Berks County declares disaster emergency.
Berks County has declared a disaster emergency due to the threat of coronavirus.
Chief Administrative Officer Ron Seaman said at a county commissioners meeting Thursday morning that the declaration should not be seen by the public as a signal to panic, but rather a way to make sure the county can respond as quickly as possible if an outbreak occurs.
“In any kind of situation like this, time is of the essence,” he said. “And acting sooner rather than later is always beneficial. This will allow us to relax the standard in which we normally have to operate so that we can make valid and rational decisions in this ever-changing climate.”
Berks has not yet had a reported case of COVID-19, the coronavirus that has been spreading across the globe.
As of today, there were 22 cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Health.
Berks County Solicitor Christine Sadler said the emergency declaration will allow officials to mobilize quickly and activate a menu of powers they can use to respond to a crisis situation. It also allows the commissioners to conduct meetings as necessary without having to publicly advertise those meetings 24 hours in advance. Seaman said Berks County Department of Emergency Services Director Brian Gottschall has been collaborating with school districts, local health professionals and municipalities to ensure the appropriate people have the supplies and resources needed to continue services.
Last week, the board decided to set aside $10,000 in emergency spending to be used exclusively to fund activity related to the coronavirus response. Seaman said he will provide a weekly report outlining expenses to various departments for review.
“This $10,000 isn’t a cap,” Commissioners Chairman Christian Y. Leinbach said at a budget and operations meeting last Thursday. “The $10,000 is simply a starting point for the fund, and we wanted to establish this fund so that everything is thought out and documented.”
In addition to declaring an emergency disaster, the county is also asking people to refrain from visiting Berks Heim nursing home to help ensure the safety of residents and staff.
“We understand the importance of loved ones remaining in contact and encourage visitors to use alternative communication methods if possible,” Seaman said. “All individuals, including staff, who come into the building are being screened.”
He added that Berks Heim administrators are in close contact with the local and state emergency management agencies and following guidelines set by those agencies.
There will also be no visitation permitted at the county prison in Bern Township. A message posted on the facility website said there will be no family or friend visitation as well as no professional visitation until further notice.
Leinbach asked residents to avoid gathering in large crowds and practice good hygiene to limit the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible.
Commissioner Kevin S. Barnhardt said the county is working to make the April 28 primary election as safe as possible for those who want to vote on the touchscreen machines at their polling locations. He said poll workers will be required to wear gloves to prevent the spread of the illness.
But he also urged residents to consider casting their votes by mail to avoid lines and crowded spaces. Applications for mail-in ballots can be found on the homepage of the election services website.
“We just want to make sure people are utilizing every tool necessary to be able to vote,” he said. “We really hope that people take advantage of this new option.”
Commissioner Michael Rivera reminded residents that they should be checking a website the county launched last week that is specifically designed to communicate information about the coronavirus.
“We have been working with state and federal authorities and local experts to make sure we are providing the most accurate information to our residents because we feel that it’s important we do all that we can to limit the spread as much as possible,” he said.
The board also voted on Thursday to formally establish a chain of command with respect to the response.
Because the county does not have its own health department like some of its neighboring counties, the commissioners have been designated to take the lead on the response effort by coordinating public-health initiatives and creating a centralized system to distribute health information. Seaman will be second in that chain, Gottschall will serve as third in that line and a public relations coordinator will serve as the final link in the chain.