COVID-19 UPDATE: Resources, information, and helpful tips to protect you and your family!
Senator Fontana Hosts a Telephone Town Hall on the Coronavirus
Senator Fontana Hosts a Telephone Town Hall on the Coronavirus
LIVE daily briefings from the PA Department of Health:
pacast.com/live/doh or www.governor.pa.gov/live/ or watch on Facebook
Vaccine Information
I co-hosted a virtual townhall on January 11, 2021 with Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and officials from PEMA and the PA Department of Health who are responsible for overseeing the rollout of the COVID vaccine.
Latest News
Department Of Health Offers Update On COVID-19 Investigations, Contact Tracing, Monitoring Efforts
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health (DOH) today shared a weekly update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data, encouraging Pennsylvanians to download the COVID Alert PA app, as more than 870,000 have already done, to aid in...
Department Of Health: Over 6.5 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 39.5% Of Population, PA Ranks 11th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 13, there were 6,638 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,082,062. There are 2,474 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Gov. Wolf Highlights Support of Small Businesses During COVID-19 at PA Small Business Development Centers Conference
Governor Tom Wolf today highlighted the achievements of the Wolf Administration to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic during the opening session of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ (PASBDC) Growth Conference.
Department Of Health: Pause On Johnson & Johnson Vaccinations In Pennsylvania, FDA/CDC Announcement Highlights Vaccine Evaluation Process Is Working
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today notified all COVID-19 vaccine providers to pause administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine until at least April 20 following the recommendation out of an abundance of caution in...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for April 2 – 8
Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 23,043 a...
Gov. Wolf and COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announce that All Adults in Pennsylvania are Eligible Tomorrow to Schedule COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments
Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced that effective tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13, all Pennsylvania adults will be eligible to schedule an appointment for the COVID -19 vaccine. “We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout,...
Department Of Health: Over 6.2 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 36% Of Population, PA Ranks 20th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 10, there were 4,882 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,068,974. There are 2,439 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health: Cancel Duplicate Appointments To Help Ensure Vaccine Is Available For All
Harrisburg, PA - Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam today urged all Pennsylvanians to remember to both attend a scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointment and cancel any unneeded appointments so that all vaccine...
Pennsylvania Partners With Walgreens To Finalize Vaccination Efforts To Priority Populations In Congregate Care Settings
Harrisburg, PA - Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today announced that Pennsylvania will partner with Walgreens to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to staff and residents of congregate care settings licensed by DHS that were not part of...
Department Of Health: Over 6 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 35.6% Of Population, PA Ranks 19th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 9, there were 5,048 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,064,092. There are 2,451 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health: Over 5.9 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 35.4% Of Population, PA Ranks 14th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 8, there were 4,746 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,059,044. There are 2,425 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Human Services Secretary Highlights Work Of Early Childhood Education Providers During The Pandemic, Availability Of COVID-19 Vaccines For Head Start Professionals
Harrisburg, PA - Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller today visited the Grace Lutheran Church of Lancaster with Lancaster’s Community Action Partnership to highlight Pennsylvania’s ongoing work to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations for Head Start...
Department Of Health Joins St. Luke’s University Health Network, Muslim Aid Initiative To Discuss Vaccine Hesitancy
Allentown, PA - Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam today joined leaders from St. Luke’s University Health Network and Rabiul Chowdhury from the Muslim Aid Initiative to talk about vaccine hesitancy among minority groups across the...
Gov. Wolf Discusses Vaccine Equity and Progress on Visit to McKeesport Vaccination Clinic
As Pennsylvania’s vaccination plan accelerates and more than a third of the state’s eligible population is vaccinated, Governor Tom Wolf today visited a new vaccination clinic in McKeesport to talk about vaccine equity and progress. “Since Pennsylvania providers began...
Department Of Health: Over 5.7 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 35.4% Of Population, PA Ranks 11th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 7, there were 4,643 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,054,298. There are 2,384 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Wolf Administration Announces Opening Of Regional Vaccination Clinic In Centre County
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and Department of Health today announced the opening of a Regional Vaccination Clinic (RVC) at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus in Centre County. “Initially, this...
Department Of Health Offers Update On COVID-19 Investigations, Contact Tracing, Monitoring Efforts
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health (DOH) today shared a weekly update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data, encouraging Pennsylvanians to download the COVID Alert PA app, as more than 864,000 have already...
Department Of Health: Over 5.7 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 35.2% Of Population, PA Ranks 12th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 6, there were 4,255 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,049,655. There are 2,247 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Gov. Wolf Recognizes Grocery Store Workers, Now Vaccine Eligible, for Heroic Work
Gov. Tom Wolf today visited Weis Markets in Enola, Cumberland County, to recognize the heroic efforts of Pennsylvania’s grocery store workers, who are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The governor expressed his gratitude to Pennsylvania’s 180,000 grocery store...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19 Testing Across Commonwealth
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today provided an update on the 12-week pop-up COVID-19 testing initiative completed in early March 2021, highlighting the total number of patients tested. The department also provided an update on the current testing...
