Gov. Wolf clarifies reopening conditions
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
After several days of being pressed for clarity in daily briefings, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration released what it’s calling an effort to simplify the metrics that will be used to determine when regions throughout the state are permitted to reopen.
The oft-repeated target for reopening has been set at having fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per 100,000 people in a region reported to the Department of Health in the previous 14 days.
In an example, the DOH explains that an area with a population of 800,000 people would need to have fewer than 400 new confirmed cases reported in the past 14 days to meet the target.
Then there will be an assessment to determine the target goal was met, and the administration will work with county and local governments to enable the communities to reopen and transition back to work.
As Wolf has said several times but without what some may consider to be enough elaboration, the target goal of new cases is not the only metric the DOH will use to determine if a region will be reopened.
According to Wolf, the state also must ensure there is:
• Enough testing available for individuals with symptoms and target populations such as those at high risk, health care personnel and first responders.
• Robust case investigation and contact tracing infrastructure in place to facilitate early identification of cluster outbreaks and to issue proper isolation and quarantine orders.
• Identification of an area’s high-risk settings, including correctional institutions, personal care homes, skilled nursing facilities and other congregate care settings, and assurance that facilities have adequate safeguards in place such as staff training, employee screening, visitor procedures and screening and adequate supplies of personal protection equipment to support continued operations.
• The commonwealth also will rely on a modeling dashboard under development and evaluation by Carnegie Mellon University to take a regional and sector-based approach to reopenings, the easing of restrictions and public health response.
Wolf and the DOH have said the approach to the reopenings may be refined as the process moves forward, based on the information available at the time.
“If indicators and criteria point to a spike in cases, the commonwealth, in coordination with local officials, will need to adjust orders and restrictions to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum,” Wolf’s administration said in a statement.
The governor’s full plan for reopening the state is available at www.governor.pa.gov/process-to-reopen-pennsylvania.
Over the weekend, there was an increase of 2,513 cases of coronavirus across the state for a new total of 41,165 cases. There were 58 new deaths, which included an increase of just 13 from Saturday to Sunday, for a new total of 1,550 fatalities from the illness. That’s a significant drop, as there were 71 deaths between Thursday and Friday last week.
Though the number of cases of the virus now includes probable cases, the death count is limited to confirmed cases only.
Allegheny County now has 1,211 cases, an increase of 34 patients, and two new deaths, bringing that total to 73.
Fayette County has of 79 cases, an increase of four, and no new deaths. The total remains at four.
Washington County added five new cases for a total of 101 patients, and the county has reported no new deaths. There have been two fatalities.
Westmoreland County has 57 new cases for a total of 374 and according to the DOH, there have been two more deaths, for a total of 19. Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha reports no additional deaths, which keeps the total he is tracking at 27 deaths due to the virus.
