Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today encouraged older adults to be informed about their options for voting in the November 3 General Election if they are concerned about being able to vote safely amid COVID-19.

“The Department of Aging urges older Pennsylvanians to keep their health and well-being in mind however they choose to cast their ballot in November,” Sec. of Aging Robert Torres said. “The older adult population consistently votes more often than any other age group, and the turnout for the upcoming election may likely be no different. Therefore, it is important that they are able to vote without putting themselves at risk.”

“The coronavirus may have put large parts of our lives on hold, but there’s one event it won’t delay – the 2020 election,” said AARP Pennsylvania State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh. “At AARP, we’re fighting to protect 50+ voters and ensure they can vote safely from home or in-person.”

Torres noted that if older adults are opting to vote by mail-in ballot, they should apply for one as soon as possible at votesPA.com.

Here are some guidelines for voting by mail-in ballot:

• Read the ballot and instructions carefully.
• Pay attention to where you place your pen. Don’t rest it on the ballot as it could potentially make an unintended mark somewhere and the tabulator will not read it correctly, or the pen could accidentally mark a candidate for whom you didn’t want to vote.
• Return the ballot by mail or in person to your county Board of Elections or officially designated drop-off site as soon as possible.
• Be sure to place your ballot in the inner secrecy envelope and then put the secrecy envelope into the outer return envelope, which you must sign. County election officials will not count your ballot if it is returned without both envelopes. Be sure to sign the declaration on the outer envelope so the ballot will be counted.

In addition, Pennsylvania voters now have the option of voting in person at their county election office before election day. Just go to your county election office, request a ballot, fill it out and submit it – all in the same visit.

For older Pennsylvanians who are looking to vote at their polling place on Election Day, the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wear a mask, bring your own pen and follow social distancing guidelines. The Pennsylvania Department of State is supplying counties with masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, floor marking tape and other supplies for polling places so Pennsylvanians can safely exercise their right to vote during this COVID-19 emergency.

Older adults can check the status of their voter registration by visiting votespa.com or by calling 877-VOTESPA (868-3772). Pennsylvania law now allows residents to register to vote up to 15 days before an Election Day. The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 19. Absentee and mail-in ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day.

Learn more about the various programs offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging here.

Governor Tom Wolf remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting Pennsylvanians despite reckless attempts by the Republican-led legislature to undermine the state’s successful response to COVID-19. Ignoring 200,000 pandemic-related deaths in the U.S., some legislators are playing politics with the virus, demonstrating the need to change the culture of Harrisburg. During a press conference, the governor called on the legislature to stop the games and pass his government reform plan to rein in special interests and hold politicians accountable.

“The driving force of the mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania and other states is to save lives,” said Gov. Wolf. “Everything that my administration has done is based on the most up-to-date research on COVID-19, and it is working. We must not allow these Harrisburg political games to distract us from fighting this virus, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and social distancing.”

Harrisburg, PA – As recovery month continues, the departments of Health and Drug and Alcohol Programs, along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), partnered to provide training on SAMHSA’s Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting People with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Their Infants.

“The opioid epidemic has had a significant impact on families and communities across Pennsylvania,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “While we have made significant strides in addressing those impacts through the work of the Pennsylvania Opioid Command Center, there is still more work to do, particularly now during a global pandemic. We must ensure that all people, especially those who are pregnant or new parents, can access quality substance use treatment and medical care when they need it.”

The virtual training, which took place over the past two days, focused on providing comprehensive, national guidance for the best treatment of pregnant and parenting people with OUD and their infants. The Clinical Guidance helps health care professionals and patients determine treatment decisions that will promote the best possible outcome for both parent and infant.

Dr. Levine provided closing remarks on September 22 and Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Jenn Smith provided the closing remarks on September 23. A total of 240 attendees participated in the virtual training.

“Pennsylvania has identified pregnant women and women with children as a priority population when battling the opioid epidemic,” said DDAP Secretary Jen Smith. “We understand the many complexities associated with treating this population and the additional care needed in treating our tiniest Pennsylvanians. As best practices are identified in treating OUD, educating practitioners throughout the commonwealth is critical to ensuring we continue to provide quality care to all Pennsylvanians.”

