787’s veto-proof bipartisan passage through the Senate on Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf pledged to veto the bill that would put into law that decisions about starting school sports and allowing spectators are to be made at the local level. 

In response to that announcement, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) said the Pennsylvania House of Representatives would hold a vote to override that veto at the first opportunity. 

“For the past six months, Gov. Wolf has chosen not to engage meaningfully with the people’s representatives in the General Assembly to respond to COVID-19. House Bill 2787 is the latest example of the governor being presented with legislation that has the overwhelming support of both parties in both chambers of the Legislature that he insists on vetoing rather than joining us in supporting. The bill also has broad support among student athletes, parents and the public at large. It would be right for Pennsylvanians to question the administration’s true commitment to listening to them and working on a bipartisan basis for their benefit,” Benninghoff said. 

“Given the overwhelming support House Bill 2787 received in the House and the Senate, it is only right for us to consider overriding the governor’s promised veto of this important bill as soon as we have the chance so the people’s voice can be heard and the student athletes and others can enjoy some sense of normalcy through these character-building extracurricular activities.” 

By The Associated Press undefined
WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says he’s sticking with his projection that a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine may be ready in early 2021. He says it’s possible it could be sooner, but “unlikely.”
The White House adviser on the coronavirus told “CBS This Morning “the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar year and hopefully we’ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin early 2021.”
Fauci says it’s routine for late-stage vaccine studies to be put on hold because of side effects. A study by AstraZeneca of a potential coronavirus vaccine was recently paused for safety reasons after an illness from a shot in a recipient in Britain.
He says it’s “really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this.”
Fauci adds people should remain vigilant about wearing masks, keeping physical distance and avoiding crowds to help prevent future surges.
The United States leads the world in coronavirus cases with 6.3 million and nearly 190,000 deaths.

McConnell proposes ‘targeted’ virus aid, Dems say not enough
By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the Senate will vote on a trimmed-down Republican coronavirus relief package, though it has a slim chance of passage in the face of Democrats’ insistence for more sweeping aid. He introduced a new targeted proposal, focused on healthcare, education, and economic issues. McConnell is under pressure from GOP senators in tough reelection races. His move would clear the way for a Thursday test vote in which Democrats are sure to block the legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill “doesn’t come close to addressing the problems and is headed nowhere.”

Hopes fading for coronavirus deal as Congress returns
By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hopes are dimming for another coronavirus relief bill from Washington as Congress returns to session. Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track. Recent conversations among the key players have led to nothing. And toxic relationships among those players are making it harder to break the impasse. The legislation was supposed to deliver another round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans, help schools and local governments and restore more generous unemployment benefits. Now all of that is at risk. If talks continue to falter, it’s possible that lawmakers will simply leave Washington to campaign.

Will long Labor Day weekend mean another coronavirus spike?
By PAT EATON-ROBB and THALIA BEATY Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Americans are heading into Labor Day weekend amid warnings from public health experts that backyard parties, crowded bars and other gatherings could cause the coronavirus to come surging back. The rise in infections, deaths and hospitalizations over the summer was blamed in part on Americans behaving heedlessly over other long holiday weekends. Things have improved in recent weeks, but there are certain risk factors in the mix: children going back to school, university campuses seeing soaring case counts, college football starting, more businesses open and flu season around the corner. The virus is blamed for about 187,000 deaths and almost 6.2 million confirmed infections in the United States. Those are by far the highest totals in the world.