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
Departments Of Health, Education Update Instructional Model Recommendations For Schools
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania departments of Health and Education today announced modifications to their instructional model recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schoolsOpens In A New Window in response to updated guidance recently issued by the Centers for Disease...
Department Of Health: Over 5.6 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 34.8% 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 5, there were 2,718 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 3,933 new cases reported Sunday, April 4, for a two-day total of 6,651 additional positive...
Department Of Health: More Than 5.5 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 33.5 Percent 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 3, that there were 5,343 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,038,749. There are 2,173 individuals...
Gov. Wolf: Successful Teacher and School Staff Vaccination Initiative is Completed Ahead of Schedule
After vaccinating more than 112,500 teachers and school staff in only about three weeks, Governor Tom Wolf visited Luzerne County today to announce the special vaccination initiative is a success and was completed ahead of schedule. The accomplishment is an important...
Department Of Health: Over 5.4 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 32.4% Of Population, PA Ranks 13th Among 50 States For First Dose Vaccinations
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 2, there were 4,656 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,033,406. There are 2,127 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
PA Department Of Aging: Partnership Between COVID-19 Vaccine Providers, Area Agencies On Aging Helps More Seniors Secure Vaccine Appointments
Harrisburg, PA – An amended Department of Health order indicating that certain vaccine providers must work with local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to schedule vaccination appointments for older adults eligible in Phase 1A of the state's vaccination...
Wolf Administration Discusses Partnership Between COVID-19 Vaccine Providers, Area Agencies On Aging, MCOs To Help Seniors Secure Vaccine Appointments
York, PA - The Wolf Administration today discussed an amended order signed by Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam, indicating that certain vaccine providers must work with local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Medical Assistance Managed Care...
L&I Acting Secretary Spotlights PennSERVE And AmeriCorps COVID Relief Efforts Across Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier was joined by PennSERVE Executive Director Maureen Eccleston to spotlight the COVID relief efforts of PennSERVE and AmeriCorps members that continue to aid...
Department Of Health: Over 5.3 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 32% Of Population
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 1, there were 3,893 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,028,750. There are 2,075 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health: Over 5.1 Million Vaccinations To Date, First Doses Of Vaccine To 31% Of Population
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 31, there were 4,557 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,024,857. There are 1,980 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 392 patients...
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 857,000 have already done, to aid...
Gov. Wolf Visits Drive-Thru Mass Vaccination Clinic, Discusses Vaccine Success
Governor Wolf today visited the COVID-19 drive-thru mass vaccination clinic for Dauphin County residents at Harrisburg Area Community College. The drive-thru clinic was developed in partnership with UPMC Pinnacle and Dauphin County. He was joined by UPMC Pinnacle...
Wolf Admin: Updated Recommendations For K-12 Schools Match CDC Guidance For Social Distancing And COVID-19 Cases In Schools
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania departments of Health (DOH) and Education (PDE) today announced updated recommendations for K-12 schools on social distancing in classrooms and how to handle COVID-19 cases in school buildings. The Department of Health also...
Department Of Health: Over 5 Million Vaccinations To Date, PA Ranks 12th In The Country For First Doses
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 30, there were 5,032 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,020,300. There are 1,916 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for March 19-25
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 17,811 a...
Gov. Wolf Announces Nearly $5 Billion In Federal COVID-19 Relief For Pre-K-12 Schools
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...
Gov. Wolf Announces Nearly $5 Billion in Federal COVID-19 Relief for Pre-K-12 Schools
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...
Department Of Health Visits Masonic Village To Highlight Success In Vaccinating Residents And Staff And Updated Visitation Recommendation
Elizabethtown, PA – Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today visited Masonic Villages to highlight the success of vaccination efforts in nursing homes and the measures facilities have taken to support the physical and mental wellbeing of some of...
Department Of Health: Nearly 5 Million Vaccinations To Date, PA Ranks 12th In The Country For First Doses
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...
Opening Remarks – Policy Hearing on Conservatorship of Abandoned/Blighted Property
PA Senate and House Democrats Host Policy Hearing on Needed Changes to Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship
Harrisburg – March 26, 2021 - At the request of state Senators Wayne D. Fontana (D- Allegheny), Jim Brewster (D- Allegheny/Westmoreland), Lindsey Williams (D- Allegheny) and Representative Sara Innamorato (D-Allegheny), the Pennsylvania Senate and House Democratic...
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.