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 today was joined by Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) Executive Director and CEO Robin L. Wiessmann, Sen. Jay Costa, Rep. Maureen Madden and advocates to urge the legislature to quickly pass legislation to protect Pennsylvanians from eviction from their homes and fix a state program, so it helps more homeowners and renters as intended.

“Pennsylvanians shouldn’t lose their homes or have to worry about a place to live because of the financial hardships caused by COVID-19,” said Governor Wolf. “Pennsylvanians are making sacrifices to fight this pandemic, but a place to live shouldn’t be one of them. I’ve paused evictions for nearly four months, but now we need legislation. I urge the General Assembly to immediately pass a moratorium on evictions and fix flaws in a rent relief program so more people can get the help they need.”

Since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court eviction moratorium expired in May, the governor has signed executive orders on May 7 and July 9 that protected Pennsylvanians from foreclosures and evictions. The recent order expired Aug. 31 and the state’s Emergency Services Code does not allow the governor to provide further relief related to temporary housing. Legislation is necessary to further pause evictions and ensure people have a stable place to live as the economy continues to recover.

The governor is also urging the General Assembly to fix defects in Act 24 of 2020, which provides $175 million in rent and mortgage relief using CARES Act funds. The program, administered by the PHFA, has a cumbersome application process and is helping fewer people than expected.

The governor called for changes to help renters:

• Raise the $750 monthly cap on rent relief to at least 130% of HUD limits – In some parts of the state rent payments exceed $750 a month, therefore landlords decline to participate, leaving tenants without payment assistance.
• Eliminate the requirement that households be 30 days behind on rent to be eligible for assistance – The requirement creates an unfair burden on applicants who prioritize rent and mortgage payments over paying for food, medicine or other bills.
• Eliminate verification that applicants applied for unemployment compensation – The added administrative step creates unnecessary processing delays of applications and availability of assistance.
• Provide landlords and mortgagees the option to forgive the remaining unpaid rent or mortgage payments or allow the balance to be repaid over one year – Offering property owners to recoup balance of payments should encourage participation in the program.

“In the first two months of managing the relief programs for renters and homeowners, we’ve learned things that can make the programs work better and get assistance out to more people,” said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann. “Making these changes, and extending the application deadline, should help us assist considerably more people and, most importantly, prevent them from becoming homeless.”

The governor sent letters to the House and Senate last week outlining the recommendations.

“No one should worry about losing the roof over their head at the same time they’re worried about contracting a highly contagious, deadly virus,” said Senator Jay Costa. “It’s our job to keep families safe, not stand idly by as they’re made homeless in droves. I call on the Senate Republicans to call us back into session immediately to extend the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.”

“We were in a housing crisis before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Maureen Madden. “All the virus has done is stripped away the façade and exposed the crumbling beams. Now, one in five renters and homeowners can’t make their monthly payments. Think about it. How many people live on your street? Now think about every fifth house empty. We must act now.”

“In all these years, I have never missed a payment, but I am currently in the situation where I need to choose between risking my life, as I am immune-compromised,” said Jesús Rodriguez. “Many Pennsylvanians have lost jobs and income, and we need the legislature to extend the moratorium on evictions to protect working-class families from homelessness.”

To further help renters, the governor is proposing an additional $100 million for the Rent Relief Program to provide more financial assistance on behalf of low- to moderate-income renters having trouble making rent payments as a result of the pandemic. Assistance would remain as grants with funds paid directly to landlords or property owners.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have each extended foreclosure and eviction moratoriums through Dec. 31.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf signed a second renewal of his 90-day disaster declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic yesterday. He originally signed it March 6 following the announcement of the first two presumptive positive cases of the virus in the commonwealth.

“As we approach the six-month mark of this crisis, I continue to be amazed at the resiliency and strength shown by Pennsylvanians during this pandemic,” Gov. Wolf said. “We are going to continue to combat the health and economic effects of COVID-19, and the renewal of my disaster declaration will provide us with resources and support needed for this effort.”

