- democrats
Posted on 10/14/2020 12:05:01 PM PDT by lightman
Health Department Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine cautioned on Wednesday Pennsylvania is facing a fall resurgence of coronavirus.
“It’s very hard to predict what the future will bring, but we have been talking for months that we were concerned that as we entered the fall season, as the weather started to change, that we would see a resurgence in terms of the numbers of COVID-19,” she said during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency offices.
Over the past nine days, Pennsylvania has reported more than 1,000 daily new cases after its latest update said that there were 1,276 new ones as of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. In addition, the number of hospitalizations in the state has nearly doubled in the past month with 773 patients currently hospitalized.
“Also, Pennsylvania is clearly not an island, and we are reflecting what the rest of the country is seeing,” Levine added.
She noted across the nation, especially in the Midwest and parts of the West, cases are rising and there is no way to know when the peak will occur or how it will compare to spring.
Fall and winter is traditionally a time when respiratory viruses spread as people spend more time indoors, Levine said, adding the recent spikes have been among younger people, and not just the college age group, but those in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
In recent weeks, several colleges have reported outbreaks with some schools including Temple University resorting to full-time remote classes. Penn State University has seen about 3,355 positive cases to date at its main campus.
The Health Department Secretary said that there are more hospitalizations and a rise in the statewide percent positivity now compared to recent weeks months. She also said that the numbers still do not match what was seen in the spring, and added that a rise in the number of daily testing results is playing a role in the case increases, too.
Compared to the spring, Levine noted Pennsylvania has more resources in its arsenal to fight the spread of COVID-19, including increased testing and more robust case investigation and contact tracing. In addition, she stressed the healthcare system is better prepared with more personal protection equipment.
In the past month, the state also launched a COVID app to track cases and help with contact tracing.
Starting this week, the state will have another tool in the form of weekly shipments of 250,000 COVID-19 antigen “rapid” test kits from the federal government. The test kits will be distributed by need through the end of December to K-12 schools and teachers, colleges, day care workers, health care organizations and drug and alcohol treatment providers, among others.
Pennsylvania is being allocated 3.8 million of the tests, which provide results within 15 minutes. The first ones will be prioritized to counties deemed at high to moderate risk including Bradford, Centre, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Snyder.
“Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 testing goals remain, ensuring testing is accessible for all Pennsylvanians with symptoms of COVID-19,” said Michael Huff, Commonwealth’s testing and contact tracing director.
At this juncture, Levine said the state has no plans “at this time to change the mitigation orders that are already in place." Also, there are no further plans for business restrictions or stay-at-home orders, she said.
While Levine couldn’t link the recent uptick to large gatherings such as President Donald Trump’s rally at Harrisburg International Airport in late September, she said the virus can spread at both large and small events.
“The director of the CDC has said that it really is small gatherings that tend to be driving that and I think we are seeing that in Pennsylvania,” she said.
As far as fans gathering at NFL stadiums for football games such as the Philadelphia Eagles game this weekend, Levine stressed her department has been in communication with Pennsylvania’s two pro teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers. Data from previous NFL games where limited fans were in the stands and followed social distancing and mask use showed no evidence of an increase in cases, she said.
“I think fans should feel safe. I think the Philadelphia Eagles have really robust protections in place for the fans that will be entering,” she said.
Yeah I would listen to someone who can’t accept reality !
Way to go Pennsylvania !
Why does a state employ a mentally ill person as its Health Director?
Somehow... the larger picture just makes it... even worse...
"I feel pretty
Oh, so pretty
I feel pretty, and witty and gay
And I pity
Any girl who isn’t me today"
In all seriousness, they're trying to suppress in person voting.
Yowza! For sure King David was committing adultery with one of HER ancestors!
This jackass is a dead-beat dad that self-mutilated himself when the docs told him he wasn’t mentally stable enough to undergo the operation....in other words, he’s a mental case.
IF this goof-ball said the sky was blue, I’d have to double check. He has NO credibility whatsoever.
It's safer to not wear a mask with a Eagles shirt than to wear a mask with an opponents shirt in that stadium.
How many people would place the welfare of their family or a stray cat, on any B$ coming from this vile POS!
A fall resurgence in LIES, more like it.
Wake the fvk up PA!!!!!
This photo always reminds me of a song: "Tiptoe through the tulips, through the tulips is where I'll be, come tiptoe through the tulips with meeeeeee."
Apparently the mayors, City Councils, Town Managers, Aldermen, etc. who impose and extend mask mandates are.
Oops, I meant to include “and implement lockdowns”. Not just mask mandates. Sorry about that.
Is a new lockdown coming?
If so, will it take effect on November 2nd?
From the beginning, this guy has been one of the worst offenders of manipulating data to tell what appears to be a pre-determined story.
Example is the story notes an increase of cases at Penn, then goes on to note an increase of hospitalizations, implying a link between the two things.
That’s not true, and it’s no longer possible to extend the benefit of the doubt to anyone spreading lies of that nature.
But this will all be over on November 4.
You can call me Ray, is FOS.
The only solution to this crisis is to lock Levine in an insane asylum for the duration. Everybody else is free to go.
Yes, why should we believe anything from a man who claims he’s a woman?
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