March 19, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 19, that there were 3,455 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 980,302.
There are 1,486 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 287 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
March 19, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Health (DOH) Acting Secretary Alison Beam and Executive Deputy Secretary Keara Klinepeter yesterday outlined details on temporary plans that will get more COVID-19 vaccine to Pennsylvanians and unprecedented efforts to provide transparency and improve technical resources online.
“Right now, Pennsylvania’s dedicated vaccine providers are making significant progress getting vaccine into the arms of residents in every corner of the state,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “We want to thank all of our providers who have offered tremendous support in getting vaccine into arms across the state thus far. As Pennsylvania’s vaccination rates continue to accelerate, we will continue to adapt our strategy to ensure every Pennsylvanian who wants the vaccine, can access the vaccine.
March 19, 2021
Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today detailed the state’s vaccination rollout progress as the process accelerates and Pennsylvania outperforms its peer states.
“The pace of vaccinations in Pennsylvania is accelerating each day,” Gov. Wolf said. “We have made tremendous progress, but we know we have more work to do. We appreciate all the providers and locations working to vaccinate Pennsylvanians. The commonwealth is committed to ensure that we can vaccinate all those in Phase 1A as soon as possible.”
March 19, 2021
HARRISBURG, PA – In a year that has been anything but typical for students across the state, Pennsylvania’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) has helped to keep student archers safely shooting their bows throughout the 2020-21 school year. The program, which is managed in Pennsylvania by the Game Commission, is hosting a virtual state tournament through the end of March, allowing students to compete for NASP awards and scholarships.
March 19, 2021
Approximately two weeks after Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced the voluntary single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be administered to Pre-K to 12 educators and school staff, the special initiative is ahead of schedule and proven to be a great success. As of this morning, 83,859 people have received the J&J vaccine through this initiative.
March 18, 2021
Gov. Tom Wolf today highlighted the importance of supporting front line workers who put their health and lives on the line to provide essential services throughout the pandemic during an online event “Essential Workers: One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic” hosted by Brookings, a Washington DC-based public policy organization.
“As the pandemic took hold in Pennsylvania, it quickly became clear that the title ‘essential worker’ goes far beyond our health care professionals and first responders. They are grocery store clerks, food distributors, security guards, public transit workers, janitors, and more, and they are essential to our daily lives,” said Gov. Wolf. “We must ensure that these workers, many of whom make at or just above the minimum wage, are appropriately compensated for their important work throughout the pandemic and every day.”
March 17, 2021
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 12,483 a statewide percent positivity of 5.7% and 21 counties with substantial transmission status.
March 16, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today signed an updated order making March 31 the date by which all vaccine providers should have Phase 1A-eligible Pennsylvanians’ vaccine appointments scheduled. The amended orderalso requires providers to make appointments with patients outside of their current patient network.
“This order requires vaccine providers to use all reasonable efforts to meet this goal by the end of the month,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “Providers also are encouraged to consider other barriers to vaccination, such as transportation issues, and tackle those so that our most vulnerable can most easily access the vaccine.”
March 16, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 16, there were 3,119 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 970,717.
There are 1,450 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 286 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
March 16, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today announced that Pennsylvania will expand its partnership with Rite Aid Pharmacy to vaccinate 9,000 individuals with physical disabilities and older Pennsylvanians participating in DHS’ home and community-based long-term services and supports program during vaccination clinics through March and April.
March 16, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration has received approval from the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue more than $1 billion in federally-funded benefits to the families of nearly 1 million Pennsylvania children who have attended school remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and who otherwise would have had access to free-and-reduced-price meals during the 2020-21 school year. This program, known as Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), will help families cover the cost of breakfasts and lunches their children would have been eligible to receive for free or at reduced price through the National School Lunch Program.
March 16, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – In its February 2021 report, the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that nursing home surveyors conducted 497 inspections, including 283 complaint investigations, of 377 separate nursing homes. Of these, 162 were COVID-19-specific investigations. There were three new sanctions finalized against nursing care facilities in the past month resulting in a total of $31,762 in fines.
March 15, 2021
As COVID-19 cases have declined and vaccination rates are climbing, Governor Tom Wolf today announced the lifting of some targeted restrictions on restaurants and other businesses, as well as increased gathering limits.
