COVID-19 Resource Guide

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, PLEASE CALL YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER, 911, or 1-877-PA-HEALTH FOR GUIDANCE.

***In an attempt to answer our most frequently asked questions, Rep. O’Mara created this guide for constituents to find state and county websites & resources. This is not comprehensive & may not be the most up to date. We continue to encourage you to monitor governor.pa.gov & health.pa.gov for the most up to date information.***

IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM GOVERNOR TOM WOLF:

UNIVERSAL MASKING: On April 3, Governor Wolf recommended that all Pennsylvanians wear a mask if they must leave their homes. Members of the general public don’t need a surgical mask – we need those for our health care workers and first responders. Instead, they are encouraged to wear homemade fabric or cloth masks.Homemade masks limit the spread of infectious droplets in the air by containing coughs and sneezes.

When a homemade mask can’t be acquired a scarf or bandana can be utilized. By implementing community use of these homemade fabric or cloth masks, everyone will have a higher degree of protection from this virus.

WHEN TO WEAR A MASK: Those who are staying home and have no close contacts who are infected with COIVID-19 don’t need a mask most of the time. However, wearing a nonmedical or homemade mask may be helpful in certain situations or for certain populations.

• Shopping at essential businesses, like grocery stores or pharmacies.

• While visiting your health care provider.

• Traveling on public transportation.

• Interacting with customers/clients at essential businesses.

• When feeling sick, coughing, or sneezing.

HOW TO MAKE A MASK: Please visit the Governor’s “Universal Masking” section of his COVID-19 Resource Guide, or watch my DIY Tutorial on Facebook. 

STATEWIDE STAY AT HOME ORDER: All 67 Pennsylvania counties are now under a Stay at Home order through April 30, 2020.

All individuals in counties subject to this policy must STAY AT HOME except for certain essential activities and work to provide life-sustaining business and government services.

See Governor Wolf’s order and the Secretary of Health’s order.

Law enforcement officers should refer to Business Closure Order Enforcement Guidance available online here.

Allowable Activities and Travel:

Individuals may leave their residence ONLY to perform any of the following allowable individual activities and allowable essential travel.

• Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, or the health and safety of their family or household members (including, but not limited to, pets), such as obtaining medicine or medical supplies, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home.

• Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves or their family or household members, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, such as getting food and household consumer products, pet food, and supplies necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences. This includes volunteer efforts to distribute meals and other life-sustaining services to those in need.

• Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running if they maintain social distancing.

• To perform work providing essential products and services at a life-sustaining business (see below for details about life-sustaining business activities).

• To care for a family member or pet in another household.

Allowable Essential Travel

• Any travel related to the provision of or access to the above-mentioned individual activities or life-sustaining business activities (see below for details about life-sustaining business activities).

• Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.

• Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services.

• Travel to return to a place of residence from an outside jurisdiction.

• Travel required by law enforcement or court order.

• Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the commonwealth.

Exemptions:

Life-sustaining Business Activities

Life-sustaining business activities are exempt from this policy. On March 19, Governor Wolf ordered the closure of the physical locations of businesses that are not critical to sustaining life in a pandemic.

Businesses can determine whether they are considered a life-sustaining business, and are therefore allowed to continue in-person, physical operations, by first referring to the Governor’s Order and the list of life-sustaining business which is available here. This list has been updated to conform with guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure issued by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advisory

If the answer remains unclear, businesses may email the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for further assistance at the following email account: ra-dcedcs@pa.gov. Inquiries will be answered as promptly as possible.

Businesses that are ordered closed but believe they could help mitigate this crisis by providing a life-sustaining service may apply for a waiver to re-open. UPDATED: The deadline to apply for a waiver is 5PM on Friday, April 3, 2020.

This exemption is subject to continuance of and compliance with the social distancing and other mitigation measures to protect employees and the public, including virtual and telework operations (e.g. work from home) as the primary option when available.

Questions? Please read the PA DCED Frequently Asked Questions guide.

State and Local Governments

Governments should use best judgment in exercising their authorities and issuing implementation directives and guidance. All such decisions should appropriately balance public health and safety while ensuring the continued delivery of critical services and functions. Government employees and contractors should continue to operate under the direction of their supervisors.

Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Individuals experiencing homelessness are not subject to this policy but are strongly urged to find shelter and government agencies are urged to take steps needed to provide shelter for those individuals.

Displaced Students

International students, foster youth, and any other students who would otherwise experience displacement or homelessness as a result of campus closures are exempt from this policy and may remain in campus housing.

Additional Guidance

Additionally, nothing in this policy shall be construed to affect the operations of:

• Health care or medical service providers.

• Access to life-sustaining services for low-income residents, including, but not limited to, food banks.

• Access to child care services for employees of life-sustaining businesses that remain open as follows: child care facilities operating under the Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning waiver process; group and family child care operating in a residence; and part-day school age programs operating under an exemption from the March 19, 2020 business closure Orders.

• The news media.

• Law enforcement.

• The federal government.

• Religious institutions.

STATEWIDE UPDATE 3/19/2020 - Governor Wolf has ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations as of 8 p.m. March 19, to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Due to the high volume of waiver requests, the Wolf Administration is delaying enforcement of Governor Wolf’s order and the Secretary of Health’s order that all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania must close their physical locations to slow the spread of COVID-19. Enforcement actions against businesses that do not close physical locations will begin Monday, March 23, at 8:00 AM.

Business guidance has been updated after conversations with businesses, stakeholders, and individuals and has been aligned with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advisory released yesterday.

• See Governor Wolf’s order.

• See the Secretary of Health’s order.

• See a list of life-sustaining businesses.

Questions? Please read the PA DCED Frequently Asked Questions guide.

To request a waiver to keep your location open, please submit this form. All decisions will be communicated by email and will balance public health, safety, and the security of our industry supply chains supporting life-sustaining businesses.

Updated Coronavirus Links: 

For the daily COVID-19 Report, visit here.

For all press releases regarding coronavirus, please visit here.

Find the latest information on the coronavirus here.

Photos of the state’s lab in Exton are available for download and use here.

Coronavirus and preparedness graphics are available here near the bottom of the page: On.pa.gov/coronavirus

Community preparedness and procedures materials are available here.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How many COVID-19 cases are there in Pennsylvania and where are they?

Because of the rapidly changing number of cases, please see health.pa.gov for the most up to date information. The PA Department of Health also releases daily updates, including live press conferences, on their website and social media.

2. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The three main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two to as long as 14 days after exposure. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has more information about symptoms.

3. What do I do if I’m experiencing symptoms of COVID-19?

Please contact your medical provider, 911, or 1-877-PA-HEALTH. 

4. What does the PA Department of Health recommend we do to prevent the spread of COVID-19?

• Stay home and practice social distancing.

• Cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow. Do not use your hands!

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, remotes, and other frequently touched items.

• Contain: if you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better.

• In addition, it is recommended that Pennsylvanians take time to prepare now. View the PA Emergency Preparedness Guide.

5. What is considered a life sustaining business? (last updated 3/19/19)

Governor Wolf has ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations as of 8 p.m. March 19, to slow the spread of COVID-19. Click here to see a list of life sustaining businesses. Learn more about his announcement and order here. Due to the high volume of waiver requests, the Wolf Administration is delaying enforcement of Governor Wolf’s order and the Secretary of Health’s order that all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania must close their physical locations to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Enforcement actions against businesses that do not close physical locations will begin Monday, March 23, at 8:00 AM.

Business guidance has been updated after conversations with businesses, stakeholders, and individuals and has been aligned with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advisory released yesterday.

• See Governor Wolf’s order.

• See the Secretary of Health’s order.

• See a list of life-sustaining businesses.

To request a waiver to keep your location open, please submit this form by 5pm on Friday, April 3, 2020. All decisions will be communicated by email and will balance public health, safety, and the security of our industry supply chains supporting life-sustaining businesses. 

Have a question about whether or not your business needs to close? Please visit the DCED’s list of Frequently Asked Questions to see if you can find an answer immediately.

For businesses that have questions about whether they need to close, please email: ra-dcedcs@pa.gov

6. My license/vehicle registration/handicap placard is set to expire but PennDOT centers are closed. What do I do? 

PennDOT is closing all drivers license and photo license centers effective immediately. However, expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, disability placards, and safety and emission inspections will be extended until May 31, 2020. For more info, click here: http://bit.ly/39WL921

7. Do I still need a REAL ID by October 1, 2020?

No, the federal government has extended the deadline for REAL ID to October 1, 2021 (one full year). 

