Health security upped at courthouse
WEST CHESTER » Chester County has heightened healthy safety measures at its buildings, including the county Justice Center, to conform with orders given by the state Health Department concerning coronavirus building restrictions.
Now, when employees — including judges, department heads and county attorneys — and members of the public seeking help from the courts, arrive at the courthouse in West Chester, they are told straight away that they will not be allowed entrance if they show signs of being infected with the virus.
No coughing, no shortness of breath, no contact with someone suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. And no fever, which is why county Sheriff’s Deputies are stationed at the entrance with digital thermometers to test to see whether those wanting entrance are running a fever.
In addition, almost every office, courtroom, or conference room in the building has listed a maximum occupancy based on the 6-feet social distancing standard. Elevators are now private conveyances, since the maximum number of people allowed inside is one. The deputies themselves have started wearing medical face masks and gloves, as have some attorneys, court staff members, and as did the sitting judge hearings petitions for bail on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Carmody, although his mask seemed to slip down around his chin during most of the hearings. The new safety measures come as the county is seeing the highest increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases since the first was recorded on March 13. According to the county Health Department, there were 369 cases as of noon Wednesday, an increase of 38 over Tuesday. And fully 65 cases in the three days since Sunday. On Wednesday, April 1, there were only 223 cases. The county lists six residents of the county as having died of COVID-19 related deaths. In addition, a Montgomery County man died in a county hospital last week. The municipalities with the most cases continued to be those with the highest population in the county. Tredyffrin has 26, West Goshen has 20, Easttown with 18, Willistown with 16, and Uwchlan with 15. The age brackets with the most cases are people from 20 to 29, with 77, and 50 to 59, with 76. Of the county’s 73 municipalities, all but 16 have recorded at least one case of coronavirus.