Chesco Commissioners to Wolf: Let us prove ourselves ready to move to Yellow, June 4
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
The Chester County Commissioners issued a statement Wednesday night, calling on Gov. Tom Wolf to allow the county to prove it is ready to move to Yellow status in the state’s reopening plan by June 4 — and asking county residents to try to be patient and stick it out two more weeks.
In the statement, the Commissioners — Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell...
COVID-19 Update, May 20: Wolf announces funding for day care from CARES Act
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Without child care providers, many Pennsylvanians will not be able to return to work when it is safe do so — especially in counties that have moved to Yellow or are about to do so. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that an initial distribution of $51 million of funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to support...
COVID-19 Update, May 19: Majority of state’s deaths came from long-term facilities
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
The Wolf Administration released details about the number of infections and deaths in the state’s long-term care facilities and it shows the majority of the state’s deaths from COVID-19 came at these facilities.
The state redacted info for facilities with less than five deaths (except for two, due to an apparent error) with some 155 facilities having...
Coroner: Majority of COVID-19 deaths at long-term care facilities; total county deaths to date 274, death rate declining
WEST CHESTER — According to information issued Monday by the Chester County Coroner’s Office, the deadliest toll from the COVID-19 virus has taken place at the county’s long-term care facilities.
Between March 28 and May 17, a total of 274 confirmed or probable COVID-19 deaths were reported to the Chester County Coroner’s Office. Of those, 229 (83.6%) were residents of long-term care...
COVID-19 Update, May 18: New case numbers hold steady; Wolf highlights PEMA, Nat. Guard role in crisis
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
As COVID-19 new cases in the state stabilize, but not drop significantly, officials said that health providers who provided testing and treatment for the virus for uninsured patients will be reimbursed through federal stimulus funds.
“All Pennsylvanians should have access to necessary testing for COVID-19 and this federal funding will help eliminate...
County working to get businesses ready to reopen
WEST CHESTER — In less than two weeks of announcing the formation of a business task force to help re-open, repair and restore Chester County’s economy affected by COVID-19, the Commissioners have brought together a team to focus on the county’s future business needs. Members of the COVID-19 Business Task Force bring a wealth of business, economic, education and government acumen to the group...
COVID-19 Update, May 15: 13 counties move to Yellow, 12 more announced for next week
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
With 13 counties moving to a more open “Yellow” status today in the fight against COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that 12 more counties had met state criteria and would move to Yellow next Friday: Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and York.
By next week, a total of 49 counties will...
COVID-19 Update, May 14: GOP legislators call on Wolf to move Chesco to Yellow
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
As the death toll climbs in the state and in Chester County, three local Republican state legislators called on Gov. Tom Wolf to move the county to “Yellow” status, Thursday.
While Chester County does meet some of metrics laid out by Wolf’s plan to reopen the state — in particular medical capacity — it still fails in a few key areas: testing...
COVID-19 Update, May 13: State officials remind shoppers to wear masks to protect essential workers
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Although the number of new COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth — and Chester County — appears to be shrinking, state officials are reminding residents to continue to be patient as the state works through the crisis.
One area in particular is anger that seems to be being vented at workers at grocery stores and other essential retailers when employees...
Letter: Childcare centers will need help to reopen safely