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.