AHN Opens Braddock, North Side Collection Sites for COVID-19 Testing  

PITTSBURGH, PA (April 14, 2020) – As part of its ongoing efforts to make testing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) more accessible and convenient to patients across the western Pennsylvania region, today Allegheny Health Network (AHN) will open additional collection sites for COVID-19 testing in Braddock and on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

The new community testing locations bring to six the number of remote sites being operated by AHN in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  More than 2,500 patients have been tested through the network’s drive-up collection sites (ahn.org/collectionsites) in Bethel Park, Erie, Monroeville and Wexford since those programs were launched in late March.   

AHN’s testing site in Braddock will be located at the network’s urgent care center at 501 Braddock Avenue, and the North Side testing site will be established at the former Divine Providence Hospital at 1004 Arch Street.  The collection sites will be open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

To undergo testing at the new locations, patients will need to have a valid prescription order for the test from an AHN affiliated health care provider and have an appointment scheduled. Those who have appointments for testing at the Braddock or North Side location can either drive through or walk into the site for their test. 

On-demand or walk-up testing without an appointment is not available at these locations.

Lawmaker: Trump officials want delay in census due to virus
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A top lawmaker says the Trump administration is seeking to delay deadlines for the 2020 census because of the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney said Monday that administration officials also were asking that the timetable for releasing apportionment and redistricting data used to draw congressional and legislative districts be pushed back. Maloney says administration officials were asking that all field operations be postponed until June 1 and that the deadline for wrapping up the nation’s head count be pushed back until Oct. 31. Field operations for the 2020 census have been suspended since mid-March and were set to resume this week.

HARRISBURG – With another wave of spring storms moving toward and across the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today reminded households of the steps they can take to prepare for, and recover safely from, storm-related power outages.

Also, the PUC reminded residents to give utility crews ample room to perform repair work – for your protection as well as theirs – and to use extra care when traveling, watching for utility crews working along streets and roads and slowing down in work areas.

The PUC encourages residents to consider the following tips before a storm strikes your community:

• Write down, print or save toll-free outage hotlines for your electric utility and/or your natural gas utility, which are listed on your monthly bills and posted on the PUC website.
• Save the website address for your utility’s outage reporting system, which can provide updates on repair and restoration efforts. Those electric utility outage sites and natural gas company websites are available on the PUC website.
• Keep your cell phone charged, so you can contact your utility, other emergency services and family members during any power outage.
• Secure necessary food, medicine and other supplies, including batteries for flashlights.

Should you lose power during a storm, consider the following:

• Call your utility hotline to report outages – Do not assume that the utility already knows about your outage or that others have already called.
• Do NOT touch or approach any fallen lines.
• Stay away from objects or puddles in contact with downed power lines.
• Do NOT try to remove trees or limbs from power lines.
• Pre-charge cellular phones or keep a portable cell phone charger on hand.  Plan to use a corded phone, cordless phones won’t work without electricity.
• Do NOT call 9-1-1 to report power outages – report those to your utility. Calling 9-1-1 to report non-emergency issues like service outages can take resources away from other emergencies.
• SPECIAL NOTE: If you see a downed power line, immediately call your electric utility and/or 9-1-1.

Tips to help stay safe until power is restored:

• Use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns for emergency lighting. Do not use candles or other potential fire hazards.
• Turn off lights and electrical appliances (except for the refrigerator and freezer). When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can damage equipment.
• After you turn the lights off, turn one lamp on so you will know when power is restored. Wait at least 15 minutes after power is restored before turning on other appliances.
• If you use a generator, do NOT run it inside a home or garage or anywhere close to a window or vent. Also, connect the equipment you want to operate directly to the outlets on the generator, not your home’s electrical system, which could shock or injure utility crews working on nearby power lines. Additional generator tips are available here.
• Check on elderly neighbors and those with special needs who might need additional assistance.

Consumers using natural gas appliances can also be impacted by storms:​​​​​​​

• Electric power outages can affect home appliances that operate on natural gas. If they do not function properly when power is restored, call a professional for service.
• If you smell natural gas, get everyone out of the building immediately.
• Leave the door open and do NOT use phones; do NOT switch lights or appliances on or off; and do NOT take any other action while inside the building.
• After you are safely outside, call 9-1-1 from your cell phone or neighbor’s home.

