Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf reminded Pennsylvanians that mask-wearing is required when entering any business in all counties in the state in both yellow and green phases of reopening. Masks are considered critical in stopping the spread of COVID, now and in preparation for a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall.

The mask requirement is part of Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel’s Levine’s order, “Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations,” which pertains to all counties regardless of the phase of reopening.

“In yellow and green counties, it is required that masks are worn when visiting businesses to protect employees, employees’ families, and communities as a whole,” Gov. Wolf said. “Mask-wearing has proven to be an important deterrent to the spread of the virus, and as more counties move to green and more things reopen, we need to be vigilant in our efforts to continue our mitigation efforts.”

A recent study from Cambridge and Greenwich universities in the United Kingdom found that cloth masks, “even homemade masks with limited effectiveness can dramatically reduce transmission rates if worn by enough people, regardless of whether they show symptoms.”

Peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine corroborate the need for masks and the U.S. Surgeon General said that wearing a mask doesn’t impinge on our freedom – it gives us more freedom from unknowingly spreading COVID-19.

The state’s business guidance outlines mask-wearing requirements and additional safety parameters for both employees and customers.

Read more on Gov. Wolf’s Process to Reopen PA here

CMS Released Weekly Update of Nursing Home COVID-19 Data as of June 7, 2020

In case you missed it, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the second set of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nursing home data today available here:  https://data.cms.gov/stories/s/bkwz-xpvg

The data will be updated weekly going forward; for more information on nursing homes, including a link to the COVID-19 nursing home data, visit Nursing Home Compare.

CMS also released additional frequently asked questions on the nursing home COVID-19 data available here: https://data.cms.gov/api/views/b62a-ieuz/files/e883f38f-77da-4f58-975f-390b858ccf9f?filename=NH%20COVID-19%20data%20FAQ%206-18-2020.pdf

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited the Ralph Moore Dairy Farm in Mercer today, one of more than 30 Pennsylvania dairy farms supported by the state’s acquisition of more than 200,000 pounds of Swiss cheese – stranded from COVID-19 supply chain disruptions – to distribute through Pennsylvania’s charitable food system with funds from the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) and the state’s Farm to Food Bank award.

On the farm, Secretary Redding highlighted more than $20 million available in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers, announced yesterday by Governor Tom Wolf, following months of uncertainty and loss from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ralph Moore Dairy Farm is one of more than 30 Pennsylvania dairy farms supported by the state’s acquisition of 202,000 pounds of Swiss cheese. In total, $476,842 was used to source more than 100,000 packages of cheese that will be distributed to those in need across the state through the 13 food banks participating in the PASS program.

The cheese, produced by Fairview Swiss Cheese in Fredonia, was left without a market due to food supply chain disruptions as a result of COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Through PASS, the department acquired the cheese and contracted with Laubscher Cheese Company in Mercer to slice and package it in consumer-sized packaging. In addition to providing support to Fairview Swiss Cheese and area dairy farms, this initiative allowed Laubscher Cheese Company to bring ten furloughed employees back to work to slice, package, and distribute the product.

The $20 million in dairy support is through two programs: the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Dairy Indemnity Program, funded at $15 million and a $5 million dairy-only PASS program to secure surplus dairy products for distribution through the commonwealth’s charitable food system. Both programs are federally funded through the CARES Act.

Any dairy farm that experienced financial losses due to discarded or displaced milk during the COVID-19 emergency disaster may apply for assistance. Each farm with a documented loss will receive a minimum of $1,500 and an additional prorated share of the remaining funds, not to exceed the actual amount assessed by the handler. The deadline to apply for the Dairy Indemnity Program is September 30, 2020.

The department’s Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) program helps to support Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry in all 67 counties and reduce waste of agricultural surplus by making connections between production agriculture and the non-profit sector. Originally enacted into law in 2010, the program was first funded in 2015 by Governor Wolf at $1 million annually. This year, the program was funded at $1.5 million through the state’s 2020-21 budget. In addition to the $1.5 million in state funds, the program has been awarded an additional $10 million – $5 million for dairy-only purchases – with funds from the state’s federal CARES allocation.

As states across the country begin to reopen and nearly half are seeing COVID-19 cases rise, Governor Tom Wolf announced Friday that Pennsylvania is not one of them.

At a daily COVID briefing with Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, the Governor noted another milestone: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proprietary data for states indicates that we are one of just three states that has had a downward trajectory of COVID-19 cases for more than 42 days. The other two states are Montana and Hawaii.

Governor Wolf pointed to the decision to require masks when visiting businesses even in counties in the green phase as another smart decision that could have lasting effects as a COVID-19 surge is possible this fall.

According to other data analyses, including those by Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center and The New York Times, Pennsylvania’s steady decline in cases since April put the state among a select few that continue a flattening of the curve. This distinction is particularly important as more counties reopen.