This training builds upon the work of the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PA PQC) to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality by improving care for pregnant and postpartum people and newborns affected by opioids. It also aligns with the work of DDAP’s pregnancy support services programs and other OUD treatment initiatives like the Department of Health’s PacMAT programs and the Department of Human Services Centers of Excellence. Data on maternal OUD and neonatal abstinence syndrome can be found on the Impact on Families page of the Pennsylvania Opioid Data Dashboard.

More information on OUD and maternal mortality can be found on the Department of Health’s website at health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Ten (10) new cases added Thursday in Lycoming County now at 651 cases and one new death, 25 total deaths, with 12,837 negatives according to DOH report.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19,

853 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 153,397

Pennsylvanians Urged to Download COVID-19 Alert PA App

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., September 24, that there were 853 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 153,397. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

Centre is reporting an increase of 109 cases.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between September 17 and September 23 is 183,360 with 5,554 positive cases. There were 27,784 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., September 23. These results represent the total number of tests administered.

There are 8,079 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 17 new deaths reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

“We know that congregation, especially in college and university settings, yields increased case counts. The mitigation efforts in place now are essential to flattening the curve and saving lives,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings, and telework will help keep our case counts low. Together, as Pennsylvanians, all of our efforts are designed to support our communities to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low.”

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 354 cases who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 645 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 1,803,470 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Approximately 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 2% are ages 5-12;
• Approximately 4% are ages 13-18;
• Approximately 13% are ages 19-24;
• Approximately 36% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 22% are ages 50-64; and
• Nearly 22% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

The department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers about the changing COVID-19 case demographics, as there are more cases in younger age groups than in those 50-64 and 65+. The following regions saw significant increases among 19 to 24-year-olds in each month from April to date in September:

• NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 70 percent of cases so far in September;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to nearly 37 percent of cases so far in September;
• SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to approximately 30 percent of cases so far in September;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to approximately 28 percent of cases so far in September;
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 19 percent of cases so far in September; and
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 17 percent of cases so far in September.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 22,498 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,936 cases among employees, for a total of 27,434 at 969 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,397 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 10,513 of our total cases are among health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Currently, all 67 counties are in the green phase of reopening.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, Sept. 23:

• Discussed COVID-19 mitigation and government reform.
• Encouraged Pennsylvanians to Download COVID Alert PA app.
• Thanked House Democrats for protecting Pennsylvanians.
• Reported that 50,000 Pennsylvanians downloaded the COVID Alert PA app in first 24 hours.
• Provided Pennsylvania State Police enforcement data.

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, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa.”

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

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.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf answering questions from the press. Governor Tom Wolf today announced a $225 million statewide grant program to support small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order. Harrisburg, PA — June 8, 2020

Harrisburg, Pa. – Today, Governor Tom Wolf vetoed House Bill 2025, which would have prevented the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from taking any action to abate, control or limit carbon dioxide emissions in the commonwealth without the prior approval of the General Assembly.

Carbon dioxide is a harmful greenhouse gas and a major contributor to climate change, and this bill would have put a halt to DEP efforts to mitigate the impact climate change has on lives and livelihoods in Pennsylvania, including rulemaking currently being developed to allow Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is an economically sound program that has a proven record of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in member states.

Higher temperatures, unseasonal changes in precipitation, and more frequent and more extreme storms – all adverse effects of climate change – have already been experienced in Pennsylvania, and we must take action now to prevent worse changes from further endangering Pennsylvanians. This bill ignores science, and would have hampered the ability of the DEP to protect Pennsylvanians.

Gov. Wolf’s HB 2025 veto message:

“Addressing the global climate crisis is one of the most important and critical challenges we face.  This legislation is extremely harmful to public health and welfare as it prevents the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (Department) from taking any measure or action to abate, control or limit carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas and major contributor to climate change impacts, without prior approval of the General Assembly.  Like every state in the country, the Commonwealth has already begun to experience adverse impacts from climate change, such as higher temperatures, changes in precipitation, and frequent extreme weather events, including large storms, flooding, heat waves, heavier snowfalls, and periods of drought.  Reductions in carbon dioxide emissions are even more significant now as emerging evidence links chronic exposure to air pollution with higher rates of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19.

“This legislation also prohibits the Commonwealth from participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a regional initiative among Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while generating economic growth, unless additional legislation is enacted.  RGGI participating states have reduced power sector carbon dioxide pollution by 45 percent since 2005, while the region’s per-capita gross domestic product has continued to grow.  By joining RGGI, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to make real progress on limiting climate change-causing carbon pollution while generating thousands of new jobs, providing for worker training, and offering future electric bill savings.

