Dr. Rachel Levine, PA Secretary of Health, says whether future COVID-19 restrictions are needed depends on how well the public responds to the new measures being taken to slow the spread of coronavirus, and that comes down to personal responsibility.
Yesterday, Levine announced further mitigation efforts to help stem a sharp increase in the number of cases of Coronavirus.
During a news conference, Levine said that the report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force puts Pennsylvania in a unhealthy situation.
The four points Levine brought up include:
- Having hospitals and health care coalitions working together to talk about how they will support one another as the surge continues and moving up elective procedures at hospitals to make sure there are enough beds in case the surge continues, and to be ready to suspend elective procedures if things get worse.
- An order that starts Friday that requires anyone visiting Pennsylvania or leaving the state and coming back in to have a negative test within 72 hours of arrival or quarantine until either they receive a negative test result or for 14 days. There is an exception to that order, and that is for people who commute into or out of the state on a regular basis for work
- Strengthening the mask order to require a mask indoors anytime that you are around people, even if social distancing is possible, and when hosting others from outside your home. This applies to any indoor space. Masks are required outdoors when people are not able to remain six feet away from one another.
- An effort with the Department of Education to get colleges and universities to implement testing strategies for students, including tests before getting to campus at the start of the semester and after a break in classes, and implementing regular testing procedures.
Levine also added that she does not plan on returning Pennsylvania to the Red, Yellow and Green status plan that was implemented earlier this year and encouraged all state residents to stand together in this effort.
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