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
COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announces Subcommittees Focused on Key Audiences and Issues
Governor Tom Wolf announced the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force less than one month ago. Since that time, the task force and Wolf Administration have accomplished bi-partisan initiatives to help advance the state’s vaccination rollout and COVID fight. Last week,...
PA Senate Dems Again Call for Legislative Window of Justice for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse & More Protections for the Future
Harrisburg, Pa. – March 12, 2021 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats held a press conference today to again call for immediate action to create a two-year window for adult survivors of sexual abuse currently barred from seeking justice due to statutory time limitations....
Sens. Hughes, Fontana Renew Push to Regulate ‘Ghost Guns’ in Pa., Following Recent Joint Task Force Crackdown
HARRISBURG – March 12, 2020 – Following the high-profile arrest of four Philadelphia men selling “ghost guns,” State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) reintroduced two pieces of legislation pushing to...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.2 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 11, there were 2,652 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 958,382. There are 1,513 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health Observes One-Year Anniversary Of COVID-19 Pandemic; Continues Work To Protect Pennsylvanians
Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today marked the one-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, and recognized the Department of Health’s work in preparing...
Wolf Administration Officials Commend USDA On Proactive Action To Ensure School-Aged Children Access To Food Through Summer
Harrisburg, PA - Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Education Acting Secretary Noe Ortega today commended U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for his proactive measure to extend several national waivers that provide schools with meal...
Gov. Wolf Visits York’s Family First Health to Discuss Vaccination Equity and Progress
Governor Tom Wolf visited Family First Health in York today to thank staff and to tour the federally qualified health center’s vaccination area, learning first-hand how the facility is vaccinating Pennsylvanians amid equity issues. “Pennsylvania’s federally qualified...
Wolf Administration Highlights Free, Subsidized Public Transit to Vaccine Appointments
As COVID-19 vaccines become more available and as counties prepare to open mass vaccination sites, Governor Tom Wolf today reminded the public that public transit, often free or subsidized, is available in every county to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens can...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3.1 Million Vaccinations To Date And More Than 1 Million Pennsylvanians Fully Vaccinated
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 10, there were 2,594 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 955,730. The state also reached a milestone of more than 1 million...
Gov. Wolf: American Rescue Plan Provides Relief Pennsylvanians Need and Deserve
Governor Wolf celebrated the passage of the American Rescue Plan in the United States House of Representatives. The governor released the following statement: “Thank you to all of the federal lawmakers, in both the House and the Senate, who worked so hard to pass the...
L&I Takes Additional Action To Improve Unemployment Compensation Customer Service
Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) is taking action to make it easier for Pennsylvanians with questions or issues to reach the department. Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier today announced at least 500 new customer service...
Department Of Agriculture Releases COVID-19 Restaurant Enforcement Actions, March 1 – March 7, 2021
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from March 1 – 7, 2021. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants, including social distancing, masking and...
Department Of Labor & Industry Releases COVID-19 Enforcement Actions, March 1 – March 5
Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry's (L&I) Bureau of Labor Law Compliance released data related to COVID-19 enforcement actions for March 1 to 5. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation efforts related to...
Department Of Health Feb. 21-27 Update On COVID-19 Investigations, Contact Tracing, Monitoring Efforts: Pennsylvanians Urged To ‘Answer The Call,’ Complete The Connect & Protect Form, And Download The COVID App
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health (DOH) today shared its weekly update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data and encouraged Pennsylvanians to download the COVID Alert PA app, as more than 835,000 have already done, to...
Department Of State Releases COVID-19 Enforcement Actions, Feb. 28-March 7
Harrisburg, PA – The Department of State's Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation (BEI) today released data related to COVID-19 enforcement actions from Feb.28-March 7. The Department of State is continuing with compliance enforcement as it relates to the...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 3 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 9, there were 2,975 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 953,136. There are 1,502 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: Nearly 3 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 8, there were 1,658 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 1,518 new cases reported Sunday, March 7, for a two-day total of 3,176 additional positive...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Feb. 26- March 4: Case Increases at 13,275; Percent Positivity at 5.7% and 29 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 13,275, a...
L&I Highlights Benefits Of ‘Back To Work PA’ And Job Training Program For “Near Completers” Unemployed Due To COVID-19
SCHNECKSVILLE, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier today highlighted the important role Gov. Tom Wolf's Back to Work PA initiative will have in preparing the commonwealth's workforce for our new...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 2.9 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 6, that there were 2,789 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 946,985. There are 1,587 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Gov. Wolf Thanks Lawmakers for Responding to the Needs of Pennsylvanians, Passing Federal Aid Package
Governor Tom Wolf thanked the United States Senate for passing comprehensive aid for Americans that addresses ongoing challenges Pennsylvanians face due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor released the following statement: “Thank you to our own Senator Bob Casey...
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.