COVID-19 UPDATE: Resources, information, and helpful tips to protect you and your family!
Senator Blake Hosted a Telephone Town Hall on COVID-19
LIVE daily briefings from the PA Department of Health:
pacast.com/live/doh or www.governor.pa.gov/live/ or watch on Facebook
Latest News
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 1.7 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., February 17, there were 3,413 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 902,650. There are 2,356 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health And Legislative Joint Task Force Take Action To Ensure Pennsylvanians Get Second Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the newly formed joint task force with the legislature today reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that Pennsylvanians will have access to second doses of COVID-19 vaccine within the CDC-recommended...
Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Feb. 5-11: Case Increases at 19,621; Percent Positivity at 8.0% and 51 Counties with Substantial Transmission
Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 19,621, a...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: Over 1.5 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., February 13, there were 4,088 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 892,344. There are 2,548 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: Over 1.5 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., February 12, there were 3,987 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 888,256. There are 2,687 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health Issues COVID-19 Vaccine Order To Help Expedite Vaccine Administration, Improve Accessibility For Seniors
Harrisburg, PA - Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today issued an order directing vaccine providers’ administration of COVID-19 vaccines to ensure that Pennsylvanians are vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible. Governor Tom Wolf signed...
First Lady Frances Wolf Discusses Healing Through Art During COVID-19
First Lady Frances Wolf discussed using art as tool to heal during the COVID-19 pandemic in a virtual conversation hosted on Facebook. This was the second conversation in a series titled, “The Bigger Picture”, an extension of One...
Wolf Administration Updates On Progress Of Vaccinations Of Long-Term Care Facilities And Staff
Harrisburg, PA - The departments of Health (DOH) and Human Services (DHS) today provided an update on Pennsylvania’s progress administering COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff of long-term and congregate care facilities eligible in Phase 1A via...
Gov. Wolf and Aging Sec. Torres Share Community-Based Solutions Helping Pennsylvanians 65-plus Access the COVID-19 Vaccine
As the state continues to get vaccine to Phase 1A eligible Pennsylvanians, today Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Aging Robert Torres highlighted some of the community-based solutions that are working to help Pennsylvanians 65-plus access the COVID-19 vaccine. “We...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: Nearly 1.5 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., February 11, there were 3,978 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 884,269. There are 2,789 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
Department Of Health Announces Week-Ten Of Regional COVID-19 Testing Extension Across The Commonwealth
Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today announced beginning Saturday, February 13, regional drive-thru, outdoor walk-up, and indoor walk-in COVID-19 testing clinics will be held in Berks, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lawrence, and Lebanon counties. The counties...
Department Of Health Provides Update On COVID-19: More Than 1.4 Million Vaccinations To Date
Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., February 10, there were 3,378 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 880,291. There are 2,890 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that...
COVID-19 Vaccine Virtual Town Hall
What You Need to Know About COVID-19
The Coronavirus was first discovered during an outbreak in Wuhan, China. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new virus that causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms often do not appear in a person until 2 to 14 days after exposure.
Prepare Yourself and Your Family
The best way to avoid contracting COVID-19 is by practicing vital social distancing procedures. It is recommended to work remotely and severely limit contact with others.
If you think you have come into contact with someone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or are exhibiting them yourself, please follow the instructions on the graphic below:
Unemployment Compensation
PennDOT/Real ID Updates
All Driver License Centers and Photo License Centers in Pennsylvania are closed until further notice effective close of business on Monday, March 16.
Customers may complete various transactions and access multiple resources via our website: www.dmv.pa.gov.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has extended expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, and learner’s permits in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
Effective April 30, expiration dates for driver licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire March 16, 2020 through May 31, 2020, are now extended through June 30, 2020. These extensions are in addition to those announced on March 27.
Additionally, all Driver License Centers and Photo License Centers in Pennsylvania are closed until further notice effective close of business on March 16.
As a reminder, customers may complete various transactions and access multiple resources via the Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.
e services.
Federal REAL ID Enforcement Deadline Postponed to October 2021
The Department of Homeland Security has postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from October 1, 2020, to October 1, 2021, in response to COVID-19 and the national emergency declaration.
PennDOT closed all driver and photo license centers on March 16 and paused REAL ID issuance in the state out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of public health. Centers will reopen no sooner than April 3. PennDOT also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requesting that the agency consider extending the October 1, 2020 REAL ID enforcement deadline.
REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes. A federally-acceptable form of identification (whether it’s a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must now be used on and after October 1, 2021, as identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building that requires a federally acceptable form of identification ID for access.
REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania. There is no requirement that any resident obtain a REAL ID; PennDOT will continue to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs once issuance has resumed.
More information about document requirements, including a printable document checklist, can be found on the Document Check page of the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.
Protect Yourself
Medical Costs
As of March 9, the Governor announced that all major health insurers in Pennsylvania have agreed to cover “medically appropriate” COVID-19 testing and treatment.
The 10 major insurers are:
- Aetna
- Capital Blue Cross
- Cigna
- Geisinger
- Highmark
- Independence BlueCross
- Oscar
- Pennsylvania Health & Wellness
- UnitedHealthcare
- UPMC Health Plan
For anyone with questions about their insurance policy, please contact your insurer or the Pennsylvania State Insurance Department with questions. They can also be reached at (877) 881-6388.
Remote Medical Attention and Care
Health officials are urging people who have symptoms to stay home and contact their doctor remotely rather than opting for an in-person visit. Nearly all major health systems offer some form of virtual visits and assistance. Some insurers do, too. People interested in a specific virtual visit should check to see what illnesses it can be used for. Be sure to reach out to your insurance provider to verify this service is covered with your plan.
Here’s an brief overview of virtual visit services offered to local residents:
Capital BlueCross – is offering free medical Virtual Care visits for members who currently have the Virtual Care benefit. The waiving of fees will be effective March 13 through April 15, 2020.
Highmark – is providing many of their members with a virtual clinic visit service. Any fees related to COVID-19 will be waived.
UPMC Pinnacle – is welcoming Online Video Visits for those experience flu like symptoms or just in need of a follow-up appointment. Video visits are available through the MyPinnacleHealth portal for $49.
WellSpan Health – WellSpan Online Urgent Care offers a video visits with Teladoc physicians for patients 3 months and older for their standard fee of $49.
CALLING ALL PSYCHOLOGIST! Things may be picking up for you at this time, so we want to make sure you are covered too. Here are some COVID-19 resources on how to best protect yourself and serve your patients from the Pennsylvania Psychologist Association.
How to Stay Informed
Below is an extensive list of information, statistics, and resources to ensure you stay up-to-date with any changes happening due to COVID-19.
Pennsylvania Department of Health
- The PA DoH Daily COVID-19 report. Updated regularly throughout the day.
- Follow the PA Health Department on Twitter.
- Follow them on Facebook.
A complete list of information and resources available to you by county:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Track confirmed cases in the US. (This site is updated weekdays at noon and shows numbers that were current as of 4 p.m. the previous day.)
- CDC provided information regarding “What you should know about COVID-19”
- Follow the CDC on Twitter.
- Follow the CDC on Facebook.
- Learn how best to prevent “community transition” with specific details on what to do before, during, and after outbreaks.
World Health Organization
- Learn what’s happening Worldwide with the WHO’s Daily report. The most recent report is located at the top of the page. It includes confirmed case and death tallies.
- Additional COVID-19 information is provided on their website.
- Stay informed on Twitter.
- Follow their Facebook page.