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COVID-19 News
The Chester County COVID-19 Business Task Force is hosting the first in a series of webinars for county businesses and organizations looking to reopen, revise or even expand operations due to the impact of the coronavirus. The first webinar, Led by Lucia Mullen, MPH, an analyst at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, focuses on preparing businesses and organizations of all sizes and types to determine their risk of transmission of COVID-19. The webinar will also provide a toolkit that enables businesses to identify their areas of risk, and suggestions to reduce it.
Uwchlan Township Update
The Township has declared a Declaration of Disaster related to the COVID-19 pandemic as of 4:30 PM March 13th, 2020. In response to the pandemic, Uwchlan Township has activated an essential employee only operation due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). All non-essential personnel will be working remotely, when possible. The Township will continue to monitor the situation and make changes to this policy as needed. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation at this time. The Township encourages all residents with questions and concerns related to COVID-19 to visit the Chester County Health Department by clicking the graphics below.
Governor Wolf’s Process to Reopen Pennsylvania
The Governor’s Office has released their Process to Reopen Pennsylvania plan. The administration will utilize a three-phase matrix to determine when counties and/or regions are ready to begin easing some restrictions on work, congregate settings, and social interactions. Chester County and Uwchlan Township remain in the Red Phase, which has the sole purpose of minimizing the spread of COVID-19 through strict social distancing, non-life sustaining business, school closures, and building safety protocols.
Chester County is currently in the Red Phase of the Governor’s three-phase plan. The following information was taken directly from the the Governors website.
As regions or counties move into the yellow phase, some restrictions on work and social interaction will ease while others, such as closures of schools, gyms, and other indoor recreation centers, hair and nail salons, as well as limitations around large gatherings, remain in place. For example, retail locations will be able to open with forthcoming guidance in place that is substantially similar to the worker safety and building safety order. Otherwise retail will be able to allow for curbside pickup. The purpose of this phase is to begin to power back up the economy while keeping a close eye on the public health data to ensure the spread of disease remains contained to the greatest extent possible.
A target goal for reopening has been set at having fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per 100,000 population reported to the department in the previous 14 days. So, for example, 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. An assessment will determine if the target goal has been met. The administration will work closely with county and local governments to enable the communities to reopen and transition back to work.
The Commonwealth is also working to 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 is in place to facilitate early identification of cluster outbreaks and to issue proper isolation and quarantine orders.
- Identification of 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 PPE to support continued operations.
Recent COVID-19 Updates:
- Pennsylvania counties in the red phase are under a Stay at Home Order through June 4. Beginning at 12:01 a.m., Friday, May 15, 13 counties will move from red to yellow, including: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland.
- Gov. Wolf Puts Statewide COVID-19 Mitigation Efforts in Effect, Click Here for more information.
- The Governor has issued a Stay at Home Order for Chester County, starting at 8PM March 23rd. For more information on this order, Click Here .
- The Governor has extended the order to close all non life-essential business from Saturday 3/21, to Monday, March 23, at 8:00 AM.