“In addition to the legislation’s failure to address climate change, the immediate effect of this legislation would be to halt a rulemaking package I directed the Department to develop by executive order pursuant to the authority of the Air Pollution Control Act to abate, control, or limit carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel-fired electric power generators.  The Regulatory Review Act and the Air Pollution Control Act afford the opportunity for extensive public participation, including public comment and public hearings, in the rulemaking process.  Members of the General Assembly also have a robust role in the rulemaking process, including through their appointments on advisory committees and the Environmental Quality Board.  This legislation creates burdensome and duplicative processes that will thwart the Department’s ability to take any action to regulate the greenhouse gas most responsible for climate change in the transportation, industrial, and commercial sectors, as well as the electric power sector.

“The citizens of this Commonwealth cannot afford to wait any longer.  Given the urgency of the climate crisis facing Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth must take concrete, economically sound, and immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Allowing this legislation to become law would effectively deny that climate change is an urgent problem that demands prudent solutions.”

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Transportation (PennDOT) and other partners in the Drive Electric PA Coalition will hold a free public informational webinar on the benefits and basics of driving electric vehicles on September 30 at 11:00 AM, and again on October 1 at 6:00 PM, as part of National Drive Electric Week.

“The number of electric cars registered in Pennsylvania increased 50 percent in 2018. While it’s still a small number, the trend is clear: more drivers are interested in this zero-emission option,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “At the same time, research from the Drive Electric PA Coalition shows that people have a lot of questions about electric cars, and there’s a gap in the availability of public educational materials on these vehicles. We’re working to fill this gap.”

“It’s not hard to see the value of increased electric vehicle adoption,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “The potential for reduced greenhouse gas emissions and the new economic opportunities are exciting, and PennDOT is proud to collaborate with DEP and stakeholders statewide to increase the acceptance and adoption of electric vehicles.”

“Driving Electric Vehicles: The Benefits and Basics for Pennsylvania Residents” will be offered live on Wednesday, September 30, from 11:00 AM to noon. It’ll be presented again as a recording with live hosts and chat on Thursday, October 1, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Sign up now for the September 30 or October 1 event.

Speakers will include electric vehicle experts and fans from DEP, PennDOT, the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation, Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities, charging companies, utilities, and other organizations.

DEP Secretary McDonnell will kick off the webinar with a brief update on state initiatives to help increase zero-emission transportation. DEP and PennDOT staff will talk about state rebates available for electric vehicle purchases, as well as efforts to expand charging locations along highways. Other speakers will discuss buying, charging, and driving electric vehicles and lifetime cost savings. Questions are welcome.

Additional webinars are offered on other days for local governments, businesses, and fleet managers. Find more information and registration links for all webinars at www.dep.pa.gov/AmpedEVWebinarSeries.

The Drive Electric Pennsylvania Coalition was formed in 2016 by state government agencies, local government leaders, U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Coalitions, businesses and consultants, transportation organizations, electric utilities, environmental groups, auto companies, and other interested stakeholders.

Governor Tom Wolf speaks during a press conference addressing the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pennsylvania, inside PEMA headquarters on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting Pennsylvanians despite reckless attempts by the Republican-led legislature to undermine the state’s successful response to COVID-19. Ignoring 200,000 pandemic-related deaths in the U.S., some legislators are playing politics with the virus, demonstrating the need to change the culture of Harrisburg. During a press conference today, the governor called on the legislature to stop the games and pass his government reform plan to rein in special interests and hold politicians accountable.

“The driving force of the mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania and other states is to save lives,” said Gov. Wolf. “Everything that my administration has done is based on the most up-to-date research on COVID-19, and it is working. We must not allow these Harrisburg political games to distract us from fighting this virus, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and social distancing.

“My door is always open to serious people who want to engage in serious conversation. But I refuse to take seriously any proposals that will endanger the lives of Pennsylvanians.”

Medical experts have applauded the Wolf Administration’s response to the pandemic. Earlier this month President Trump’s COVID-19 coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, met with Governor Wolf and said Pennsylvania has done a “remarkable job” fighting the virus.