8. I’m a small business owner. Are there any resources to help me?

• The U.S. Small Business Administration and The U.S. Department of the Treasury have launched the new Paycheck Protection Program to help keep employees on payroll and small businesses operating. Lenders may begin processing loan applications as soon as Friday April 3, 2020. These are loans that may be FULLY forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities (at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Additional information about this program & other funding programs for small business owners is available at https://www.sba.gov/funding-pr…/…/coronavirus-relief-options

  • How to apply? Small businesses can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any participating federally insured depository institutions, federally insured credit unions, and Farm Credit System institutions. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You can find the form to apply at https://bit.ly/2X6Qxfn

  • UPDATE 4/8/20: If you live in Delaware County and need a lender for your PPP loan, please contact Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. FMFCU is now offering loans to Delco residents as a courtesy.

  • Please visit the latest edition of the Delco Chamber Of Commerce's Biz Buzz Blog at https://bit.ly/2X53MNF for more details!

  • What can I use these loans for?

    • Interest on mortgage obligations, incurred before February 15, 2020;

    • Rent, under lease agreements in force before February 15, 2020; and

    • Utilities, for which service began before February 15, 2020.

  • What counts as payroll costs?

    • Salary, wages, commissions, or tips (capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee);

    • Employee benefits including costs for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave; allowance for separation or dismissal; payments required for the provisions of group health care benefits including insurance premiums; and payment of any retirement benefit;

    • State and local taxes assessed on compensation; and

    • For a sole proprietor or independent contractor: wages, commissions, income, or net earnings from self-employment, capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee

• The Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved the transfer of $40 million to the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development) to create a state-level loan program for Pennsylvania small businesses. These funds, in addition to $21 million the department has on-hand, will enable the Commonwealth to offer up to $61 million in working capital loans through the Small Business First loan program. Update 4/1/2020 - DCED has announced that the Working Capital Access Program has closed - applications received have surpassed the allotted funding currently available. 

• Loans of up to $100,000 will be available to small businesses with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Additional details of the loan program are still being developed, but will be shared as soon as they are available.

• For more information and resources for businesses impacted by COVID-19, visit DCED's website at: https://dced.pa.gov/resources/ or https://dced.pa.gov/funding-programs/ 

• In addition, federal Small Business Administration Disaster Loans are now open! Delco business owners can apply online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/, select PA – Delaware county, and choose one of 3 COVID-19 options related to the more specific impacts of the disaster.

• As part of the Coronavirus response legislation signed into law on Thursday, March 19, companies with 500 or fewer employees must provide paid sick leave – 2 weeks paid leave at 100% of employee’s normal pay, up to $511 per day – and paid family & medical leave – additional 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave at 67% of normal pay, up to $200 per day (small businesses can apply for a waiver of this in some limited circumstances). Small businesses will get a tax credit to cover the costs, and gig workers & independent contractors get the same benefits in the form of a tax credit.

DCED Contract Information (State):

Phone: 1-866-466-3972

Website: https://dced.pa.gov/resources/

Email: ra-dcedcs@pa.gov

9. How do I apply for unemployment compensation benefits?

The PA Dept. of Labor & Industry announced yesterday that workers in Pennsylvania who are impacted by COVID-19 may be eligible for Unemployment and Workers’ Compensation benefits. For Unemployment questions related specifically to COVID-19, please visit this new resource guide designed by L&I. Unemployment compensation claims should be submitted online for faster processing at: http://bit.ly/2QkFAD2

You may be eligible for unemployment benefits if:

• Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19;

• Your employer reduces your hours because of COVID-19;

• You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might get or spread COVID-19; or

• You have been told to quarantine or self-isolate, or live/work in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts.

Please remember that eligibility cannot be predetermined! Eligibility will be based on the information provided by the individual and their employer(s) after filing an Application for Benefits.

Other Updates related to Unemployment Benefits:

• L&I is experiencing very large call volumes. Constituents may email L&I at uchelp@pa.gov, or via UC LiveChat on the L&I website.

• The Waiting Week is newly suspended. Previously, claimants were not eligible for benefits during their first week of unemployment (the "waiting week.") This has been suspended; eligible claimants may receive benefits for the first week that they are unemployed.

