Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller answers questions from the press.Governor Tom Wolf announced that people with intellectual disabilities and autism and the providers of support services for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians will receive $260 million in CARES Act funding to help continue to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Wolf was joined by Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller, who outlined to details of funding allocations. JUNE 15, 2020 – HARRISBURG, PA

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller announced the distribution of $31.5 million to Pennsylvania direct care workers who have continued to work through the COVID-19 crisis – making it possible for individuals with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians to live safely in their homes and near their families.

“I want to thank all direct care workers who have selflessly continued to aid and support their clients during this difficult time. I want to also acknowledge the participants in the self-directed service models who kept their direct care workers employed throughout this crisis despite the risks of COVID-19 exposure,” Secretary Miller said. “This has been an incredibly difficult time for all of us. But for those who are medically vulnerable and the dedicated professionals who care for them, everyday life has been even more challenging.”

Funded with state and federal dollars from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act – also known as the CARES Act – this compensation has been distributed as a one-time payment to more than 16,200 direct care workers in Pennsylvania employed through the participant-directed employer model. Payments are based on hours worked, and the average payment is $1,730.

The Wolf Administration has also distributed $112 million in CARES Act dollars to agencies that employ direct care workers who provide personal assistance services.

“Direct care workers are a lifeline to low-income senior citizens and individuals with disabilities living in our communities. During the coronavirus crisis, caregivers have relied on disrupted public transportation systems and inadequate personal protective equipment to help their consumers complete the tasks of daily living and live safely in their homes,” said Matthew Yarnell, president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “They are our unsung heroes and essential workers every day. This crisis pay is a tremendous victory that recognizes the invaluable role they play in Pennsylvania’s long-term services and supports system.”   

Secretary Miller also called on Pennsylvania lawmakers to act to increase Pennsylvania’s stagnant minimum wage. The commonwealth’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is the lowest allowed by federal law and trails most other states in the nation, including all of our surrounding states. Direct care workers would be among the professionals to benefit from the Wolf Administration’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour, with a pathway to $15 an hour.

“We must continue to support this workforce, many of whom work at low or poverty-level minimum wages, as they fill a critical role in our health care system protecting some of the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians who would otherwise struggle to live and care for themselves independently,” Secretary Miller said. “As is too often the case for caregiving professions, direct care workers are paid far less than their labor is worth. Direct care workers deserved a pay raise long before the pandemic, and they deserve it even more now.” 

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine today stressed the importance for children to have access to healthy foods and safe places to be physically active to help decrease the prevalence of childhood obesity in Pennsylvania.

“We know good nutrition from a healthy diet is an important factor in overall health. If children do not receive a healthy diet and physical activity, it could lead to serious health issues that impact their development and could even have long-term effects for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Levine said. “To decrease obesity among children, we must ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to nutritious foods as we advocate for food security during Hunger Action Month. The department is committed to strengthening programs and initiatives that provide children and adults safe opportunities to be physically active and ultimately stay healthy, especially as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities.”

Childhood obesity is defined as a person ages 2 to 19 with a Body Mass Index at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015-2016, the prevalence of obesity affected 18.5 percent or about 13.7 million children and adolescents across the country.

In Pennsylvania in 2016, 80,202 (12 percent) children aged 2 to 4 years old that received the Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits had obesity. During the 2017-2018 school year, 16.8 percent of children in kindergarten through sixth grade, or 160,220 children, had obesity reported through the Growth Screening Program. Additionally, there were 19.5 percent of children in seventh through 12th grade, or 155,339 children, who had obesity reported.

Numerous studies have shown that childhood obesity is more prevalent among minority and low-income families. WIC serves low-income families and aims to ensure that children get a healthy start to life. Vouchers are included in the WIC program for residents to purchase Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables at approved farm markets and farm stands across the state.

Programs like WIC help ensure Pennsylvanians are eating a healthy diet, which is essential to decreasing childhood obesity. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, individuals should be eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean protein foods and low-fat and fat-free dairy products, while limiting foods and beverages with added sugars, solid fats, or sodium.

In addition to eating a healthy diet, it is essential that children and adolescents are getting enough physical activity. Children 6 years of age or older should be getting at least an hour of physical activity a day, according to the CDC, with part of that time being aerobic activity such as walking, running, swimming or other activities. To find a local and safe walking route nearest you, learn more about the Department of Health’s WalkWorks program.

The department’s Obesity Prevention and Wellness Program collaborates with state and community-based partners to create healthier environments in schools, early childhood education facilities, worksites, hospitals and communities to support and increase good nutrition and physical activity. The department remains committed to supporting these sectors to provide healthy nutrition and offer safe physical activity especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pennsylvanians who need help feeding themselves or their family can find and contact their local food bank or pantry through Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger-Free Pennsylvania.

For more information about food assistance resources for people around Pennsylvania impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic insecurity, visit the Department of Agriculture’s food security guide.

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

Harrisburg, PA — The Wolf Administration today released frequently asked questions for restaurant owners to reference following the newly announced self-certification process.

This new process, Open & Certified Pennsylvania, ensures that customers and employees know that they can dine safely at restaurants ​committed to strictly complying with all public health safety guidelines and orders as we work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth.