The PUC remains in close communication with Pennsylvania utilities and other key stakeholders to monitor storm preparation and response, and will continue to actively monitor utility systems across the state to ensure any disruptions to energy service are addressed as quickly as possible.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

Harrisburg, PA – Recognizing that their states have one integrated regional economy, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Delaware Governor John Carney and Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo today announced the creation of a multi-state council to restore the economy and get people back to work. This announcement builds on the states’ ongoing regional approach to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coordinating group – comprised of one health expert, one economic development expert and the respective Chief of Staff from each state – will work together to develop a fully integrated regional framework to gradually lift the states’ stay at home orders while minimizing the risk of increased spread of the virus.

The council will create this framework using every tool available to accomplish the goal of easing social isolation without triggering renewed spread – including testing, contact tracing, treatment and social distancing – and will rely on the best available scientific, statistical, social and economic information to manage and evaluate those tools.

Governor Tom Wolf said, “Our highest priority remains protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. While my administration continues to take critical steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I also recognize that we must look ahead and take a measured, careful approach to prepare for the future while ensuring that we don’t undo all of our efforts. Pennsylvania will work collaboratively with our partners both in state and in surrounding states to develop a comprehensive strategy that first focuses on health but also addresses the need to gradually restore our economy.”

Governor Cuomo Said, “We have been collaborating closely with our neighboring states to combat this pandemic through a uniform approach to social distancing and density reduction and it has been working well. Now it is time to start opening the valve slowly and carefully while watching the infection rate meter so we don’t trigger a second wave of new infections. This is not a light switch that we can just flick on and everything goes back to normal – we have to come up with a smart, consistent strategy to restart the systems we shut down and get people back to work, and to the extent possible we want to do that through a regional approach because we are a regional economy. New York is partnering with these four states to create a multi-state council that will come up with a framework based on science and data to gradually ease the stay at home restrictions and get our economy back up and running.”

Governor Phil Murphy said, “No one has given more thought or is more eager to restart our economy than I am, but if we don’t get the sequencing right, we put more lives at risk,” New Jersey. Then, and only then, do we position ourselves to fully ignite our economy and get the residents of our state back to work while minimizing the danger of this disease. A coordinated, regional approach, informed by a multi-state council of experts, will help us avoid a major setback with potentially disastrous consequences. I look forward to the day when the facts on the ground allow us to ease our restrictions and move our regional economy forward.”

Governor Ned Lamont said, “One thing that’s undeniable is that this virus does not stop at the border of any county, state, or country, but the impact is the same when it comes to our respective economies and healthcare systems. Working as a regional coalition to make the right decisions will lead to the best public health results for all of our residents. We must solve these problems together.”

Governor John Carney said, “We still have a situation in Delaware that is getting worse. Infections of COVID-19 and hospitalizations are rising. Delawareans should stay home. Don’t go out in public unnecessarily. Don’t visit Delaware unless you need to see a doctor, or care for a family member. You’ll only increase everyone’s risk. At the same time, we need to look forward. We need a consistent approach for moving our states out of this crisis, when that day comes. I’m grateful for the partnership of my fellow Governors in the region. They are all working around-the-clock to prevent surges in COVID-19 cases, protect hospital capacity for the most critically-ill patients, and save lives. We’ll get through this by working together.”

Governor Gina Raimondo said, “States are taking the lead as we fight to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives. I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken, and I’m constantly thinking about what it will take to safely reopen our economy. But we know that this virus does not recognize borders, and it’s clear we need a strong, coordinated regional approach to avoid a second wave of this disease. I’m grateful to my fellow governors for their leadership during this crisis and I’m confident that this new partnership will support our efforts to get Rhode Islanders — and all Americans — back to work safely.”

Trump says he’ll decide on easing guidelines, not governors
By ZEKE MILLER and JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is asserting that he is the ultimate decision-maker for determining how and when to relax the social distancing guidelines put in place because of the coronavirus. But it is unclear what authority he has to overrule the states. Trump’s claim that he could force governors to reopen their states follows weeks he spent arguing that he didn’t believe he should pressure states to impose stay-at-home restrictions. Trump has been bristling at criticism that his plan to reopen will cost lives and extend the outbreak. He’s eager to restart an economy that has plummeted during the virus outbreak.

