I am writing with an update on issues relating to the pandemic.

Reminder

To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Governor Tom Wolf has ordered all residents of Pennsylvania to stay at home except for those who work in life-sustaining businesses or to go to the grocery store or pharmacy or other essential needs.  This week the governor also asked that all Pennsylvanians wear a cloth mask when you leave the house.

As a reminder, when going out, it’s important to practice social distancing and frequently wash hands and thoroughly clean all surfaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) have compiled a dashboard showing a county by county breakdown of cases, deaths and availability of hospital resources across the Commonwealth.  The dashboard is available here and updated hourly.

School Closings

Today, Governor Wolf ordered all K-12 schools, institutions of higher education and early childhood centers closed through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. While in-person classes will not resume, distance learning will continue through the end of the school year.

Telephone Town Hall Recording

If you missed my telephone town hall on Tuesday, April 7th, you can visit my website to listen to the recording.  A special thank you to our guests, Dr. Jennifer Kitchen and Dr. Timothy Block, who shared their medical and scientific expertise on the call.

Save the date for our next telephone town hall on Tuesday, April 28th at 6:50 p.m.  Sign up here to make sure you receive the call to join.

Join Our Facebook Live Town Hall on 4/14

My next live Facebook Town Hall will be Tuesday, April 14th at 4:30 p.m. To join the conversation, visit my Facebook page on Tuesday at 4:30 pm!  To receive a notification of when the event starts, and any other time I go live, you can “like” my Facebook page.

Commonwealth Flags to Fly at Half-Staff

Governor Wolf has ordered commonwealth flags on all commonwealth facilities, public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff to honor those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. I join Governor Wolf in welcoming all Pennsylvanian to pay tribute to those who have passed during the pandemic by flying their commonwealth flags at half-staff.

24/7 Helpline Resources

A new helpline has been created to serve as a resource for anyone struggling for support during the pandemic. The helpline is available around the clock to provide behavioral health support for a variety of needs.

SEPTA Update

Beginning Thursday, April 9th SEPTA will be operating on a significantly limited service schedule to help protect the health and safety of customers and employees. There will be no service on the West Trenton line and trains on the Lansdale/Doylestown line will terminate in Lansdale. SEPTA requests all riders wear masks and has issued masks to all frontline employees. For more information and a complete list of service changes, visit the SEPTA website. 

Unemployment Compensation Update

Unemployment compensation has been expanded in Pennsylvania to help those impacted by COVID-19.  I know many of you are self-employed and are awaiting the application to apply for unemployment.  The Unemployment Compensation website will be updated when the application opens, and I will share updates as soon as those funds become available on my Facebook page.  Please check out this page for quick tips on general unemployment compensation questions.

Business Resources and Loans

I know many small businesses are struggling to navigate the various opportunities for assistance being made available at the federal, state and local levels.  My office is here to help!  For a list of current business resources and loan opportunities, including details for eligibility and loan amounts, visit my website.  If you have specific questions about a loan or application, please email senatorsantarsiero@pasenate.com.

Outdoor Recreation

As the weather is starting to become nicer, it is important to consider the safest way to enjoy the outdoors. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Fish & Boat Commission shared the following recommendations for outdoor recreation:

• Go outside and enjoy outdoor activities, but maintain social distancing
• Stay close to home by choosing a local park or hiking trail
• If a location looks crowded, try to find somewhere with fewer people to spend time
• Wear a mask, per the Governor’s recommendation

Stay Up-to-Date

Please visit the district newsroom to view additional stories, videos, and photos from across the district and the commonwealth.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more regular updates.

Offices of State Senator Steve Santarsiero

All offices are temporarily closed to visitors due to COVID-19.

www.senatorstevesantarsiero.com