• Work Search and Work Registration requirements are temporarily waived for all UC claimants. Claimants are not required to prove they have applied or searched for a new job to maintain their UC benefits. Claimants are also not required to register with www.PACareerLink.gov.

• At this time, benefits are not being extended beyond 26 weeks. Employers will be able to apply for relief from charges for COVID-related claims.

• The Federal government also made changes to make accessing Unemployment Benefits easier, and increasing funding to the states for the influx of new applications. To read more about these changes, click here. 

10. How does the new federal CARES Act impact Unemployment Benefits?

The federal government passed a stimulus package that will assist workers and states in handling unemployment compensation. A full list of these changes be viewed here. One big impact is the bill includes full federal funding for an additional 26 weeks of extended benefits (EB) for states that experience an increase of 10% or more in unemployment claims over the previous year, comply with beneficiary access provisions, and trigger EB under existing UI law, which will be fully funded by the federal government. Normally, this requires a 50% match from states. We believe Pennsylvania will qualify for this federal program.

The federal CARES Act will also provide unemployment benefits to the self-employed, gig workers, and other individuals who previously were not eligible for unemployment.  Special instructions will be provided to these individuals.  At this time, you should NOT file a claim through the existing online system or phone number if you are not currently eligible for unemployment.

Workers impacted by COVID-19 can also visit our Information for Pennsylvania Employees Impacted by COVID-19 page for the latest updates.

11. How do I watch the Governor’s or PA Health daily press conference?

You can follow the social media accounts for Governor Tom Wolf on Twitter or Facebook. You can follow PA Health on Facebook or Twitter as well. 

You can also watch on your browser. The link to the live feed stream for the Governor’s updates is https://www.governor.pa.gov/live/ 

12. Is public transportation running?

• SEPTA has reduced Regional Rail to an "Essential Service Schedule" starting on Sunday, March 29 based on ridership drops of 94%. Service on Transit modes, including buses, subways and trolleys, will continue to operate on reduced Saturday schedules. Visit septa.org for more information.

• Starting on Friday, March 20, SEPTA will temporarily close outlying Regional Rail station ticket windows and waiting rooms. Until further notice, all cash fares paid on board trains for travel from an outlying station will be at the reduced Weekend/Evening rate. Please visit septa.org for the most up to date information.

• SEPTA announced that all transit modes – including buses, the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line, Trolleys and Norristown High Speed Line – will operate with reduced service levels beginning SUNDAY, March 22nd. With these adjustments, SEPTA will run all services on Saturday schedules – seven days a week – until further notice. Please visit their website for the latest info & schedules: http://septa.org/ 

• Amtrak announced that in coordination with PennDOT that all Keystone Service is suspended as of, March 18, 2020, and all Pennsylvanian trains as of Thursday, March 19, 2020. Click here for Amtrak Alerts: http://bit.ly/2IWDiFW

13. How do I request a mail-in ballot?

• The Pennsylvania Primary Date has been moved to June 2, 2020. 

• Please be aware that all registered voters in Pennsylvania are eligible to vote by mail this election. Applying for a mail-in ballot is simple, and you can even register to permanently receive mail-in ballots. All you need to apply is your PA drivers’ license or ID card. 

• Those interested can learn more and apply at https://www.votespa.com/Pages/default.aspx

14. Are Fine Wine & Good Spirit Stores open?

No. As of Wednesday, March 18th, all Fine Wine & Good Spirit Stores are closed until further notice. The Fine Wine & Good Spirit Stores in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties closed as of Tuesday, March 17th and will remain closed until further notice. 

UPDATED: As of Wednesday, April 1, 2020, Fine Wine & Good Spirits is now accepting online orders! Individuals may order up to six bottles at a time, limited to one purchase per household per day. In order to avoid products selling out within minutes, the online store is currently designed with a built-in lottery system at https://bit.ly/39Fs2sm. Access to the site is randomized, so if you are unable to place your order, those interested in purchasing alcohol can try again later in the day or throughout the week.

15. Are they still collecting trash and recycling?

As of March 17, yes. However, this is a local municipal service. Please check the website of your local township or borough for the most up to date answer. 