“The novel coronavirus has created new challenges for Pennsylvania businesses, and it is critical that we provide avenues of support for our restaurants, which have been disproportionately impacted,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin. “Open & Certified Pennsylvania will instill consumer faith and allow our small businesses to recover more quickly, and we want to make the process as simple and easy as possible. The list of frequently asked questions we are releasing today will help ensure that this transition goes as smoothly as possible for Pennsylvania businesses.”  

Any restaurant that wishes to ​increase to 50 percent indoor capacity on September 21 must complete the online self-certification process by October 5.

Restaurant owners with additional questions about the self-certification program can contact covidselfcert@pa.gov.

Evangelical Community Hospital’s Echocardiography service recently earned reaccreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). The accreditation is for both the Hospital and Selinsgrove Imaging Center, located at 21 Susquehanna Valley Mall Dr, Selinsgrove.

Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, followed closely by stroke as the fourth highest. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 2,150 Americans die each day from cardiovascular disease which amounts to about one every 40 seconds.

There are many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography.  The training and experience of the sonographer performing the procedure, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics each facility is required to measure, all contribute to a positive patient outcome. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and a dedication to continuous improvement.

Both the Hospital and the Selinsgrove Imaging Center have been granted an additional three-year term of accreditation by the IAC. The Hospital is reaccredited in the areas of Adult Transthoracic, the most common type of echocardiogram, which is a still or moving image of the internal parts of the heart using ultrasound and for Adult Stress Echocardiography. The Selinsgrove Imaging Center is accredited in the area of Adult Transthoracic.

These latest reaccreditations demonstrated Evangelical’s ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care in echocardiography.

Accreditation by IAC indicates that Evangelical and the Selinsgrove Imaging Center have undergone an intensive application and review process and have been found to be in compliance with the published standards. Comprised of a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, the IAC accreditation process enables both critical operational and technical components of the applicant facility to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.

For more information on imaging services available at the Hospital and Selinsgrove Imaging Center, visit www.evanhospital.com.

3 new cases added Tuesday in Lycoming County now at 563 cases and 23 total deaths, with 11,411 negatives according to DOH report.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19,

496 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 140,359

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., September 8, that there are 496 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 140,359. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between September 1 and September 7 is 147,207 with 5,838 positive cases. There were 12,578 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., September 7. These results represent the total number of tests administered.

There are 7,791 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 11 new deaths reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

“The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as we protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including our children as they start school and our loved ones in long-term care facilities,” 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. We know that the cases in schools and in facilities such as nursing homes are often a reflection of the spread of the virus in the local community. Together, as Pennsylvanians, we each have a part to play in working 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.

Beginning August 29, the department began publishing COVID-19 case counts using the updated standardized case definition for COVID-19 from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. This revised case definition updates criteria for case identification and case classification based on the continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. It updates probable case classifications and adds suspect case classifications. The definition for confirmed cases using a positive PCR test has not changed. Viral antigen tests, which identify people who are likely currently infected, will now be considered a probable case, even if the individual has no symptoms or exposure history. Persons with a positive antibody (serology) test, moving forward, will no longer be considered a probable case. However, cases previously counted as probable cases, using the prior national case definition, will remain counted as probable cases.

There are 70 cases who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 646 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 1,614,717 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 11% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• Approximately 22% are ages 50-64; and
• Approximately 23% 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 August 31:

• NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 26 percent of cases in August;
• SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 17 percent of cases in August;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to nearly 20 percent of cases in August;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to 13 percent of cases in August;
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 14 percent of cases in August; and
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 11 percent of cases in August.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 21,464 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,615 cases among employees, for a total of 26,079 at 948 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,242 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 9,914 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. 7:

• Announced restaurants may increases occupancy to 50 percent beginning Sept 21.
• Called for legislative action to help homeowners and renters avoid eviction.
• 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.

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
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

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.

A single case was removed on Monday in Lycoming County now at 560 cases and 23 total deaths, with 11,381 negatives according to DOH report.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19,

547 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 139,863

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., September 7, that there are 547 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 139,863. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 31 and September 6 is 161,316 with 5,838 positive cases. There were 16,494 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., September 6. These results represent the total number of tests administered.

There are 7,780 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 20 new deaths reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

“The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as we protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including our children as they start school and our loved ones in long-term care facilities,” 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. We know that the cases in schools and in facilities such as nursing homes are often a reflection of the spread of the virus in the local community. Together, as Pennsylvanians, we each have a part to play in working 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.

Beginning August 29, the department began publishing COVID-19 case counts using the updated standardized case definition for COVID-19 from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. This revised case definition updates criteria for case identification and case classification based on the continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. It updates probable case classifications and adds suspect case classifications. The definition for confirmed cases using a positive PCR test has not changed. Viral antigen tests, which identify people who are likely currently infected, will now be considered a probable case, even if the individual has no symptoms or exposure history. Persons with a positive antibody (serology) test, moving forward, will no longer be considered a probable case. However, cases previously counted as probable cases, using the prior national case definition, will remain counted as probable cases.

There are 71 cases who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 646 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 1,608,378 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;
• Nearly 11% are ages 19-24;
• Approximately 37% are ages 25-49;
• Approximately 22% are ages 50-64; and
• Nearly 23% 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 August 31:

• NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 26 percent of cases in August;
• SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 17 percent of cases in August;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to nearly 20 percent of cases in August;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to 13 percent of cases in August;
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 14 percent of cases in August; and
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 11 percent of cases in August.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 21,430 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,613 cases among employees, for a total of 26,043 at 947 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,240 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 9,901 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.

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.

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
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

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.