Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that Pennsylvania is expected to receive $4.9 billion in federal relief funds to help Pre-K to 12 schools return students to classroom learning and equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most.

The funding, and the state’s nearly complete special initiative to provide teachers, school staff and contractors the opportunity to get the voluntary, single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, supports the governor’s goal to help more schools to reopen and for additional students and teachers to safety return to the classroom.

“All schools have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I commend school communities for rising to the challenge to combat the toll it has taken,” said Gov. Wolf. “This extra funding is critical to help schools meet the unique needs of educating students at this time while keeping school buildings safe when students return to the classroom.”

The funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund passed by Congress and signed by President Biden

“Our school communities need these additional resources to invest in instructional materials, equipment, facilities, transportation and more, and we are pleased to make these funds available to them,” said Acting Secretary Noe Ortega. “These funds will provide more assistance to school communities as we continue to navigate the pandemic.”

At least 90 percent, or $4.5 billion, of the funds will flow to traditional public school districts and charter schools. Each entity will receive an amount proportional to the federal Title I-A funds received in 2020 under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The school districts and charter schools must use at least 20 percent of this money to address learning loss and the social, emotional, and academic needs of underrepresented students, including students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.

Schools can use the rest of the funding for a wide range of activities, including food service; professional training; technology purchases; sanitization and cleaning supplies; summer and after-school programs; and mental health supports.

A list of ESSER III fund allocations is available on PDE’s website.

Funds must be used by September 2024. School districts and charter schools must apply to PDE to obtain their allocated funds. The application process will be posted on the PDE website in the coming days. Under the American Rescue Act of 2021, PDE will use the remaining $500 million of ESSER funding for interventions that address learning loss, support summer enrichment and comprehensive afterschool programs, and assist schools that do not receive a direct ESSER allocation such as career and technical schools and intermediate units.

Department of Health: Nearly 5 Million Vaccinations to Date, PA Ranks 12th in the Country for First Doses

Three-Day Total of 10,101 New Cases, 1,856 Patients Hospitalized and 366 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 29, there were 2,923 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 7,178 new cases reported for Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 combined, for a three-day total of 10,101 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,015,268.

There are 1,856 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 366 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 4,500 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. The current 14-day average is also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020. However, the moving average of number of hospitalized patients has started to increase.

Statewide percent positivity for the week of March 19 – March 25 stood at 7.6%.

The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.

As of 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 26, there were 33 new deaths, as of 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, there were 15 new deaths, and as of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 28, there were 14 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 25,015 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 14 and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 21. The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine was first allocated to Pennsylvania the week of March 1, and the commonwealth is using it for a special initiative involving educators. Vaccination numbers for Pennsylvania do not include Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction, or federal facilities, which are working directly with the federal government.

Vaccine highlights

• According to the CDC, as of Monday morning, March 29, Pennsylvania is the 12th state in the country in terms of percentage of population which has received at least one dose.
• Vaccine providers have administered 4,956,257 total vaccine doses as of Monday, March 29.
• 1,751,396 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 83,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
• 1,572,144 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
• 3,323,540 people have received at least their first dose.

• This week, a total of 5,870,320 doses will have been allocated through April 3:
  • 369,510 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
  • 265,670 second doses will have been allocated this week.

• To date, we have administered 4,956,257 doses total through March 29:
  • First/single doses:  3,323,540 administered
  • Second doses:  1,632,714 administered

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home, even if fully vaccinated. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 127,009 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 4,116,035 individuals who have tested negative to date.

In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 69,183 resident cases of COVID-19, and 14,198 cases among employees, for a total of 83,381 at 1,575 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 12,908 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here. Note that the number of deaths reported to NEDSS is not exactly the same as the COVID-19 related deaths reported by the death registry. The number of deaths among nursing and personal care home residents and employees is taken from the PA-NEDSS death data, as this information is not available in the death registry data.

Approximately 26,348 of our total cases are among health care workers.

While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient. To keep Pennsylvanians informed about vaccination efforts:

• The Your Turn tool provides a way to register to be alerted when it’s your turn to be vaccinated.
• A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
• Vaccine provider map to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
• All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
• Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
• Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topics here.
• Frequently asked questions can be found here.

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, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.