Daily Policy Update

Each day a summary of news and information that has been gathered from community partners and credible news sites will be posted.

Governor:

“Gov. Wolf Announces $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19” : https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-announces-225-million-grant-program-for-small-businesses-impacted-by-COVID-19/
“Gov. Wolf: Enhanced Dashboard Launched that Highlights Demographic, Testing and Reopening Data” : https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-enhanced-dashboard-launched-that-highlights-demographic-testing-and-reopening-data/

State Government:

General COVID resources: https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-COVID-19/

Dept. of Health:

“Wolf Administration Issues Universal Testing Order for Nursing Homes, Updates Testing Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities” : https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=849
“Wolf Administration Selects Health Care Emergency Preparedness Vendor to Assist in Preparations for Fall Resurgence of COVID-19” : https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=852
“Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 351 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 75,943” : https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=851
- Link to Statewide map of testing sites: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Symptoms-Testing.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0q72qATsxBX9zL0KMErYO_OQZutSgVMY1I4fEEa8-3zcHN_7WixZ-VFAY
- COVID-19 Data: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Cases.aspx
Lancaster Stats: (According to DOH website- updated today at 12:00pm)
- Total Cases: 3,503 cases.
- Confirmed: 3,429
- Probable: 74
- Negative: 19,068
- Cases per 100,000: 644.50

National News:

Washington Post:

The latest

The coronavirus would have infected nearly one in five Americans, 60 million people, in the first few weeks of the outbreak without shutdowns or social distancing, according to a peer-reviewed study led by the University of California at Berkeley. The paper credited quarantine policies with preventing hundreds of millions of cases globally through early April, and a separate study estimated that shutdowns saved at least 3.1 million lives in Europe.
The two studies, published simultaneously Monday, suggest that government freezes on public activity prevented catastrophic outbreaks in many countries. The downside is that researchers think only a small fraction of the population has been exposed to the virus, leaving ample opportunity for major outbreaks if quarantines are abandoned. “We’re very far from herd immunity,” the leader author of one study told The Post. “The risk of a second wave happening if all interventions and precautions are abandoned is very real.”
Many Americans who went to large demonstrations in recent days are aware of the health risks, but believe that ending systemic violence against black people is more important. “Who cares about coronavirus?” a protester in Maryland told The Post. “You can’t even walk out the door without being afraid for your skin color.” Some mental health professionals think the stress of the pandemic helped trigger the protests." When people feel hopeless, they feel they have nothing to lose and caution goes to the wind,” said the chief of the Black Psychiatrists of America.
More than half the states are failing to report likely coronavirus cases to the federal government — sometimes excluding even those who tested positive for viral antibodies or had COVID-19 listed on their death certificates. The failures have alarmed health experts, who note that probable deaths were reported in previous outbreaks such as the H1N1 flu in 2009.
We wrote on Friday about May's surprisingly strong and unexpected jobs report, which saw unemployment fall for the first time since the crisis began. That's still true, but hours later came a big caveat: Due to a “misclassification error,” the government has been significantly underestimating the jobless rate since March. The corrected rate for April was 5 percentage points higher than originally reported: a whopping 19.7 percent, which fell last month to 16.3, still much higher than 13.3 percent jobless rate that led Friday's headlines. This story explains how the government botched the count.
And on that note, the National Bureau of Economic Research has announced that the U.S. economy officially entered into a recession as the virus began to spread in February, ending the record 128-month expansion that began in June 2009.

Other important news

New Zealand has entirely eradicated the virus within its borders, officials said Monday as the country prepared to lift all quarantine restrictions and reopen within hours.
As millions of Americans go back to work, some are finding their jobs are harder, riskier and pay less than when they left the office.
After two months, the government has given out less than 3 percent of $9 billion in emergency aid for health centers, senior care centers, day cares and people without homes.
Some COVID-19 patients are taking weeks to wake up from medically induced comas, and neurologists don't know why.
The two presidential campaigns have opposite health protocols: Where President Trump goes maskless and makes anyone who comes near him get tested, Joe Biden insists on masks and snubs tests for his staff.

Recurring Resources:

OneUnitedLancaster.com
- United Way of Lancaster County has launched a new website, OneUnitedLancaster.com. This digital source of information for our community works in tandem with United Way's 2-1-1 resources to connect people and resources during this time of upheaval.
- The Asset Map is a county-wide resource for all to utilize. If you need to add/update/delete information please follow the link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UWMAP20

Lancaster Chamber:
- Website updated daily: https://www.lancasterchamber.com/Apps/Pages/coronavirusnews
- “Moving Forward to Yellow Phase” : https://www.lancasterchamber.com/Apps/Pages/page-slug-92504?formEntryId=21971
- INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS/TRAINING:
  - PANDEMIC SAFETY MANAGER TRAINING – June 10
    This program is based on the latest science being produced out of the CDC, NIH, NIOSH, FDA and DHS. The focus of the educational session is to provide senior leaders, safety directors, human resource professionals and others responsible for providing safe and healthy workplaces with important science-based information. Participants will receive a certification of completion following the training course.
    REGISTER NOW
  - Workplace Considerations & Compliance
    This webinar featured Steve Matzura and Austin Wolfe of McNees Wallace & Nurick as they discussed workplace safety measures, employer mandates related to building safety, cleaning measures and employee requirements, and OSHA guidance and compliance.
    ACCESS NOW
  - Workplace Considerations: Practical Strategies for your Workplace and Workforce
    Learn more about change management, how to create new norms, develop effective communication strategies, tips & tricks for outfitting your space and workforce and how to navigate new realities and challenges of the workplace in alignment with CDC and State guidelines as Pennsylvania prepares to reopen.
    ACCESS NOW
  - Maintaining A Compliant Workplace & Workforce Under COVID-19 Restrictions
    This webinar will cover steps employers are taking to comply with the Governor's orders and the implications to the workplace and workforce. It will specifically address: 1) what do employers need to do to maintain a safe working environment; 2) what are the OSHA, whistleblower, and workers' compensation considerations; and 3) what are the employees rights from a non-union and union perspective (e.g. protected concerted activity)
    ACCESS NOW

Local Government:
- Mayor Danene Sorace is hosting daily briefings on Facebook every night at 5pm
- The County has a COVID site to keep up to date with their response: https://co.lancaster.pa.us/1296/Coronavirus-Disease-COVID-19

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health:
- Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health COVID-19 Data: online dashboard with COVID-19 testing and patient data. The site is accessible from the LGHealth.org homepage (click “data” in the top red banner), or at the link below. Data is updated each morning.
  - https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/news/COVID-19-data-for-lg-health