The emergency disaster declaration provides for increased support to state agencies involved in the continued response to the virus and recovery for the state during reopening. This includes expediting supply procurement and lifting certain regulations to allow for efficient and effective mitigation.

The disaster declaration has allowed for waivers and extensions to continue to provide for Pennsylvanians and businesses under the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, including the ability to waive the one-week waiting period to receive unemployment compensation, work search requirements, and the registration with PA CareerLink for applicants, and to provide relief from charges for employers; and allowing the commonwealth to suspend numerous training requirements and certification and licensure renewals for health care professionals, child care workers, direct care workers, direct support professionals, among other professional groups who provide life-sustaining services to our children, seniors, and vulnerable residents.

Through the disaster declaration, PEMA has been able to mission assign the National Guard to provide various types of support for long term care facilities, including providing direct patient care support, ancillary support, and testing, and at community-based testing sites. It also provides PEMA with the ability to leverage continued federal support such as non-congregate sheltering.

The renewed disaster declaration will continue to support all of these efforts, as well as allow PEMA to rapidly scale response efforts and employ new intervention tactics, such as the administration of a vaccine.

The Department of Health’s Department Operations Center at PEMA continues to be active, as is the CRCC there.

Read the amendment to the emergency disaster declaration here.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard. Updates are released each Monday.

The update includes the following:

• Level of community transmission as a basis for the recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to determine instructional models.
• Cases that reported visiting a business among potential locations where exposures may have occurred.
• Updated travel recommendations.

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This week’s update compares the period of August 21 – August 27 to the previous seven days, August 14 – August 20.

“Our percent positivity decreased again this week, representing the fifth straight week that the percent positivity has decreased,” Gov. Wolf said. “This is a testament that our actions are working, but we still have more work to do. The virus is still circulating, and we must continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings to keep our numbers low, stop the spread and allow more freedom.”

As of Thursday, August 27, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 4,165; the previous seven-day increase was 4,518, indicating a 353-case decrease across the state over the past week.

The statewide percent-positivity went down to 3.2% from 3.4% last week. Counties with concerning percent-positivity include Columbia (13.5%), Armstrong (8.3%), Perry (6.9%), Northumberland (6.7%), Potter (5.9%), Beaver (5.7%), Dauphin (5.3%), Fulton (5.3%), and York (5.0%). Each of these counties bears watching as the state continues to monitor all available data.

Community Transmission
As of Friday’s data, Columbia County was the one county in the substantial level with a known source of an outbreak fueling community transmission. The departments of Education and Health will speak with school district representatives in Columbia County to discuss the implications of this level of transmission.

For the week ending August 27, 22 counties were in the low level of transmission, 44 counties in the moderate level, with one with substantial transmission:

• Low – Bedford, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Juniata, McKean, Montour, Pike, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wayne, Wyoming
• Moderate – Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, Union, Washington, Westmoreland, York
• Substantial – Columbia

Business Visits
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Of the 4,536 confirmed cases reported between August 16 and August 22, 46 percent (2,093) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 13 percent, or 268, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

• 50 percent (134) of those who said yes reported going to a restaurant;
• 25 percent (66) of those who said yes reported going to some other business establishment;
• 12 percent (33) of those who said yes reported going to a bar;
• 12 percent (33) of those who said yes reported going to a gym/fitness center; and
• 9 percent (24) of those who said yes reported going to a salon/barbershop.

Of the 4,536 confirmed cases, 47 percent (2,114) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 47 percent, nearly 13 percent (272) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on August 24, this week’s data saw an increase in people who reported going to some other business (25 percent vs. 23 percent), and going to a gym/fitness center (12 percent vs. 8 percent). Numbers went down for this week’s data for people going to a salon/barbershop (9 percent vs. 12 percent) and going to a bar (12 percent vs. 17 percent). Numbers remained the same for those who reported visiting a restaurant (50 percent). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event went up from nearly 12 percent to nearly 13 percent.

