March 18, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerUpdated: Everything you need to know about the Pennsylvania coronavirus shutdownby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAOn March 16, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered a statewide shutdown, urging nonessential businesses to close for two weeks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania.
March 18, 2020ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia InquirerGet answers to your questions about Pennsylvania’s response to the coronavirus | Ask Spotlight PAby Staff of Spotlight PASubmit a question to our team or suggest a story we should pursue.
March 18, 2020Sarah Anne Hughes / Spotlight PAFuneral directors in Pennsylvania brace for grief as coronavirus limits services, viewingsby Sara Simon of Spotlight PAOver the weekend, the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association encouraged funeral homes to consider limiting services to immediate family and moving public memorials to a later date.
March 17, 2020Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia InquirerPa. Senate approves remote voting rule in response to the coronavirusby Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineWhile rules previously allowed proxy voting, the 50-member body couldn’t legislate unless at least 26 senators were present on the floor.
March 16, 2020DAN GLEITER / PennLivePennsylvania legislature will vote remotely as coronavirus spreadsby Gillian McGoldrickTemporary rules will also allow legislators to rapidly consider and pass bills.
March 16, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf orders statewide shutdown over coronavirusby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe shutdown directive, which applies to nonessential businesses in all 67 counties, begins at midnight and will be in place for two weeks.
March 16, 2020TYGER WILLIAMS / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRERPa. hospitals are rationing protective gear as the number of coronavirus cases growsby Brett Sholtis of WITFThe rationing comes as the state Department of Health maintains that it has personal protective equipment available and is working with health systems to make sure they have what they need.
March 15, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf claims expansive powers as coronavirus crisis deepensby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Laura McCrystal and Claudia Vargas of the Philadelphia InquirerWolf has shut down schools in Pennsylvania, put counties in lockdown, and said he could even order businesses to shutter their doors. Such are the powers the Democratic governor has since declaring a disaster emergency on March 6.
March 14, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerThree Pa. special elections will go on as planned Tuesday despite the coronavirusby Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineWith proper precautions taken, a top House official said COVID-19 does "not require the rescheduling of the special elections."
March 12, 2020Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia InquirerPa. lawmakers plan to meet in the Capitol next week, despite coronavirus concernsby Angela Couloumbis and Cynthia FernandezStarting Friday, all public events in the Capitol are canceled until further notice, state officials said. That includes tours, school field trips, and rallies.
March 12, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania’s health department is keeping coronavirus details from local officialsby Cynthia Fernandez and Justine McDanielDelaware County lawmakers and officials say they have pressed the state department for the exact municipality where the county’s infected person lives.
March 11, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania isn’t releasing details on coronavirus cases because of a decades-old lawby Cynthia FernandezHealth Secretary Rachel Levine has not provided the public with the total number of samples tested, the number of people quarantined after possible exposure, or the exact ages of infected persons.
March 6, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania announces first ‘presumed positive’ cases of coronavirusby Cynthia Fernandez and Sarah Anne HughesThe cases, in Delaware County and Wayne County, still need to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wolf said. The affected people have been quarantined in their homes.
March 3, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. state lab can now test for coronavirus, but its capability is limitedby Cynthia FernandezThe lab can handle just six tests a day at present.
Feb. 26, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. is preparing for coronavirus as CDC warns spread in U.S. may be ‘inevitable’by Cynthia Fernandez“It is critical now that we be prepared for the possibility of community spread of COVID-19," Health Secretary Rachel Levine said Wednesday.
