Posted on 08/24/2020 2:10:45 PM PDT by lightman
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Pennsylvania Real-Time News
9 Pa. counties bear watching for coronavirus cases; statewide, rate of positive tests drops again Updated 4:33 PM; Today 4:29 PM 34
Students return to school By Ron Southwick | rsouthwick@pennlive.com
Gov. Tom Wolfs administration said Monday nine counties bear watching because they have a higher rate of coronavirus infections, including some in central Pennsylvania.
On the upside, the rate of positive cases continues to drop statewide. Across Pennsylvania, 3.4% of those tested for the coronavirus were positive, down from 4% the previous week. This week, fewer counties are marked as areas of concern by the Wolf administration.
Our percent positivity decreased significantly this week, representing the fourth straight week that the percent positivity has decreased, Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement Monday. This is a testament that our actions are working, but we still have more work to do.
The Wolf administration said in the counties that bear watching, at least 5% of those tested for COVID-19 were shown to be positive for the virus.
The nine counties identified as areas of concern are: Perry (9.1%), Huntingdon (7.8%), Northumberland (7.3%), Indiana (7.1%), Union (5.9%), Susquehanna (5.7%), York (5.5%), Beaver (5.3%), and Blair (5.0%).
The previous week, 15 counties were marked as places to watch. Dauphin, Berks and Franklin counties are among those that dropped off the list of counties that bear monitoring. The administration has provided weekly updates on counties that are areas of concern.
The governor and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine continue to stress the importance of wearing masks and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus. They have said its especially important to help ensure schools can offer at least some in-person classes. Some schools opened their doors today, while others will resume classes in the next couple of weeks.
Risks of transmission
The Wolf administration also updated guidance on the risk of transmission of the virus in counties statewide. State officials are asking school districts to use the risk assessment in guidance for opening and in responding to positive cases in their schools.
Statewide, 45 counties are considered at moderate risk of transmission of the virus, including all of central Pennsylvania, while 21 counties are considered to be at low risk. Only one county - Union - is considered a substantial risk of transmission.
Moderate risk: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, Washington, Westmoreland and York.
Low risk: Bedford, Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Jefferson, Juniata, McKean, Pike, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wayne andWyoming
Schools are taking different approaches to the new year. Some schools, such as Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, will begin the year with remote learning. Others are starting with in-person classes or a mix of face-to-face instruction on certain days and online education on others.
Travel guidance
The Wolf administration also announced Monday that Arizona is removed from the list of states where residents were asked to self-quarantine for up to 14 days upon returning to the Keystone State. No new states were added to the list.
Statewide, more than 129,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 7,500 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. More than two-thirds of the states coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.
The health department estimates 80 percent of those who have been infected have recovered. The department considers patients to have recovered when they are 30 days past the date of infection or the development of symptoms.
The number of new cases has dropped in August, after climbing steadily in late June and throughout July. The state hasnt reported more than 1,000 new cases in a single day in a month.
The daily Wolf howl.
Trannie appears to be MIA.
So why doesn’t HE have a mask on? The hypocrite.
Trump finally launched on Wolfman and the Tranny the other day in his Old Forge speech. I think it left a mark.
Wolf continually shows up in public without a mask despite his preaching. Including at a BLM protest.
Pennsylvania Ping!
Please ping me with articles of interest.
FReepmail me to be added to the list.
BTW as of today nursing homes account for 67.6% of PA COVID deaths.
That is definitely a Democrat thing. Remember Deblasio and others painting the BLM Merrow in New York City? They were standing inches apart while he Wind and complained about people not social distancing in every other aspect.
ALL of the nine voted for DJT in 2016.
Indiana is probably the most purple of the lot because of a large State University.
Funny how that works out, eh?
I thought this was about bear watching.
Looks like most of the ‘high-risk’ counties contain significant college towns.
For those Freepers not familiar with PA, most of these counties are rural and sparsely populated. I think Perry county got it’s first stop light ever just a few years ago. This newfound interest in percentage changes (or case rates per 100,000 residents, which I’ve also seen recently) is nothing more than juicing the numbers to inspire more fearmongering and justifying more lockdowns.
The Wolf administration doesn’t want anyone living a normal life again, has no plan to enable normal activities again except through defiance of the law, and has installed a thoroughly incompetent, morbidly obese, transgender child psychologist in charge of all aspects of the lives, health, and livlihood of Pennsylvanians.
The number of positive test results means NOTHING since the test can show a positive for having the virus in the PAST!
There is no spike in hospitalizations nor deaths. The curve was flattened. The second spike never rose as high as the initial spike due to herd immunity and proper protection of the vulnerable....something Wolf failed to do for nursing homes where the majority of deaths took place.
Simple solution to the pandemic,,,,Make HCQ and Azithromycin OTC drugs so anyone who develops a cough and/or fever can go the nearest drug store and self medicate with the drugs along with Zinc Sulfate with correct dosage within 48 hours of symptoms and pandemic over.,,,,,instead of waiting a few days to get tested and 5 days for the results,,,,if over 60 years of age,,,,youre dead.
The little spike was due to July 4th family/friend gatherings ... as time passed, so did those cases ... impossible for Wolf to take credit for causing the decline, scientifically speaking.
Indiana is probably the most purple of the lot because of a large State University.>>>
Which this go around is empty
24 Aug: USA Today: NFL Players Association investigating whether COVID-19 protocols were followed during false positive episode
by Mike Jones
The NFL Players Association is conducting an investigation into the testing process at the New Jersey lab that produced 77 false positive COVID-19 test results and whether all of the established protocols for t were strictly followed this past weekend.
LETTER TO PLAYERS
Eleven teams were impacted this weekend as a total of 77 players and staff members received false positives this past weekend...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/08/24/nfl-false-positive-covid-19-test-coronavirus/3431260001/
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