Case investigator notes included frequent mentions of visits to bars and restaurants among positive cases. To better understand this emerging trend, on July 13 contact tracers began asking more specific questions on the types of businesses visited and if individuals attended a mass gathering, defined as more than 250 people in attendance outdoors or more than 25 indoors.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. With less than half of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that people answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

Travel Recommendations
Also today, the Department of Health updated its travel recommendations, originally announced on July 2, to add Hawaii, Illinois and South Dakota to the list of states recommended for domestic travelers returning from to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania. No states were removed from the list.

It is important that people understand that this recommendation is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves quarantining.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today shared an update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data.

“In order to successfully mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we use proven public health strategies such as case investigations, contact tracing efforts and ongoing monitoring and rely on Pennsylvanians to do their part to answer the call,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We have a growing team of dedicated professionals equipped to do this work and truly make a difference, but we need our fellow Pennsylvanians to pick up the phone when they call, share where they went and who they came in contact with to complete a case investigation. We are all united in this together, so please make the right choice to answer the call, it will help to stop this virus in its tracks before it could affect more of our loved ones, co-workers or friends across the state.”

The contact tracing process is not possible without a case investigation by a public health professional. Between Sunday, August 16 and Saturday, August 22, there were 4,536 COVID-19 cases statewide and 78 percent of all cases had a case investigation started within 24 hours of receiving the positive report.

During the case investigation, public health professionals spend 30 to 60 minutes asking questions to ensure all potential close contacts are identified. They collect information about who the case came in contact with and where they went while they were infectious. Information collected during the case investigation process is not shared publicly unless doing so would further the response.

After the initial case investigation is complete, contact tracing begins. Within that same time period, August 16 to August 22, there were 1,242 contact tracing staff working with local and county health entities, partner organizations and the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program within the Department of Human Services. The total number of contact tracing staff has increased by 132 since last week as new staff is hired and onboarded through a partnership with Insight Global.

Of the 1,242 contact tracers there are 71 volunteers, 10 care resource managers, and 30 contact tracing supervisors. These staff monitored 9,335 contacts that were identified during the case investigations.

You can find more information on the state’s contact tracing efforts and all available contact tracing positions at the Department of Health’s website here.

Pennsylvanians are reminded that mask-wearing is required when visiting businesses or in any setting outside the home where social distancing is difficult. Remember: My mask protects you; your mask protects me.

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.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19,

521 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 134,025

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 31, that there are 521 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 134,025 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 24 and August 30 is 159,917 with 4,456 positive cases. There were 22,467 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 30. These results represent the total number of tests administered.

There are 7,673 total deaths attributed to COVID-19. No new deaths were 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 10 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 1,524,195 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 2% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 4% are ages 13-18;
• Nearly 10% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 38% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 23% are ages 50-64; and
• Approximately 23% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 25-49, 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 present in August:

• SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 19 percent of cases so far in August;
• NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 24 percent of cases so far in August;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to nearly 20 percent of cases so far in August;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 13 percent of cases so far in August;
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 14 percent of cases so far in August; and
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 11 percent of cases so far in August.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 21,034 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,498 cases among employees, for a total of 25,532 at 929 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,189 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 9,627 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, August 30:

• Provided Pennsylvania State Police enforcement data.
• Called for paid sick and family leave.

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.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today advised that nine Walmart drive-thru and parking lot COVID-19 testing locations across the state will have a modified testing schedule during the week of August 31.

“When we established our testing strategy, we wanted testing to be accessible, available and adaptable and we are working to meet that challenge,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We value our collaboration with Quest Diagnostics and Walmart and thank them for their work to ensure Pennsylvanians have access to testing. All Pennsylvanians who believe they are in need of a COVID-19 test and meet testing criteria are encouraged to get tested today.”

The modified testing schedule comes as Quest Diagnostics, the laboratory test provider responsible for scheduling and processing COVID-19 tests in partnership with Walmart sites, is transitioning to a different online scheduling tool during the week of August 31. During and after the transition, Pennsylvanians will still be able to schedule testing through the Quest Diagnostics website at https://appointment.questdiagnostics.com/patient/confirmation.

