August 31, 2020
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.
August 31, 2020
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.”
August 31, 2020
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.”
August 30, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 30, that there are 670 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 133,504. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 23 and August 29 is 160,682 with 4,405 positive cases. There were 21,994 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 29. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
August 29, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 29, that there are 843 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 132,834. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
Philadelphia is reporting an increase of 109 cases.
August 28, 2020
DOYLESTOWN – August 28, 2020 − State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced that the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County will receive $803,306.00 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Office of Technology and Innovation. This funding through the COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments and Therapies (CV-VTT) program will support the advancement of vaccines, treatments, and therapies by qualified biotechnology entities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The PA Biotech Center is an important part of our region’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, ushering in some of the first diagnostic tests in Bucks County through on-site companies, as well as hosting a number of other entrepreneurs who are developing new drugs to manage this disease,” said Sen. Santarsiero. “This investment not only spurs economic growth to the area’s biotech sector, but will likely help save lives here and across the world.”
The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, which manages the PA Biotech Center, was awarded $165,406 to continue work on a new compound that binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and prevents viral entry and promote it to human clinical trials. This could be the first small molecule drug for treatment of COVID-19.
The Blumberg Institute was also awarded $207,900 to conduct a study to determine if a small molecule, iminosugar, alone or in combination with Remdesivir or Favipiravir, has useful antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19.
The PA Biotech was awarded $430,000 to convert an under-used warehouse grade space in its complex into useful research and training space that will accelerate the pace of development of projects dealing with COVID-19 and related work. The 6,000-square-foot space will be used by several biotechnology companies, research projects, and trainees who will work on new therapeutics and diagnostics discovery science, as well as human phlebotomy for COVID-19.
“The PA Biotech Center has demonstrated that it can be a hub for numerous growth opportunities,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “I am very excited to work with the Center to help those opportunities become real jobs and new industries here.”
The PA Biotech Center is a non-profit, managed by the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, offering state-of-the-art laboratory and office space to research and biotechnology companies. The CV-VTT funds, which will be matched dollar for dollar with private funds, will enable the PA Biotech Center to respond to the explosive demand and immediate need for additional research to accommodate multiple COVID-19 treatment and therapy projects.
For more information on the CV-VTT program, visit the DCED website.
###
August 28, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 1,004 licensed liquor establishments from Wednesday, August 26 through Thursday, August 27 to ensure businesses are abiding by COVID-19 mitigation requirements that include social distancing, masking, and other health and safety requirements of the liquor code.
Liquor Control Enforcement Officers issued two notices of violation and 18 warnings for failing to follow COVID-19 requirements. As mandated by the liquor code, a notice of violation precedes the issuance of an administrative citation, which is civil in nature, and is intended to provide licensed liquor establishments notification of the nature of violation(s) discovered. The investigation remains open during this period, pending review by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE). Because the investigation is ongoing, names of establishments issued a notice of violation will not be released at this time. Each BLCE district office posts a monthly public information release that includes details on citations issued by that office.
August 28, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 28, that there are 835 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 131,991 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
Philadelphia is reporting an increase of 120 cases.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 21 and August 27 is 156,317 with 4,216 positive cases. There were 22,640 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 27. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
August 28, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf today announced his plan to distribute more than $117 million in CARES Act funding to child care providers across Pennsylvania – the third of three distributions to sustain an industry that builds healthy foundations for our children, facilitates employment and economic opportunity for working parents, and is the keystone for every other aspect of our economy.
“Pennsylvania has made significant investments to preserve our child care sector to keep providers open and available to working families, but we know that child care providers remain vulnerable to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “A strong child care industry is a requirement for a healthy economy. We must remember this as we move forward and continue support for child care providers as they care for young Pennsylvanians and allow parents to work so our communities and economy can thrive.”
August 27, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf announced that 23 awardees will receive $10 million in grant funding through the COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments and Therapies (CV-VTT) program to support the rapid advancement of vaccines, treatments and therapies by qualified biotechnology entities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know that the only way we can get back to our normal lives is by developing a robust testing and tracing infrastructure combined with effective, safe and affordable treatments and vaccines,” said Gov. Wolf. “The funding awarded today will jumpstart a number of promising projects that would help Pennsylvania overcome this devastating global pandemic, setting us on a path to recovery and protection both now and in the future.”
August 27, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 27, that there are 620 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 131,156 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 20 and August 26 is 151,008 with 4,387 positive cases. There were 22,165 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 26. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
August 26, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 1,245 licensed liquor establishments from Monday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 25 to ensure businesses are abiding by COVID-19 mitigation requirements that include social distancing, masking, and other health and safety requirements of the liquor code.