By Tim Marema

Counties with the highest rate of new infections in the last 30 days tend to have one of three things: meatpacking plants, prisons, or a population with a large proportion of non-whites. Read more here.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that people with intellectual disabilities and autism and the providers of support services for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians will receive $260 million in CARES Act funding to help continue to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This funding will help the more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians who receive assistance through one of the Department of Human Services’ programs or facilities. It will help to improve the quality of life for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians and those who have dedicated their lives to caring for them, and it will bring relief to families and loved ones knowing we are committed to providing the highest level of care possible, even during a pandemic.

Gov. Wolf was joined by Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller, who outlined to details of funding allocations. “These dollars are intended to supplement the budgets of an industry built on the values of service, caregiving, and inclusion – an industry hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sec. Miller said. “To all of our intellectual disability and autism service providers and direct support professionals – thank you for your tireless and selfless work over the past three months, and for your dedication to helping Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism achieve the everyday life they deserve.”

The $260 million will be allocated as follows: 

• $90 million to providers of residential, respite, and shift nursing services.
• $80 million to providers of Community Participation Support services for 120 days of retainer payments, covering operations from March through June.
• $90 million to providers of in-home and community, supported and small group employment, companion, and transportation trip services for 120 days of retainer payments, covering operations from March through June.

More Information on DHS’ intellectual disability and autism services can be found online at dhs.pa.gov.

Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today reminded Pennsylvanians to take proper steps to prevent against tick bites and recognize the symptoms of Lyme disease, as some symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of COVID-19. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, among other dangerous diseases, that can be severe if not treated properly.

Preliminary data show that more than 8,500 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Pennsylvania in 2019. The department is continuing to compile complete Lyme disease data, and final numbers for 2019 should be available within the next month. Over time, if not treated, Lyme disease can lead to severe symptoms that affect the heart, nervous system and joints.

You are at risk of getting a tick any time you are outside, including in wooded and bushy areas, areas with high grass and leaf litter, and even in your own yard. This is why it is important to take steps to decrease your chances of getting bitten.  To reduce your chances of a tick bite:

• Walk in the center of trails and avoid areas with high grass and leaf litter;
• Use a repellent that contains at least 20% DEET;
• Wear light-colored clothing;
• Conduct full-body tick checks on yourself and on your pets after spending time outdoors; and
• Take a bath or shower within 2 hours after coming indoors.

If you have been bitten by a tick, make sure to monitor the area for any kinds of symptoms and contact your health care provider immediately. Symptoms of Lyme disease can include:

• A red, swollen bulls-eye shape rash;
• Fever;
• Chills;
• Headache;
• Fatigue;
• Muscle and joint aches; and
• Swollen lymph nodes.

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has made program guidelines for the COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant Program available on its website. The program makes $625M available to, among other purposes, offset the cost of direct county COVID-19 response, assist municipalities with COVID-19 response and planning efforts, fund nonprofit assistance programs and deploy broadband to unserved or underserved areas.

Of note, one of the eligible uses of funds listed in the guidelines is grant programs to support costs of assisting businesses during COVID-19 by CEDOS, LDDs, IRCs, SBDCs and EDCs. Grants will be administered by DCED.

Funds will be administered by the Lancaster and York County Conservation Districts. Lancaster and York County farms have been prioritized for their location along the Susquehanna River that empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Measures funded in these two counties have the greatest potential impact to improve water quality in a region that is home to almost four million Pennsylvanians. Funds may be made available to farms in other counties if available.

Some examples of eligible measures — called Best Management Practices, or BMPs — include fencing to keep livestock out of streams, streambank restoration, cover crops, planted streamside buffers to filter nutrients out of streams, manure storage, and comprehensive plans to manage nutrients, control erosion and conserve soil and water. Funding will support technical assistance and the installation of these and other high-impact BMPs.

The PA Farm Bill, a historic $23 million investment in growing and sustaining the commonwealth’s agriculture industry, was modeled after the governor’s six-point plan to cultivate future generations of Pennsylvania agriculture. The bill supports business development and succession planning, creates accommodations for a growing animal agriculture sector, removes regulatory burdens, strengthens the ag workforce, protects infrastructure, and works toward making Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state.

BMPs funded by Conservation Excellence Grants will help Pennsylvania meet its federally mandated goals to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment into the Chesapeake Bay by 2025.

Applications will be accepted beginning July 1, and evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis, according to their potential to meet program criteria. Grant funding may be combined with other public grants, tax credits such as the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP), and private funding.

Find applications, instructions and more information about Conservation Excellence Grants on the department’s website. Applications are also available from the Lancaster County Conservation District Office and York Conservation District Office. Completed applications should be returned to the district office for the county in which the applicant’s farm is located. Complete grant program guidelines can also be found in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Farmers with questions about applying may contact Program Administrator Eric Cromer at 223-666-2556 or ecromer@pa.gov.