The following four sites offering testing Monday through Friday will keep the same 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule the week of August 31:

1. Walmart Supercenter pharmacy drive-thru, 355 Walmart Drive, Uniontown, PA
2. Walmart Supercenter pharmacy drive-thru, 2601 Macarthur Rd Relocation, Whitehall, PA
3. Walmart Supercenter pharmacy drive-thru, 2010 Village Center Dr, Tarentum, PA
4. Walmart Supercenter pharmacy drive-thru, 134 Daniel Kendall, West Brownsville, PA

The following nine sites that typically offer Monday, Wednesday, and Friday testing from 7 AM to 9 AM will only offer testing from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM on Monday, August 31:

5. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 20245 Route 19, Cranberry Township, PA
6. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 200 Kocher Lane, Elizabethville, PA
7. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 50 Newberry Parkway, Etters, PA
8. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1355 E Lehman St, Lebanon, PA
9. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 100 Chippewa Town Center, Beaver Falls, PA
10. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 63 Perkins Rd, Clarion, PA
11. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1665 N Atherton St, State College, PA
12. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 2501 W State St, New Castle, PA
13. Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 108 Washington Towne Blvd N, Edinboro, PA

The sites will resume their typical schedule beginning September 8. As a reminder, these sites will be open weekly to test up to 50 registered patients and the tests are being provided at no cost to Pennsylvanians.

Patients will create an account on Quest’s patient portal and answer some eligibility questions to determine if they meet the criteria to get tested. Registration is required one day in advance. Once a patient is registered, they are notified of a testing location within a 50-mile radius of them with available appointment times. The patient will schedule an appointment time, print a voucher and bring the voucher to the location with them to their appointment. Patients will be notified of their test results via email. The average turnaround time for patients to receive their test results is two days.  Physicians will call any patient who has a positive test result.

If symptomatic and asymptomatic Pennsylvanians in the impacted communities need testing from September 1-7, they can visit entities such as Rite Aid, CVS, Patient First, Walgreens and others for testing. Pennsylvanians can also be tested at hospitals, health systems, Federally Qualified Health Centers, health clinics and other locations. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

1. Fever
2. Cough
3. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
4. Diarrhea
5. Chills
6. Repeating shaking with chills
7. Muscle pain
8. Headache
9. Sore throat
10. New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

For more information on COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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 – As Pennsylvanians continue to fight the health risks of COVID-19, Governor Tom Wolf is calling for the General Assembly to pass legislation for paid sick and family leave for workers who need to miss work for an illness or to take care of a loved one.

“Pennsylvanians are working hard, especially during this pandemic, and they should not have to choose between losing a day’s pay or going to work sick,” said Gov. Wolf. “It’s time for the General Assembly to stand up for Pennsylvania’s workers and protect the health of all Pennsylvanians.”

Paid sick leave can be used to recover from an illness, such as COVID-19, for medical appointments, to care for a family member, or to seek help from abuse or violence.

“Pennsylvania workers have waited long enough, and the pandemic has made the need for paid sick leave more urgent,” said Gov. Wolf. “All employees should have healthy and safe workplaces. There are many paid sick and family leave bills in the legislature, and I’m committed to working with the General Assembly to finally get workers the earned leave they deserve.”

Enacting a paid sick leave law would help an estimated 400,000 Pennsylvanians, particularly low-wage workers who are forced to work when ill, risking their health and the employees and customers around them. Providing paid sick leave would improve public health and help to prevent more people from getting sick.

The governor was joined for a press conference at andculture, a Harrisburg design firm that supports paid sick leave, by Senators Vincent Hughes, Maria Collett and Pam Iovino and Reps. Mike Schlossberg and Steve Malagari.

“Working people deserve employer-paid sick leave so they can attend to the health and wellness of themselves or their families when necessary,” said Sen. Vincent Hughes. “Whether we are in a pandemic or conducting business as normal, the lack of paid sick leave is an overwhelming stressor on our low-income workers, our health care system, and public health in general. Employer-paid sick leave is already working in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The General Assembly must prioritize protecting hundreds of thousands of low-income Pennsylvanians who stand to benefit from adopting paid sick leave across the commonwealth.”

