Buses pose particular challenge for schools’ pandemic plans
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania schools are working on how they will safely transport students this fall, but one idea that won’t be part of the plan is to install plastic barriers around school bus drivers. The state Transportation Department rejected that idea recently, saying there wasn’t evidence it’ll make anyone safer. But a bus trade group spokesperson says the idea was to protect drivers, many of whom are older people at risk of serious illness. The challenge of getting students to school without putting them at heightened risk of COVID-19 infection could involve staggered schedules, limited ridership and health checks.

Pennsylvania reports 1K new virus cases, 1st time since May
By MARC LEVY and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — New confirmed coronavirus infections in Pennsylvania hit their highest one-day mark since May on Friday, with state health officials blaming the rising numbers on crowded bars and out-of-state travel to virus hot spots. Pennsylvania reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus infections for the first time since May 10. The state Health Department also reported another 32 coronavirus-related deaths, raising the statewide toll to 6,880. Meanwhile, West Chester University has become the first state university to announce that it will stick with remote learning in the fall.

AP: After lobbying, Catholic Church won $1.4B in virus aid
By REESE DUNKLIN and MICHAEL REZENDES Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid. In totaling the church’s haul, The Associated Press also found tens of millions of dollars went to dioceses whose financial stress was due not simply to the pandemic but also to recent payouts to victims of clergy sex abuse. The Paycheck Protection Program the church tapped was intended to help small businesses and nonprofits pay workers amid a cratering economy. The church maximized its take after lobbying for an exemption that gave all religious groups preferential treatment. That helped make the Catholic Church among the biggest winners in the U.S. government’s pandemic relief efforts.

(File Photo of Wooley Bully’s)

(Beaver County, Pa.) Mum is the word out of Harrisburg so far. On Tuesday of this week the Beaver County Commissioners were informed by the Pa State Health Department that all bars and restaurants would not be able to have dine in service for a period of two weeks because of the increased cases of the Coronavirus in the South West region of Pennsylvania. Beaver County along with Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland and Washington counties were to be in the order. On Tuesday afternoon Beaver County Radio spoke with the Beaver County Commissioners office and at that time the Commissioners were in a holding pattern and an official said an announcement was forth coming they just didn’t know when. The businesses of Beaver County that this affected were held in limbo along with Beaver County Officials. Wednesday came and still no word of any announcement or press conference came from the Governor’s Office or the State health Department. Beaver County Radio spoke via email with an official in the Commissioners office yesterday and they still have not heard if or when this announcement is going to happen. Beaver County has seen an additional 118 positive cases of the Coronavirus since July 1, 2020.  Beaver County does not have a health department and the Beaver County Commissioners have no say in the matter and must follow the Pa Health Departments orders. Stay tune to Beaver County Radio for more information as the situation continues to unfold.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today signed a new executive order that protects homeowners and renters from eviction or foreclosure until Aug. 31, if they have not received assistance from a new program administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) or are not already receiving relief through one of several federal foreclosure moratorium programs or judicial orders. Lenders and property owners that receive funds through the PHFA program agree not pursue foreclosure or eviction actions as a condition of participation in the program.

“I am taking this action to help families know they will have a roof over their heads and a place to live while all of us fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gov. Wolf. “It takes one more burden off of people who are struggling and ensures that families can remain in their homes so they can protect their health and wellbeing.”

The governor signed legislation in May providing $150 million for rental assistance and $25 million for mortgage assistance through PHFA with CARES Act funds. PHFA began accepting applications July 6.

Eligibility information and applications for renters and homeowners is available on the PHFA website.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Housing Finance Agency, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have each extended eviction and foreclosure protections for housing under their authority to Aug. 31.

In almost all circumstances, renters and homeowners are required to continue making monthly payments if they can. Pennsylvanians struggling to make monthly payments should contact their landlord or mortgage servicer immediately. The governor’s executive order does not apply to proceedings regarding property damage or illegal activity.

The governor previously signed an executive order suspending evictions and foreclosures, which expires Friday. That action followed a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order which closed court eviction proceedings until May 11.

 

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced a partnership with Eurofins to assist with nursing home facility testing in the COVID-19 response.

“We are so pleased to have this level of collaboration and assistance from Eurofins,” Dr. Levine said. “COVID-19 is a particularly challenging situation for congregate settings, particularly our nursing home facilities. This partnership strengthens and increases access to ensure universal testing is completed in nursing homes, as required in the order issued last month. It will provide us the opportunity to better address outbreaks, and work to prevent future outbreaks, in nursing home facilities. These teams are assisting us in our response in the hardest-hit areas as we work to protect the public health and safety of Pennsylvanians.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Community Economic and Development (DCED) are partnering with Eurofins to assist with testing specimens from skilled nursing facilities statewide at no cost to facilities. This partnership will further facility compliance with Secretary Levine’s universal testing order issued June 9, 2020.

“As Pennsylvania works diligently to combat the spread of COVID-19 across the commonwealth, it is critically important that we have a robust testing and tracing system in place,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. “We rely on our partners in the business community to bolster resources, and it’s the help of partners like Eurofins that will make our testing and tracing infrastructure stronger and more effective.”