16. I just received my 2020 Census Form in the mail. What should I do?

If you received your 2020 Census Form in the mail, you should visit the US Census Bureau website and complete the survey online. You need the official form in order to complete the survey and identify your household. You can also call and complete it by phone. The Census Bureau is recommending everyone complete the survey by phone or email so you can avoid having someone follow up by door knocking. 

Reminder--be sure to count every single person in the household. This can also be a fun activity and civics lesson for the whole family! You can teach your children about the importance of the Census. Learn more by visiting Delco Counts. 17. How can I help my community during the COVD-19 crisis?

One of the biggest issues the state is facing is meeting needs for food scarcity. Here are some ways individuals and businesses can help Philabundance, which is the local food pantry servicing Delaware County:

Donate Health Supplies including N95 masks, gowns, surgical masks, and other PPE. Please contact 1-800-253-3102 or email EOC@DelcoDES.org if you have supplies to be donated in Delaware County.

Donate money: Philabundance is working to purchase prepackage boxes for our agency network to limit the need for clients to enter agencies, as well as working to purchase cleaning products, boxes, and other supplies our agencies need.  Any donations would help to manage these additional costs. 

Volunteer: If people are healthy, don’t live with someone who is currently sick and not in a high-risk population they can visit Philabundance’s website for more information or reach out to us to volunteer at volunteer@philabundance.org.

Donate surplus food: If there are businesses who are temporarily closing and have food available, please consider donating that food before it goes bad. You can contact sustainability@philabundance.org for more information.  

Donate Food & Other Items Locally: St. Mark's Food Center in Broomall (located at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 2220 S. Sproul Rd.) is in need of the following items: dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant and bar soap for bathing. As you know, St. Mark's provides food to residents in need on Tuesdays. They also provide these items because they are not available through public resources. All donations may be brought directly to the church. Maria said they leave their boiler room entrance unlocked to facilitate convenient drop-offs. Go to the rear of the building and look for a gray door with signs on it. Place items anywhere you can find a spot.

Prepare grab ‘n go meals: Businesses who have the capacity, can also help by preparing grab ‘n go meals for individuals that may be in need during this time. Meals can be donated directly to an agency or a distribution meal site. See the Philabundance website for more information.

18. I’m feeling more anxious than usual. Are there any resources to help me? 

I know that many folks in the 165th are feeling a bit more stressed out right now, and I understand completely. It’s an uncertain time, and human beings like certainty. It’s important to note that we are not helpless in light of current news events, and you are not alone. This is a great chance to connect with family, loved ones + friends via phone, text or video call —all without spreading illness. If you are struggling or feeling anxious, here are some resources you can use right now. Some of these programs even feature messaging boards, which can help you stay connected to people despite being at home. If you or someone you know needs help right now, there is live support if you call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or TEXT 741-741.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

·  Reassure children that doctors/others are working to keep everyone safe

·  Give them some control

·  Watch for signs of stress

State Resources:

PA DHS (Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health Support provided by the Dept. of Human Services): https://www.dhs.pa.gov/Services/Mental-Health-In-PA/Pages/default.aspx

PA Health (Resource page of various programs available in PA): https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/school/Pages/Mental-Health.aspx

Support for Families & Individuals with Substance Abuse Disorders: https://www.ddap.pa.gov/Get%20Help%20Now/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

National & Federal Resources 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html

Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/disaster-preparedness

American Foundation Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/taking-care-of-your-mental-health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/

19. Are my taxes still due on April 15, 2020?

No. Both the Pennsylvania and Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service have announced extensions for personal income tax return filing deadlines. The new date for both state and federal tax is July 15, 2020. Please check with your local townships for any changes to local tax changes. To view the announcement about the state, visit here: https://bit.ly/2UcwBpH

20. Are State Parks open to the public?

The public can access trails, lakes, roads, and parking for passive and dispersed recreation, such as hiking; however, all facilities at state parks and forests in Pennsylvania will be closed for 14 days effective Tuesday, March 17, to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

DCNR recommends that anyone visiting the parks still practice the mitigation tips instructed by the Dept. of Health, including social distancing, hand washing, hand sanitizing, etc. 

Closed facilities include:

• Park and forest offices and visitor centers

• Restrooms

• Campgrounds, cabins, and all forms of overnight accommodations, including the Nature Inn

• Public programs, events, and trainings are cancele