“Even before COVID hit, Pennsylvania’s families were in trouble,” said Sen. Maria Collett. “As a prime sponsor of SB 580, the Family Care Act, I was painfully aware that more than 80 percent of hardworking Pennsylvanians had no form of paid leave to care for themselves or a sick loved one without fear of losing their jobs. Over the past few months, we’ve been putting Band-aids on bullet holes to help families and small businesses try to survive. But bigger, systemic changes are required, and I am glad to see Governor Wolf stepping up and supporting programs like paid leave that are both widely supported and long overdue.”

Rep. Mike Schlossberg added, “We’ve heard a lot of talk about essential workers in the last six months. Opponents of sick leave will argue that every worker is essential. That’s a perfectly valid argument to make if it’s one backed up with policy. You can’t tell a worker they are essential and then tell them their health is irrelevant.”

“No employee should ever have to choose between taking care of a sick family member and keeping their job; and no employer should have to choose between the health of their business and loyalty to their workers,” said Sen. Pam Iovino. “That was true before the pandemic hit, but now, as working families and businesses in my district and across Pennsylvania persevere through this challenge, paid family leave has become an absolute necessity for the health of our families and our economy. I am committed to working with my colleagues on getting a bipartisan bill to Governor Wolf’s desk.”

“Paid parental and sick leave provides stability and peace of mind to both businesses and working families, especially at times of uncertainty,” said Rep. Steve Malagari. “Paid leave reduces staff turnover and makes financial sense for businesses. If you truly want to support family values, and if you want to support our economy, then you need to support paid leave for our hardworking families.”

Eight states and Washington D.C. have approved legislation to create paid family and medical leave insurance programs. The loss of productivity in the United States economy from illness in the workplace is $160 billion annually, mostly due to employees coming to work while sick, according to the Main Street Alliance. An estimated $1 billion is spent on health care costs due to lack of paid sick days, the Alliance concluded.

Today, the governor also announced that the commonwealth’s new paid parental leave policy will take effect Oct. 15. Commonwealth employees will be eligible for up to six weeks of paid parental leave to care for a child after a birth, adoption, or foster care placement. The new policy is separate from any accrued sick or paid time off that the employee may have earned.

Expanding opportunities for new parents to spend time with children following a birth, adoption or foster placement helps to build connections and strengthen families, which is critical to health and development.

Paternal leave also helps to bridge the gap to child care programs that often require newborns to be at least six weeks old to enroll. If parents have paid family leave, they can spend time with their baby without having to worry about a paycheck. Paid parental leave is also a valuable benefit to attract new employees and encourage experienced employees to return to work and resume their careers following the welcoming of a new child to their family. 

Lycoming County – Lycoming County Resource Management Services has reopened one additional site at Watson Township, located at 5172 North State Route 44, Jersey Shore PA 17740.

If you or anyone in your household has COVID19, please throw away your recyclables. If you do not wish to visit the drop off sites, please know single stream recycling is available in Lycoming County. Reach out to your waste hauler for details.

Recycling drop off site has reopened at Watson Township, located at the Township Building. Please know that the recycling site no longer has steps to use the plastics/metals container.

Please be aware that collection procedures have changed. To better accommodate the inbound recyclables and help with its transportation, more materials will be combined:

1. FIBER/PAPERS which include magazines, newspapers, chipboard, office paper junk mail, and cardboard that has been broken down are all acceptable into one container.

2. PLASTICS BOTTLES 1&2/METAL CANS which include plastic bottles/jars #1&2 only, tin/steel cans, and aluminum cans are all acceptable into one container.

3. GLASS BOTTLES/JARS are still acceptable and are still separated by color (clear/brown/green).

PLASTIC BAGS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE RECYCLING CONTAINERS, PLEASE EMPTY ANY BAGGED MATERIAL AND TAKE THE BAGS BACK HOME WITH YOU (only exception is for shredded office paper, please put your shredded office paper in a clear bag).

Thank you for your recycling participation. We will release updates as new sites begin to open. Please know that you may recycle at any of the open Lycoming County recycling drop off sites regardless of your municipality. For an updated list of open drop off sites, please check our website www.lcrms.com.