Eurofins Central Laboratory, headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and a member of Eurofins Scientific, a global leader in testing and laboratory services, has joined the COVID-19 Pennsylvania testing program after Secretary Dr. Levine ordered the testing of all nursing home residents and staff in the state, at least once by July 24.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• Repeating shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

As of 12:00 a.m., July 8, there were 92,148 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide in 67 counties and 6,812 confirmed deaths. Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 and older. More data is available here.

Pennsylvanians are reminded that mask-wearing is required when businesses in both the yellow and green phases of reopening or in any setting outside the home where social distancing is difficult. Remember: My mask protects you; your mask protects me.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

Keystone State News Connection

July 9, 2020

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Penn. — As Pennsylvania reopens in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some state lawmakers are calling for action to ensure the economic recovery doesn’t leave anyone behind.

The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to the economy and threatened the welfare of everyone in the state. According to state Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-Lower Makefield (Bucks County), it is incumbent upon state legislators to pass measures that will create what he called a “just recovery” that helps everyone thrive.

“We need to make sure that people have access to good-paying jobs, that they have access to health care, that they have a roof over their heads, and that they get the help they need to get through the downturn that has been created by the virus,” said Santarsiero.

To the House Democratic Caucus, key elements of a just recovery include raising the minimum wage, instituting paid family leave, protecting health-care coverage for all and investing in education.

Housing is another critical concern. Santarsiero notes that many people still are out of work, but the state’s moratorium on foreclosures and evictions is set to expire on Fri., July 10.

“We should be asking the governor to extend the stay on foreclosures and evictions to at least the end of the summer,” he insisted, “because we need to give people time to get back on their feet before they potentially face losing their homes or their apartments.”

The House Democratic Caucus also wants the state to require every county and city to create and implement an affordable housing plan.

But Santarsiero cautioned that partisan divides in the General Assembly could block legislation. He said that ensuring an equitable recovery from the pandemic will take the active participation of all Pennsylvanians.

“We really do need people throughout the state to make their voices heard, and we need them to make it clear that this is what they want,” he stated. “If that were to happen on a large scale, perhaps we’d start to see some movement.”

In short, he said, for the recovery from the pandemic to work for Pennsylvania’s economy, it needs to work for the state’s working families.

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Penn. — Educators are calling on Congress to provide emergency funding to help public schools closed by the COVID pandemic reopen safely.

Schools in counties in the ‘yellow’ and ‘green’ phases of reopening soon will be resuming in-person instruction and activities. But the economic impact of the pandemic means local school districts in the Commonwealth could be facing a combined shortfall of $1 billion for the coming school year.

Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey pointed out that, from social distancing in classrooms to enhanced cleaning procedures and personal protective equipment, schools will need more funding — not less.

“We’re urging Congress to invest $175 billion in education nationwide, and they need to do this before they go on summer recess,” said Askey.

Last month, representatives of prominent education associations in Pennsylvania released a report outlining steps needed to safely reopen the schools.

The report estimates that trying to manage the crisis by cutting school budgets could mean the elimination of up to 40,000 jobs in education in the state.

But Askey noted that students haven’t been in school since last March, and that has had an impact.

“We’re going to need to deal with social and emotional wellness with these kids,” he emphasized. “We don’t need fewer counselors; we need more counselors. We don’t need fewer nurses; we need more nurses.”

He added that split schedules, or combined classroom and online learning to maintain social distancing, will require more teachers as well, and said state lawmakers also need to step up and do their part to make sure that children, teachers and staff stay safe as schools reopen.

As Askey put it, “Finding out what their local constituents need, working with the governor, working with the Department of Education, to make sure that there is clarity across the board on procedures and how to open schools.”

He emphasized that reopening schools safely needs to be a priority, because going backward is not an option.

Pennsylvania holds off on new pandemic restrictions
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County, which includes the city of Pittsburgh, is reporting a near-record number of new coronavirus infections. Allegheny County has been struggling with a spike in infections as residents patronize eating and drinking establishments and head to out-of-state virus hotspots. That has prompted health officials in the county of 1.2 million to impose restrictions on restaurants and bars, shutter a casino and limit gatherings. State health officials are expressing concern about the situation in southwestern Pennsylvania, but have made no move to reimpose pandemic restrictions in border counties that are also seeing increased spread.

United sending layoff notices to nearly half of US employees
By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writers
United Airlines is sending layoff warnings to 36,000 employees, nearly half its U.S. staff. It’s the clearest signal yet of how deeply the COVID-19 pandemic is hurting the airline industry. United officials said Wednesday that they still hope to limit the number of layoffs by offering early retirement, but they have to send notices this month to comply with a law requiring that workers get 60 days’ notice ahead of mass job cuts. The furloughs would include 11,000 flight attendants, 11,000 customer service and gate agents, 5,500 maintenance workers and 2,250 pilots. United officials said the notices cover 45% of its U.S. employees.