Research at the University of Pittsburgh concluded that mitigation efforts have saved thousands of lives. The modeling found that without the restrictions the number of deaths in Pennsylvania would have at least doubled or tripled.

Easing the mitigation efforts too early would have dangerous consequences. The daily infection rate could double within a month, with exponential increases in later weeks and months, according to research by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

The possibility of a resurgence of the virus this fall is also a real danger. A second wave of COVID-19 cases is surging across Europe, which the World Health Organization calls a “very serious situation” as weekly cases surpass the peak in March.

The governor encouraged Pennsylvanians to help fight the spread of the virus by downloading the new COVID Alert PA app from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Launched Tuesday, the app notifies users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19 without revealing their identity or location.

“The pandemic has shown us that Pennsylvanians need accountable government now more than ever,” said Gov. Wolf. “I am calling on the General Assembly to take action on three government reforms to improve accountability and rein in special interests.”

Governor Wolf’s Government Reform Plan includes:

• Banning Gifts for Public Officials: On his first day in office, Gov. Wolf banned members of his administration from accepting gifts and believes that all public officials should be held to the same standard. Pennsylvania is one of 10 states with no specific law limiting gifts to public officials. Outside the executive branch, politicians in Harrisburg can take unlimited gifts from special interests. Legislative action is needed to make the gift ban expanded and permanent so all state elected officials are accountable to it.
• Campaign Finance Reform: Enacting new campaign finance laws that would place limits on contributions to candidates seeking elected office, implement aggregate limits for races, place sensible restrictions on Political Action Committees (PACs), and strengthen reporting and disclosure requirements across the board to restore confidence in government, and curtail the role of campaign spending in our political process.
• Outside Income Transparency: Requiring public officials to disclose sources, type of work and amount of outside income received.

Governor Wolf is leading by example in the fight to change Harrisburg. The governor donates his salary to charity and does not take a state pension. In addition to the gift ban, the governor ended pay-to-play legal contracting and requires his cabinet to post expenses online to increase transparency.

Pennsylvania received an ‘F’ grade from the Center for Public Integrity for state government accountability and transparency, ranking 45th among the states. The 2015 report praised Gov. Wolf’s reform efforts but criticized the legislature for failing to act.

The governor was joined by Suzanne Almeida, interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania

“Transparency in government is essential to a healthy and strong democracy. That’s why Common Cause works to strengthen transparency laws across the country,” said Almeida. “Secret spending erodes people’s trust in government and that trust is more important now than it has ever been.  Transparency promotes accountability and makes it possible for voters to make informed decisions.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we are all stronger when we work together,” said Gov. Wolf. “We depend on one another, and governments depend on the trust of the people in order to lead effectively. These simple and commonsense reforms will ensure that the people always come first. I invite the General Assembly to join me in the fight for a more ethical government.”

Election Reform

Beyond ethics reform, the governor continues to take steps to protect the upcoming election with safe and secure mail-in voting and new voting machines with a paper trail. The governor is urging the legislature to give counties more time to process mail-in ballots before election day.

Eligible Pennsylvanians interested in voting by mail should sign up now for a mail-in or absentee ballot at votespa.com and return the completed ballot well before election day.

The state and counties are making further election improvements. Many counties are increasing staffing and will use high-speed scanners and other technology to quickly process millions of mail-in ballots in the Nov. 3 election. The Wolf Administration is also providing counties with masks and face shields for poll workers, hand sanitizer, floor marking tape for social distancing, and other supplies so Pennsylvanians can safely vote.

Reading, PA – Today, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined City of Reading and other officials in the release of the new Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and an announcement of DCNR 2020 grants for community parks, small communities, and partnerships.

The plan, Recreation for All, is a blueprint including 20 recommendations and 70 action steps for meeting the outdoor recreation needs of all Pennsylvanians. Grants announced are the core of DCNR’s municipal investment program, providing for planning and development or rehabilitation of local community parks and recreation facilities.

“Now more than ever, we have experienced the impact of outdoor recreation on our mental and physical wellbeing,” Dunn said. “Pennsylvania’s new outdoor recreation plan serves as a blueprint on how we can make outdoor recreation accessible to every Pennsylvanian.”

In October 2018, DCNR began a more than a year-long public process of developing the state’s outdoor recreation plan, required every five years by the federal government to receive funding.

