Centre County Now “Stay at Home” for COVID-19

HARRISBURG – Centre County on Saturday became one of three new additions to Gov. Tom Wolf’s “stay-at-home” directive.
The edict takes affect at 8 p.m. Saturday. Centre is the first in north-central Pennsylvania added to the list. Others added are Beaver and Washington counties.

Per the state Health Department, these are the guidelines under the directive:

Individuals may leave their residence only to perform any of the following allowable individual activities and allowable essential travel:

• Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, or the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets), such as obtaining medicine or medical supplies, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home

• Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves, for their family or household members, or as part of volunteer efforts, or to deliver those services or supplies to others to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences

• Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running if they maintain social distancing

• To perform work providing essential products and services at a life-sustaining business

• To care for a family member or pet in another household

• Any travel related to the provision of or access to the above-mentioned individual activities or life-sustaining business activities

• Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons

• Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services

• Travel to return to a place of residence from an outside jurisdiction

• Travel required by law enforcement or court order

• Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the commonwealth

• Anyone performing life-sustaining travel does not need paperwork to prove the reason for travel.

The following operations are exempt:

• Life-sustaining business activities

• Health care or medical services providers

• Access to life-sustaining services for low-income residents, including food banks

• Access to child care services for employees of life-sustaining businesses that remain open as follows: child care facilities operating under the Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning waiver process; group and family child care operating in a residence; and part-day school age programs operating under an exemption from the March 19, 2020 business closure Orders

• News media

• Law enforcement

• The federal government

• Religious institutions

Meanwhile new numbers from the state Health Department show that for the first time, every county surrounding Clinton County has at least one case of COVID-19. Clinton County remains one of 11 of the state’s 67 counties without a case confirmed by the state.

The state Health Department Saturday said Cameron County has its first case. Other nearby totals are Lycoming, 2; Centre, 15 (up from 11 on Friday); Union, 1; Clearfield, 2; and Potter, 1. So far no deaths have been reported in any of these counties.

Statewide, the total cases number 2,751, up 533 from Friday, with 34 deaths. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 are in isolation at home or are undergoing treatment at a hospital, the state said.

The continuing increase statewide brought this from state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine: “Our notable increase in cases over the past week indicates we need everyone to take COVID-19 seriously/ Pennsylvanians have a very important job right now: stay calm, stay home and stay safe. We have seen case counts continue to increase and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home.”