Liquor Control Enforcement Officers issued one notice of violation and 21 warnings for failing to follow COVID-19 requirements. As mandated by the liquor code, a notice of violation precedes the issuance of an administrative citation, which is civil in nature, and is intended to provide licensed liquor establishments notification of the nature of violation(s) discovered. The investigation remains open during this period, pending review by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE). Because the investigation is ongoing, names of establishments issued a notice of violation will not be released at this time. Each BLCE district office posts a monthly public information release that includes details on citations issued by that office.
August 26, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania’s secretaries of the departments of Health, Education and Human Services today assured Pennsylvania families that the Wolf Administration is committed to helping families with children overcome challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Human Services announced that it is creating flexibilities in child care options, including temporarily suspending some regulatory policies on school-age child care to give families options on learning pods, and providing assistance to families struggling financially. Health promoted healthy habits to protect children and communities, and Education focused on how to nurture every child’s educational needs.
August 26, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 26, that there are 501 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 130,536 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 19 and August 25 is 156,132 with 4,456 positive cases. There were 20,610 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 25. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
August 26, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today highlighted the results of a testing partnership established with the goal of expanding COVID-19 testing in hot spots of Lebanon County. Welsh Mountain Health Centers, Latino Connection, and Aetna Better Health partnered to host 10, two-hour COVID-19 testing events in Lebanon in July and August. The events collectively administered 487 tests and provided additional resources and services to hundreds of community members.
August 25, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today provided an update on universal baseline COVID-19 testing in DHS-licensed personal care homes, assisted living residences, and private intermediate care facilities.
To date, 1,160, or 85 percent of these facilities have completed universal baseline testing ahead of the August 31 deadline. With the help of the Regional Response Health Collaborative (RRHC) Program, these long-term care facilities are on pace to meet this deadline.
August 25, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf is dedicating approximately $17 million to help 220 local education agencies (LEAs), including school districts, to improve educational services for approximately 180,000 students at schools designated for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“While all schools have been impacted this year by the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools that have been identified under ESSA as needing extra support are facing additional challenges,” said Gov. Wolf. “This funding will help these high-need schools as they put systems in place to help students while we work to control the spread of this virus.”
August 25, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine today announced a unique partnership with Latino Connection, Highmark Blue Shield and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation to create the first-in-the-nation COVID-19 Mobile Response Unit to provide testing and education targeting minority and underserved communities throughout Pennsylvania.
August 25, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 25, that there are 561 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 130,035 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 18 and August 24 is 157,763 with 4,630 positive cases. There were 20,852 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 24. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
August 25, 2020
With an executive order that protects homeowners and renters from eviction or foreclose expiring Sept. 1, Governor Tom Wolf sent letters to the House and Senate urging the legislature to temporarily extend the existing moratorium and fix defects in Act 24 of 2020, a recently created program that helps renters and homeowners.
The governor re-issued the eviction and moratorium executive order in July; however, the Emergency Services Code does not allow for further relief related to temporary housing.
August 25, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from August 17 through August 23, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
These numbers include actions taken during routine food safety inspections and inspections prompted by consumer complaints.
August 24, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf today presented his fall legislative agenda for worker and family support and protections, COVID-19 recovery, and government reform. The initiatives were introduced to focus the General Assembly after a spring and summer of Republican efforts to curtail the administration’s efforts to manage the pandemic and keep the public safe.
“House and Senate Democrats have been fighting for progress to protect families and businesses in these spaces since the beginning of the pandemic, but they have been stopped at every turn by the Republican majority focused on ignoring the public health crisis,” Gov. Wolf said. “That must stop now. The legislature must come back and take immediate steps to provide funding to frontline workers and businesses, put in place protections for families and our workforce, and make these commonsense reforms that can provide confidence in our government. Pennsylvanians need relief, they need reform, and they need it now.”
August 24, 2020
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 will be released each Monday beginning today.
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.
August 24, 2020
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 need to use proven public health strategies such as case investigations, contact tracing efforts and ongoing monitoring,” 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. We are all united in this together, so please make the right choice to answer the call, it will help us mitigate the spread of this virus and further protect a loved one, co-worker or friend.”
August 24, 2020
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., August 24, that there are 426 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 129,474 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 17 and August 23 is 157,052 with 4,588 positive cases. There were 14,973 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 23. These results represent the total number of tests administered.
