State to release more detailed COVID-19 information to county EMAs

Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA)

Apr. 11--NANTICOKE -- After receipt of a letter from Sen. John Yudichak, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has agreed to begin releasing more detailed information on COVID-19 cases to county emergency management agencies.

State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine made the announcement Friday.

On March 26, Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, wrote a letter to Levine on behalf of both Luzerne and Carbon counties, asking for the release of more detailed information on COVID-19 cases to the EMAs.

"I applaud the Department of Health and Secretary Dr. Levine for listening to the concerns of both first responders and county leaders who have called for better local reporting of COVID-19 data," Yudichak said. "With this information in hand, our first responders and emergency personnel can now be better prepared to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others if called to the home of a person that may have contracted COVID-19."

Yudichak went on to say, "During this challenging time, we are depending heavily on our first responders, and we must make sure that everything is being done to keep them safe and healthy."

The request on behalf of Luzerne and Carbon counties was made to address the following:

--Knowing the location or address of someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will help to protect first responders and allow them to take necessary precautions.

--The ability to alert a local healthcare facility if someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is being transported to their facility.

--Knowing the location of a confirmed case/cases would give the county EMA the ability to monitor where possible clusters may be forming, which is especially helpful, because of the significant elderly population within Luzerne and Carbon Counties.

"I would like to first thank Sen. Yudichak and our first responders for speaking up on this issue," said Luzerne County Manager David Pedri. "There is no doubt that this information will help keep our first responders safe when responding to a call where a possible case of COVID-19 is involved."

Pedri added that while Luzerne County appreciates this measure by DOH, he feels this information needs to released on an even more public-scale.

"Identifying areas and alerting the public where the virus is predominant can heighten efforts to stop the spread," Pedri said.

Carbon County Commissioner Chairman Wayne Nothstein said, "What we're looking for is locations and addresses, so that we know where possible hot spots of spread are throughout the county. We live in a county where our first responders are all volunteers and we can't afford to have this virus spread throughout that volunteer base"

Yudichak announces loan program

for hospitals impacted by COVID-19

Yudichak said the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) Friday approved a $450 million emergency loan program to assist financially distressed hospitals as they work to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The doctors, nurses, and medical professionals in our Northeastern Pennsylvania hospitals are doing heroic work every day, and we must continue to do all we can to support them," Yudichak said.

Hospitals will be eligible to apply for low-interest loans of up to $10 million under the Hospital Emergency Loan Program (HELP). The loan is intended to provide short-term financial relief for hospitals until federal Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security funding is available.

The HELP application period is expected to run from April 13 through 20 and hospitals should submit their requests through the Department of Community & Economic Development's Electronic Single Application for Assistance. Applications will be evaluated based on specific criteria including size and location of the hospital, its financial need, and the impact of COVID-19 on its operations.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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