Coronavirus category, Page 222
Editorial: Hospital loans could save lives
We need our hospitals. Right now, they are all busy with other things. Emergency departments are taking care of the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. Health care workers are testing to identify those with covid-19 symptoms. Intensive care units are struggling with the task of trying to save lives —...
Washington County Food Bank holding ‘single largest’ distribution Friday in Canonsburg
The Greater Washington County Food Bank is holding a “Truck to Trunk” drive-thru distribution on Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church. It will be the eighth Truck to Trunk distribution in April and is expected to be the “single largest” food distribution in Washington...
Allegheny County officials: More coronavirus testing needed before businesses can reopen
Efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Allegheny County are working, but more testing is needed before physical distancing measures can be lifted, officials said during a press call Wednesday. “I think these numbers are incredibly encouraging, but I think it’s too soon to celebrate,” said Dr. Debra...
‘It cannot get worse’: Airlines see fewest travelers since 9/11 attacks
The number of people boarding flights in the United States reached a new low Tuesday, with likely the fewest travelers in a single day since flights were grounded in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Transportation Security Administration said 87,534 people boarded flights Tuesday, down 96% from...
Pittsburgh Public Schools to begin remote learning plan
Pittsburgh Public Schools on Wednesday released its detailed plan for remote learning, combining online lectures and assignments with packets of materials distributed by the district. “Our ultimate goal in our service delivery model is really about being very flexible,” said Chief Academic Officer Minika Jenkins in a video news conference...
Westmoreland jail inmates asking court for release over coronavirus fears; Allegheny has released nearly 1,000
The population at the Westmoreland County Prison has dropped 22% since March 1 as inmates seek release to protect themselves should the coronavirus get inside the jail. Warden John Walton said officials there have identified 67 inmates between ages 22 and 80 who have chronic medical conditions that could make...
Online sales keep Western Pa. breweries, distilleries, wineries in business during coronavirus pandemic
In the age of coronavirus, we drink alone. But sales figures from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, based on heavy traffic to its Fine Wine & Good Spirits website, and reports from distilleries and wineries in the region since the covid-19 pandemic shut down the Keystone State a month ago...
Pennsylvania launches task force to address coronavirus outbreaks among minorities
The governor’s office on Wednesday announced a new task force aimed at analyzing and addressing disproportionate coronavirus outbreaks in minority communities across Pennsylvania. The goal of the Covid-19 Response Task Force for Health Disparity is to identify disparities and make recommendations to Gov. Tom Wolf on how to address the...
Tech companies step up fight against bad coronavirus informationVideo
CHICAGO — Potentially dangerous coronavirus misinformation has spread from continent to continent like the pandemic itself, forcing the world’s largest tech companies to take unprecedented action to protect public health. Facebook, Google and others have begun using algorithms, new rules and factual warnings to knock down harmful coronavirus conspiracy theories,...
Attorney General, banks offer loan relief during coronavirus pandemic
The office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro partnered with several banks to help Pennsylvanians who face financial hardships as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Banks participating in the PA Care Package initiative will offer a 90-day grace period for mortgages, auto loans and other consumer loans. They will...
How should you spend your stimulus check? Here is what experts say
The check is not in the mail. But that big coronavirus stimulus check — up to $1,200 for singles, $2,400 for married couples and an extra $500 for each qualified child — might be in your bank account if the IRS has direct deposit information on you. Some families will...
Coronavirus pandemic continues to impact financial health of colleges, universities
Less than a month into a shutdown that forced colleges and universities across the country to transition to online classes, covid-19 is exposing new fractures in higher education. When students were forced to leave campus months before the end of the spring semester, residential campuses had to come up with...
Allegheny Health Network receives $100k gift for personal protective equipment
Allegheny Health Network received a gift of $100,000 for support during the covid-19 pandemic, the hospital network announced Wednesday. The money, donated to the network’s Covid-19 Assistance Fund, will be used to buy personal protective equipment and other necessary supplies at AHN Jefferson Hospital in Jefferson Hills. The gift was...
Feds under pressure to publicly track nursing home outbreaksVideo
NEW YORK — Federal officials are coming under increasing pressure to start publicly tracking coronavirus infections and deaths in nursing homes amid criticism they have not been transparent enough in responding to an explosion of outbreaks that has already claimed thousands of lives. Public health experts say the lack of...
Pennsylvania orders businesses to turn away customers who don’t wear masks
Customers and employees will soon be required to wear masks inside businesses still operating, and those who don’t wear masks will be denied entry, state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Wednesday. The order, which includes dozens of other requirements, will go into effect 8 p.m. Sunday. It dictates...
Rite Aid in Monroeville to begin self-swab testing for covid-19
Rite Aid pharmacies are joining the effort to help Western Pennsylvanians get tested for covid-19. Starting Thursday, the Rite Aid at 4111 William Penn Highway in Monroeville will begin drive-up testing by appointment for people showing possible symptoms of the highly contagious coronavirus disease, the company announced Wednesday. The person...
Dr. Christopher Koman: Normalcy bias hampers fight against covid-19
Christopher Koman, M.D., is a family physician with Genesis Medical Associates in McCandless. A farmer has a pond. On day 1, there is one lily pad. He knows that they grow fast and will double every day and completely cover his pond in 30 days. On what day will his...
Pennsylvania rolls out data on nursing home coronavirus cases
Pennsylvania is now sharing data on cases of coronavirus at long-term care facilities and personal care homes in each county. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine made the announcement during a virtual news conference Wednesday. The information can be found on the health department’s coronavirus page. Levine said the Department...
WWE releases Kurt Angle, others in response to coronavirus impact
WWE is slashing costs during the coronavirus pandemic by cutting ties with an Olympic gold medalist and other performers. In a release issued Wednesday afternoon, the company announced measures it was taking “in response to the current impact of covid-19 on the organization,” which included “headcount reductions” and furloughing “a...
China didn’t warn public of likely pandemic for 6 key days
In the six days after top Chinese officials secretly determined they likely were facing a pandemic from a new coronavirus, the city of Wuhan at the epicenter of the disease hosted a mass banquet for tens of thousands of people; millions began traveling through for Lunar New Year celebrations. President...
Vehicle procession at UPMC Passavant will honor health care workers
North Hills residents can show their support for health care workers by participating in procession of vehicles at UPMC Passavant hospital in McCandless. From 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, residents can demonstrate their appreciation by driving through the hospital campus flashing their vehicle headlights and honking the horn. The event...
Employee at McDonald’s in Allegheny Township tests positive for coronavirus
An employee at the McDonald’s restaurant in Allegheny Township has tested positive for covid-19, causing a temporary closure of the restaurant along Hyde Park Road. Owner Dan Delligatti said the site is being sanitized and is expected to reopen when cleaning is complete. “Our highest priority is to protect the...
Who is tracking your smartphone data during coronavirus pandemic?
Smartphone companies have always gathered data on their users. But in the weeks since the covid-19 pandemic gained traction in the U.S., special attention has been given to data’s role in curbing the spread of the disease. Experts say data can be used to trace individuals’ contact with others who...
Pennsylvania coronavirus deaths rise to 647 as total cases top 26,000
Coronavirus deaths in Pennsylvania crested 600 on Wednesday, though the total number of new cases remained below 1,200 for the second straight day. In numbers reported throughout Tuesday, 63 more people died from the virus statewide, bringing the death toll to 647. The Department of Health reported 1,145 new cases....
Allegheny County reports 2 more coronavirus deaths, 11 more cases
Allegheny County health officials reported two more coronavirus-related deaths and added 11 new cases to the countywide tally Wednesday, pushing the total deaths to 26 and cases to 904 since the first case was reported March 14. The 11 new cases are compared to 17 new cases reported Tuesday, 19...