At today’s gathering, Dunn released the state’s newest Outdoor Recreation Plan, developed with input of nearly 12,000 Pennsylvanians, including recreation providers, outdoor enthusiasts and the public at large.

“This plan was developed for Pennsylvanians, by Pennsylvanians,” Dunn noted. “Through surveys, research and our technical advisory committee, we developed 20 recommendations and 70 actions steps that can guide investments and programs over the next five years. While DCNR leads the plan, implementing it is a team effort of other state agencies as well as recreation, conservation and health partners to together tackle challenges and embrace opportunities.”

Guided by a 40-member Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the plan’s priorities, recommendations, and actions were finalized before the challenges of COVID-19 and protests around racial injustice, but the framework for state outdoors recreation addresses those and other pressing challenges of today. Specifically, the plan prioritizes health and wellness and recreation for all, as well as sustainable systems, funding and economic development, and technology.

“It was a remarkable experience to participate in, listen to the conversations, and work to represent the interests and needs of truly all residents of the state and those who visit,” said Todd Pride, managing director of The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County and TAC member. “I commend DCNR’s leadership and team for bringing together all interests of the state and differing viewpoints in developing what will be another award-winning plan.  I’m proud to say I’m a resident of ‘Penn’s Woods.’”

The goal of the state outdoor recreation plan is to help all Pennsylvanians achieve greater access and enjoyment from experiences in the commonwealth’s abundance of local and state parks, state and national forests, trails, rivers, lakes, game lands and other recreation spaces.

DCNR is launching a new story map — Recreation for All — that outlines the five priority areas for outdoor recreation in the statewide plan and the key action steps as another tool to engage stakeholders and communities in the work.

Department officials elected to roll out the recreation plan and announce its first round of grants at Reading’s 3rd and Spruce Recreation Center — a facility that has benefitted from a 2019 DCNR grant for rehabilitation and further development.

Dunn announced today the city again would benefit from a DCNR investment — as part of its 2020 approved Community Parks, Communities and Partnerships grants. A $270,000 Keystone grant has been approved for development of the Reading Skatepark. Total cost of the project: $540,000, with a $270,000 match from the Reading Skatepark Association.

Reading’s grant is included on a list of 158 community park and partnership projects across the state receiving a total of approximately $23.4 million.

In this phase of DCNR grants announced, 158 projects received approximately $23,443,490. In the coming weeks, the department will be announcing other grants in phases addressing rivers conservation and riparian buffers; trails; and acquisitions – land trust and community.

More than 400 applications requesting almost $105 million in grant funds were received in April 2020. Through a competitive review process the applications were reviewed, evaluated, scored, and ranked.

The DCNR website includes information about the Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants and the Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Plan.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf is inviting all Pennsylvanians to download and then share the free COVID Alert PA app with friends, family, and coworkers in the commonwealth. Since the app launched on Tuesday, there have been more than 70,000 downloads. The COVID Alert PA app notifies users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19 without revealing their identity or location.

The app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa.”

“Thanks to the tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who have already downloaded the free app,” Gov. Wolf said. “Now, I ask that you share the app with all those you know because the more people who download it, the more effective it will be in helping us unite against COVID. Please download the app and then encourage those you know to do the same and use their phones in the fight.”

COVID Alert PA is a free, voluntary mobile app developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in partnership with NearForm, UPenn, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory using the Apple and Google Exposure Notification System. The app’s features include an interactive COVID-19 symptom checker, opt-in for alerts for potential exposures to the virus, updates on the latest public health data about COVID-19 in PA, and advice for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19.

The app is designed with privacy at the forefront. The app does not use GPS, location services, or any movement or geographical information. It will never collect, transmit, or store personal information. In other words, it is completely anonymous.

Here’s how COVID Alert PA works:

• The app uses anonymous Bluetooth low energy proximity technology to know when your phone is within 6 feet of another phone with the app for 15 minutes or more.
• When an app user confirms a positive COVID-19 test result in the app, it will check to see if it matches any of the anonymous Bluetooth close contact interactions your phone has had over the last 14 days.
• If there is a match, COVID Alert PA may send an alert after taking into account the date, duration of exposure, and the Bluetooth signal strength (which is used to estimate how close your phone was to the phone of the person having a positive test result).

Find more information on the COVID Alert Pennsylvania app here.