Coronavirus category, Page 185

COLUMBUS — Ohio will begin cracking down on social distancing at bars after photos showed plenty of customers standing and drinking on crowded patios during the first weekend restaurants and taverns were allowed to reopen, Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday. Police officers and health investigators will be making safety checks...

NEW YORK — Federal authorities are urging governors to use “extreme caution” in deciding when to resume visits at nursing homes, saying it shouldn’t come before all residents and staff have tested negative for the coronavirus for at least 28 days. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ criteria for...

The seating and the passing of peace may look a little different but, beginning June 1, Catholic churches in the Diocese of Greensburg will celebrate Mass — in person. Diocesan officials announced Monday that parishes can once again begin public Mass. Parishioners will be required to wear masks and remain...

SAN FRANCISCO — More than 180 people in a rural Northern California county were asked to self-quarantine when they were exposed to the coronavirus during a Mother’s Day church service attended by an infected person, health officials said. The infected person received their positive covid-19 diagnosis the day after they...

A study led by a Carnegie Mellon University professor used national data to measure how many children have internet access at home and what factors contribute to the long-existing digital divide. The findings, said lead researcher Ananya Sen, are especially potent as most K-12 school districts have moved to online...

The state’s new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program will allow some Pennsylvanians to continue receiving benefits after traditional unemployment expires. The program is funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Unemployment benefits usually expire after 13 weeks. Unemployed Pennsylvanians whose benefits have run out, who...

Westmoreland County’s top elected officials are pleased with having been moved into the yellow phase of coronavirus reopening. They would just prefer a more robust shade. In a letter sent to Gov. Tom Wolf, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers and county commissioners asked for an enhanced designation that would...

Although the coronavirus has not impacted the Westmoreland County Prison like some other jails, the pandemic has improved the facility’s bottom line, officials said. The virus considerably lowered the inmate count at the Hempfield lockup, which in turn has led to savings of more than $18,000 in medical expenses this...

Dennis Davin is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Russell Redding is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Since the beginning of time, food has been something that brings people together. Pennsylvania is home to more than 26,500 restaurants — from the classics...

Summer celebration cancellations have now gone intergalactic, with the annual Kecksburg UFO Festival becoming the latest to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. “There was a lot of discussion about it, but there is too much uncertainty right now regarding what is going to be allowed come the end...

State health officials reported dozens of new coronavirus deaths on Monday as they announced an overhaul in how deaths are reported to the Department of Health and then to the public. The 87 new deaths reported bring the state’s death toll to 4,505. Additionally, 822 new covid-19 cases were reported...

Goodwill stores in southwestern Pennsylvania are reopening beginning Monday. With Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to move the area from red to yellow phase in the coronavirus reopening plan, the company will start with limited hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to a news release, these safety precautions will...

It’s a bittersweet milestone. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has distributed its 1 millionth pound of food through drive-up events since the organization’s covid-19 response began on March 16. The mark was met on Saturday during a distribution event held with the South Hills Interfaith Movement. And while the...

Allegheny County on Monday reported no new covid-19 deaths and 38 new cases. The latest figures bring the total number of covid-19 cases in the county to 1,641 since the first case was reported here March 14. Total deaths remained at 143, and total hospitalizations rose by two from Sunday’s...

Dr. Rachel Levine is Pennsylvania Secretary of Health. The 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic is taking an emotional toll on everyone. But one group of Pennsylvanians is facing unique challenges during this pandemic: our front-line workers in health care. As a physician, I understand how emotionally exhausting it is to care...

An emotional support hotline is available for first responders in Westmoreland County during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotline has been established by Westmoreland Community Action and the Westmoreland County Critical Incident Stress Management Team. It is available for any first responder — ambulance personnel, police, firefighters, 911 dispatchers and corrections...