Pennsylvanians in Phase 1B Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine
Starting today, Pennsylvanians in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan are now eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment to become protected against the virus. Phase 1B eligible Pennsylvanians include: People in congregate settings not otherwise...
What You Need to Know About COVID-19
The Coronavirus was first discovered during an outbreak in Wuhan, China. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new virus that causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms often do not appear in a person until 2 to 14 days after exposure.
Prepare Yourself and Your Family
The best way to avoid contracting COVID-19 is by practicing vital social distancing procedures. It is recommended to work remotely and severely limit contact with others.
If you think you have come into contact with someone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or are exhibiting them yourself, please follow the instructions on the graphic below:
PennDOT/Real ID Updates
Federal REAL ID Enforcement Deadline Postponed to October 2021
The Department of Homeland Security has postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from October 1, 2020, to October 1, 2021, in response to COVID-19 and the national emergency declaration.
PennDOT closed all driver and photo license centers on March 16 and paused REAL ID issuance in the state out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of public health. Centers will reopen no sooner than April 3. PennDOT also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requesting that the agency consider extending the October 1, 2020 REAL ID enforcement deadline.
REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes. A federally-acceptable form of identification (whether it’s a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must now be used on and after October 1, 2021, as identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building that requires a federally acceptable form of identification ID for access.
REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania. There is no requirement that any resident obtain a REAL ID; PennDOT will continue to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs once issuance has resumed.
More information about document requirements, including a printable document checklist, can be found on the Document Check page of the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.
Protect Yourself
Medical Costs
As of March 9, the Governor announced that all major health insurers in Pennsylvania have agreed to cover “medically appropriate” COVID-19 testing and treatment.
The 10 major insurers are:
- Aetna
- Capital Blue Cross
- Cigna
- Geisinger
- Highmark
- Independence BlueCross
- Oscar
- Pennsylvania Health & Wellness
- UnitedHealthcare
- UPMC Health Plan
For anyone with questions about their insurance policy, please contact your insurer or the Pennsylvania State Insurance Department with questions. They can also be reached at (877) 881-6388.
Remote Medical Attention and Care
Health officials are urging people who have symptoms to stay home and contact their doctor remotely rather than opting for an in-person visit. Nearly all major health systems offer some form of virtual visits and assistance. Some insurers do, too. People interested in a specific virtual visit should check to see what illnesses it can be used for. Be sure to reach out to your insurance provider to verify this service is covered with your plan.
Here’s an brief overview of virtual visit services offered to local residents:
Capital BlueCross – is offering free medical Virtual Care visits for members who currently have the Virtual Care benefit. The waiving of fees will be effective March 13 through April 15, 2020.
Highmark – is providing many of their members with a virtual clinic visit service. Any fees related to COVID-19 will be waived.
UPMC Pinnacle – is welcoming Online Video Visits for those experience flu like symptoms or just in need of a follow-up appointment. Video visits are available through the MyPinnacleHealth portal for $49.
WellSpan Health – WellSpan Online Urgent Care offers a video visits with Teladoc physicians for patients 3 months and older for their standard fee of $49.
CALLING ALL PSYCHOLOGIST! Things may be picking up for you at this time, so we want to make sure you are covered too. Here are some COVID-19 resources on how to best protect yourself and serve your patients from the Pennsylvania Psychologist Association.
How to Stay Informed
Below is an extensive list of information, statistics, and resources to ensure you stay up-to-date with any changes happening due to COVID-19.
My Office
While our offices are closed, we are working remotely. Please call 412-344-2551 and leave a message or email [email protected] and someone will get back in touch with you as soon as possible.
ENewsletters
- Make sure you are signed up to receive my electronic newsletter (you can sign up HERE)
- To view all past issues of “News & Views” eNews, CLICK HERE
Pennsylvania Department of Health
- The PA DoH Daily COVID-19 report. Updated regularly throughout the day.
- Follow the PA Health Department on Twitter.
- Follow them on Facebook.
A complete list of information and resources available to you by county:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Track confirmed cases in the US. (This site is updated weekdays at noon and shows numbers that were current as of 4 p.m. the previous day.)
- CDC provided information regarding “What you should know about COVID-19”
- Follow the CDC on Twitter.
- Follow the CDC on Facebook.
- Learn how best to prevent “community transition” with specific details on what to do before, during, and after outbreaks.
World Health Organization
- Learn what’s happening Worldwide with the WHO’s Daily report. The most recent report is located at the top of the page. It includes confirmed case and death tallies.
- Additional COVID-19 information is provided on their website.
- Stay informed on Twitter.
- Follow their Facebook page.