As Pennsylvania experiences a resurgence of COVID-19 cases with significantly higher daily case counts than in the spring and hospitalizations on the rise, the Wolf Administration today announced four new mitigation efforts.
“It is our collective responsibility to protect our communities and our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians from COVID-19 and to continue to work together to get through this pandemic,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “These targeted mitigation efforts, combined with existing ones, are paramount to saving lives and protecting our economy. The administration will continue to monitor the risks posed by COVID-19 across the commonwealth and will reinstate or institute new targeted mitigation tactics as necessary.”
Efforts announced include:
Traveler Testing
Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued an order requiring anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering the commonwealth. If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania. This order, which takes effect Friday, Nov. 20, does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment.
Strengthened Masking Order
– Masks are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home
– When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you are not able to remain physically distant (at least 6 feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are outdoors
– When indoors, masks are required even if you are physically distant from members not in your household; this means that even if you are able to be 6 feet apart, you need to wear a mask while inside if you’re with people other than members of your household
– This order applies to every indoor facility, including homes, retail establishments, gyms, doctors’ offices, public transportation and anywhere food is prepared, packaged and served
Colleges and Universities
The departments of Health and Education issued recommendations for colleges and universities to implement a testing plan for when students return to campus following the holidays. These recommendations include establishing routine protocols for testing.
Colleges and universities should have adequate capacity for isolation and quarantine and should be prepared to enforce violations of established policies such as mask wearing and physical distancing.
Every college and university should test all students at the beginning of each term and when returning to campus after a break, and have regular screening testing throughout the semester/term.
Protecting the Healthcare System
Levine issued a memorandum to acute care hospitals outlining expectations to care for Pennsylvanians who need care during the pandemic. Hospitals are to work through the established healthcare coalitions and other partnerships to prepare for how they will support one another in the event that a hospital becomes overwhelmed during the pandemic. Hospitals should also work to move up elective procedures necessary to protect a person’s health and prepare to suspend them if the healthcare system becomes strained.
Restrictions on elective surgeries put into effect in March and lifted in April were to help with both PPE and bed capacity.
Hospitalizations are increasing, as are ICU patients, and, according to modeling from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, which does not take into account hospitalizations from influenza, Pennsylvania could run out of intensive care beds in December if ICU admissions continue at the current rate. The same modeling indicates the state will have sufficient medical-surgical beds with some uncertainty as to capacity from region to region.
“We must remain united in stopping COVID-19,” said Levine. “Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay apart and download the COVID Alert PA app. If you test positive, please answer the call of the case reviewer and provide information that can help protect others. It’s the selfless, right thing to do.”
At this point, no statewide business closures have been implemented by Wolf and Levine.