Department of Corrections Announces First COVID-19-Related Inmate Death

Harrisburg, PA – On April 8, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix, Montgomery County, died at the Einstein Medical Center. On April 11, the Montgomery County coroner notified prison officials that the cause of death was determined to be acute respiratory distress from pneumonia due to COVID-19 with contributing factors of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and liver cirrhosis.

The inmate was a 67-year-old African American who was serving a life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction out of Philadelphia County.

The inmate’s next-of-kin was contacted.

This is the first COVID-19-related death in a state correctional facility. Should additional COVID-19-related inmate deaths occur, the DOC will include that information on its website and will not issue individual news releases.

Find the latest information on the DOC’s COVID-19 efforts here. 

Find the latest information on the coronavirus here.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,366 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 24,199

Harrisburg, PA-The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 13, that there are 1,366 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 24,199. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania now have cases of COVID-19. The department also reported 17 new deaths among positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 524. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here. All people are either in isolation at home or being treated at the hospital.

Locally in Beaver County we are up 8 cases to 153  and still at 13 deaths as of midnight Monday morning.

“COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Pennsylvania, and even though the daily increases are not exponential, now is not the time to become complacent,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families, our community. If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but other people as well. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”

There are 105,593 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Less than 1% are aged 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are aged 5-12;
• 1% are aged 13-18;
• 6% are aged 19-24;
• Nearly 41% are aged 25-49;
• Nearly 29% are aged 50-64; and
• Nearly 21% are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. There have been no pediatric deaths to date. More data is available here.

All non-life-sustaining businesses are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently the entire state is under a stay-at-home order.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, April 10:

• Provided an update from Pennsylvania State Police on business closure enforcement actions.

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.

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) United States Representative Conor Lamb joined Frank Sparks in hour number two of Teleforum on 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, and 99.3 FM. The pair talked about a variety of subjects in the interview. Representative Lamb told Frank Sparks his thought of two local police chiefs who passed away over the weekend and his thankfulness for their dedication to our communities. Lamb then spoke of the Economic Relief package that was passed nearly three weeks ago and why it is such a problem getting the new unemployment portion of the system implemented in Pennsylvania. Lamb said the problems that Pennsylvanians are experiencing is way to slow and unacceptable and needs to be fix as soon as possible. He said Pennsylvania is not he only state that is having issues, but you can tell that leadership makes a big difference and you can tell the states that getting the people their money is a priority. Congressman Lamb feels that this should be our highest priority whether it’s unemployment or the small business loan. The pair then talked about the Economic Relief Package and that people should start receiving their stimulus check from the Federal Government this week. It will then be released in stages to Americans. Sparks then asked Rep. Lamb about the SBA and the confusion of what is happening that when a business owner goes to their bank to apply for the SBA loan the banks are confused and don’t really know how to help the business owners. Lamb said it is a matter of poor execution. This isn’t a matter that can be solved by standing at a press conference for 5 minutes and talking about it on Television. Lamb said you need a concerted effort by the Government starting with the SBA in Washington and working its way out into the country with clear simple rules that are simple to administer, and they just didn’t do that they just skipped that step. Lamb said that we created this in law three weeks ago and time was wasted getting these banks ready to make these loans and now banks are asking basic questions about these loans and not getting clear answers. He said it’s just poor execution and now they want another $250 billion but they’re not really willing to talk about why it didn’t go well in round one. Lamb feels they are not prioritizing the details.

The talk then shifted to Senator Casey’s legislation to give the front-line workers a $25,000 bonus for being on the front line. Lamb said he agrees with it and feels that this is like going to war and this is like hazard pay. The pair then went on to talk about the next round of the Economic relief and then the United States Postal Service and his thoughts about President Trump saying he would veto a bill that has funding to bail out the Postal Service. Lamb feels that the Postal Service is a vital part of our society and they hire a big percentage of Veterans’.

You can listen to the entire interview below by pressing the play button: