Montco schools ordered to close
HARRISBURG » Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday ordered schools and other facilities closed in Montgomery County, a Philadelphia suburb of more than 800,000 people hardhit by the COVID-19 outbreak, as he discouraged large gatherings of people statewide.
Wolf’s sweeping order comes as Pennsylvania’s cases of coronavirus grew, hitting 22 cases reported by the state Department of Health. More than half are in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s third mostpopulated county.
Wolf, a Democrat, said the order regarding Montgomery County takes effect Friday and lasts at least two weeks for all schools, as well as community centers, day cares, gyms and entertainment venues.
Critical infrastructure, including health care facilities and pharmacies, will remain open, but he urged nonessential retail establishments in the county to close and asked religious leaders to cooperate in preventing the spread of the virus.
Statewide, he urged gatherings of 250 people or more to be canceled or postponed.
“These actions may seem severe, but they are far less draconian than what we may have to do in the future if we don’t act now,” Wolf told a news conference at Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Harrisburg.
It came as major universities sent students home, and schools and youth clubs canceled performances, competitions and sporting events across eastern Pennsylvania.
In Philadelphia, officials banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people, but said they wanted schools to remain open, calling them are essential to food, shelter and safety for children.
A look at the latest developments in Pennsylvania:
CASES
All of the state’s 22 cases of positive tests are in eastern Pennsylvania. Hardest hit is Montgomery County with 13 cases, while the first cases in Northampton County and Pike counties were reported Thursday.
Dozens of tests are pending. Most confirmed cases involve someone who came into contact with the new coronavirus in another state or country, and most people are at home in isolation, not at the hospital.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
The vast majority of people recover.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Wolf said his approach to Montgomery County will be continually evaluated. For now, it applies to all kinds of schools, including more than 20 public school districts in Montgomery County that educate more than 100,000 children. It also applies to college, day cares, adult care centers and more.
Gas stations, grocery stores, government facilities, utilities and mass transit should continue to operate, he said.
For its part, Montgomery County officials are prohibiting all mass gatherings of any size that are outside, or in any temporary structures, events that typically require a permit.
They also implored the cancellation of any nonessential public and private gathering indoors, and for businesses to allow employees to work from home.
ROMAN CATHOLIC SERVICES
The archbishop of Philadelphia, Nelson Perez, announced that, with Pennsylvania’s bishops, he was releasing Catholics from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass. He did say, however, that all regularly scheduled masses would remain open.
SCHOOLS
Allentown schools said an employee showed symptoms and was tested for COVID-19. As a result, the district ordered schools closed Thursday and Friday for cleaning, with plans to reopen Monday.
Meanwhile, Temple University in Philadelphia told its 39,000 students that inperson instruction is ending for the semester and online instruction begins Monday. Students in university housing have until the end of next week to leave and students who live off-campus were encouraged to go home.
More than a dozen other schools in Pennsylvania, including as Penn State, Pitt, St. Joseph’s and Penn, are taking similar steps.
CANCELLATIONS
Public events were canceled in the state Capitol Complex and governor’s residence in Harrisburg and access to the Capitol was limited to employees and others with key card credentials. The policy, which will remain in effect indefinitely, applies to rallies, tours and receptions. The Legislature is scheduled to return to session next week.
The Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia said Thursday that it was closing for a cleaning and would reschedule the day’s events.
Wolf’s administration told tens of thousands of state workers to avoid outof-state business travel and large gatherings, but the administration stopped short of ordering otherwise healthy employees to work from home.
VISITATION POLICIES
The state Department of Corrections on Thursday stopped all prison visitor buses from private vendors as hospitals and prisons tighten visitor policies or screening.
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs closed its six veterans’ homes to visitors, but will allow exceptions for when a resident’s heath is deemed “severely critical.” There are no confirmed cases in the veterans’ homes.
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
“These actions may seem severe, but they are far less draconian than what we may havetodointhefutureifwe don’t act now.”
— Gov. Tom Wolf