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
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Vaccination Update For March 19: Pace Accelerating, More Than 4 Million Vaccinations Administered, More Than 1.4 Million People Fully Vaccinated
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 19, that there were 3,455 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 980,302. There are 1,486 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19....
Department Of Health Provides Update On Getting More COVID-19 Vaccine To People, Unprecedented Transparency On Vaccine Resources
Harrisburg, PA - Department of Health (DOH) Acting Secretary Alison Beam and Executive Deputy Secretary Keara Klinepeter yesterday outlined details on temporary plans that will get more COVID-19 vaccine to Pennsylvanians and unprecedented efforts to provide...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Vaccination Update for March 19: Pace Accelerating, More Than 4 Million Vaccinations Administered, More Than 1.4 Million People Fully Vaccinated
Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today detailed the state’s vaccination rollout progress as the process accelerates and Pennsylvania outperforms its peer states. “The pace of vaccinations in Pennsylvania is accelerating each day,” Gov. Wolf...
PENNSYLVANIA NASP PROGRAM STAYS ON TARGET DURING PANDEMIC
HARRISBURG, PA - In a year that has been anything but typical for students across the state, Pennsylvania’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) has helped to keep student archers safely shooting their bows throughout the 2020-21 school year. The...
Gov. Wolf: Teacher and School Staff Vaccinations are Ahead of Schedule
Approximately two weeks after Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced the voluntary single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be administered to Pre-K to 12 educators and school staff, the special initiative is ahead of schedule and...
PA Senate and House Democrats to Host Policy Hearing on Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship
Allegheny County − March 19, 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...
Gov. Wolf Highlights COVID-19 PA Hazard Pay Grant Program at Brookings Panel Discussion on Essential Workers
Gov. Tom Wolf today highlighted the importance of supporting front line workers who put their health and lives on the line to provide essential services throughout the pandemic during an online event “Essential Workers: One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic” hosted by...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for March 5-11: Case Increases at 12,483; Percent Positivity at 5.7% and 21 Counties with Substantial Transmission
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 12,483 a...
Department Of Health Updates Order To Connect Everyone Currently Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine To Appointments
Harrisburg, PA - Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today signed an updated order making March 31 the date by which all vaccine providers should have Phase 1A-eligible Pennsylvanians’ vaccine appointments scheduled. The amended orderalso requires...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.7 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 16, there were 3,119 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 970,717. There are 1,450 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Wolf Administration Expands Partnership With Rite Aid Pharmacy To Vaccinate Pennsylvanians Enrolled In Long-Term Services And Supports Programs
Harrisburg, PA - Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today announced that Pennsylvania will expand its partnership with Rite Aid Pharmacy to vaccinate 9,000 individuals with physical disabilities and older Pennsylvanians...
Wolf Administration Receives Approval For Plan To Provide Food Assistance To Families Of Nearly 1 Million Pennsylvania Children
Harrisburg, PA - The Wolf Administration has received approval from the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue more than $1 billion in federally-funded benefits to the families of nearly 1 million Pennsylvania children who...
Department Of Health Highlights February 2021 Nursing Home Inspection, Sanction Information Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Harrisburg, PA - In its February 2021 report, the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that nursing home surveyors conducted 497 inspections, including 283 complaint investigations, of 377 separate nursing homes. Of these, 162 were COVID-19-specific...
Gov. Wolf: Effective April 4, More Options for Restaurants and Other Businesses, Mass Gathering Maximums Increase
As COVID-19 cases have declined and vaccination rates are climbing, Governor Tom Wolf today announced the lifting of some targeted restrictions on restaurants and other businesses, as well as increased gathering limits. Effective April 4, restaurants may resume bar...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.6 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 15, there were 1,388 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 1,914 new cases reported Sunday, March 14, for a two-day total of 3,302 additional positive...
Gov. Wolf Tours Berks County IU Teacher and School Staff Vaccine Site
Governor Tom Wolf toured the Berks County Intermediate Unit’s COVID-19 vaccination area today and thanked the educators and medical professionals for their commitment to Pennsylvania’s students by providing the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Pre-K-12...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.5 Million Vaccinations To Date, More Than 1.1 Million Pennsylvanians Fully Vaccinated
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 13, that there were 2,840 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 964,296. There are 1,463 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of...
Gov. Wolf and COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announce Targeted Vaccination Strategies
Governor Tom Wolf and members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced another bi-partisan effort to complete COVID phase 1A vaccinations first, set up mass vaccination clinics with regionally supplied plans to inform allocations, and vaccinate frontline workers....
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.3 Million Vaccinations To Date, More Than 1 Million Pennsylvanians Fully Vaccinated
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 12, there were 3,074 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 961,456. There are 1,494 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Wolf Administration Strongly Encourages Long-Term Care Facilities To Implement Updated Visitation Guidance In Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA - Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam, Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller and Aging Secretary Robert Torres today highlighted the updated nursing home visitation guidanceOpens In A New Window issued by the Centers for Medicare and...
Wolf Administration Provides Update On COVID-19 Vaccine For Teachers, Child Care Workers, School Staff
Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) today provided an update on the special initiative to provide the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Pre-K-12 teachers, child care workers and...
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.