Effective April 4, restaurants may resume bar service; alcohol service will be allowed without the purchase of food; the curfew for removing alcoholic drinks from tables will be lifted; and indoor dining capacity will be raised to 75 percent for those restaurants that are currently self-certified and those that undergo the self-certification process, which involves agreeing to strictly comply to all public health safety guidelines and orders, including the cleaning and mitigation protocols and other operational requirements contained in the Governor and Secretary of Health’s mitigation and enforcement orders issued on November 23, 2020, as amended. Those restaurants that do not self-certify may raise capacity to 50 percent. Outdoor dining, curbside pick-up and takeout are still encouraged.
March 15, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 15, there were 1,388 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 1,914 new cases reported Sunday, March 14, for a two-day total of 3,302 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 967,598.
There are 1,433 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 295 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
March 15, 2021
Governor Tom Wolf toured the Berks County Intermediate Unit’s COVID-19 vaccination area today and thanked the educators and medical professionals for their commitment to Pennsylvania’s students by providing the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Pre-K-12 teachers and other school staff.
“Less than two weeks ago, I announced a plan to vaccinate Pre-K-12 educators and because of the great partnership with the intermediate units, national guard and education groups these sites were quickly up and running,” said Gov. Wolf. “Our ultimate goal is to offer every public and private school worker a vaccine to protect people, help even more students return to the classroom, and get communities another step closer to normal.”
March 13, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 13, that there were 2,840 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 964,296.
There are 1,463 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 313 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available
March 12, 2021
Governor Tom Wolf and members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced another bi-partisan effort to complete COVID phase 1A vaccinations first, set up mass vaccination clinics with regionally supplied plans to inform allocations, and vaccinate frontline workers.
“The efforts of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force are making significant headway in getting more people vaccinated,” Gov. Wolf said. “The special initiative the Task Force agreed on last week to vaccinate educators, school staff, and early childhood educators is well underway, and we are making incredible progress vaccinating Pennsylvanians eligible in Phase 1A. These new initiatives will move us even further in the state’s vaccinate rollout.
March 12, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 12, there were 3,074 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 961,456.
There are 1,494 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 320 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 4,400 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. However, the current 14-day average is now also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020.
March 12, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam, Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller and Aging Secretary Robert Torres today highlighted the updated nursing home visitation guidanceOpens In A New Window issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and are strongly encouraging all long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania to implement the new guidance immediately.
“We understand how difficult this past year has been on families and nursing home residents,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “This newly updated guidance is an important step as we continue to care for and protect the physical and mental health of our most vulnerable residents. All Pennsylvania nursing homes should implement this guidance immediately.”
March 12, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) today provided an update on the special initiative to provide the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Pre-K-12 teachers, child care workers and other school staff.
“As of today, 20 IU vaccination sites are operating across the state, with eight more scheduled to start tomorrow,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “More than 6,500 doses have been administered at IU clinics so far.”
March 12, 2021
Governor Tom Wolf announced the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force less than one month ago. Since that time, the task force and Wolf Administration have accomplished bi-partisan initiatives to help advance the state’s vaccination rollout and COVID fight.
Last week, the task force announced a special initiative to vaccinate teachers, school staff and child care workers, helping to get children back in the classroom and further protecting our educators and communities.
March 11, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 11, there were 2,652 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 958,382.
There are 1,513 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 326 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
March 11, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today marked the one-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, and recognized the Department of Health’s work in preparing for and responding to the pandemic over the last year.
“It has been one year since the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “It has been an incredibly challenging year for so many. The unimaginable loss of far too many lives. We remember them today and every day, those left to grieve and rebuild, and those who struggle to this day.”
March 11, 2021
Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Education Acting Secretary Noe Ortega today commended U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for his proactive measure to extend several national waivers that provide schools with meal distribution flexibility.
Families across the nation and the commonwealth continue to face uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic, and this extension will ensure all Pennsylvania children 18 and under have consistent access to breakfast and lunch as school lets out soon for the 2020-21 school year.
March 11, 2021
Governor Tom Wolf visited Family First Health in York today to thank staff and to tour the federally qualified health center’s vaccination area, learning first-hand how the facility is vaccinating Pennsylvanians amid equity issues.
“Pennsylvania’s federally qualified health centers are crucial community partners focused on community-based care that serves some of the most vulnerable communities in the commonwealth,” Gov. Wolf said. “The community connections that federally qualified health centers such as Family First Health build and the equity-based care they provide make them an important part of our efforts to administer an efficient, ethical, and equitable vaccine rollout.”
