March 17, 2020 9:53 am
All Driver License Centers and Photo License Centers in Pennsylvania will be closed for two weeks effective close of business on Monday, March 16. Additionally, expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, and safety and emission inspections will be extended: Driver licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020. All PennDOT District and County Maintenance offices are closed. Additionally, construction projects have been suspended in all counties until further notice, however crews are available to perform critical functions and emergency maintenance as needed. All PennDOT rest areas and welcome centers statewide are now closed.
March 17, 2020 4:05 am
NEW TRIPOLI, Pa. (AP) – Distilleries are putting their spirits to work to help fill the shortage of hand sanitizers due to the coronavirus outbreak. Green Mountain Distillers is Morrisville, Vermont, is giving away a hand sanitizing solution and Durham Distillery in Durham, North Carolina, is donating one to hospitality colleagues, using high-proof alcohol and other ingredients. A Pennsylvania distillery owner grew so disgusted by the skyrocketing price of hand sanitizer online that he’s also converted his operation. And is selling it for whatever people want to pay.
March 17, 2020 4:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democratic presidential primary is consumed with uncertainty after leaders in Ohio called off Tuesday’s election just hours before polls were set to open to combat the new coronavirus. Not since New York City postponed its mayoral primary on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has an election been pushed off in such a high profile, far-reaching way. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said late Monday that the state’s health director will declare a health emergency and order the polls closed. Elections officials in Arizona, Illinois and Florida said they were moving forward with plans to vote.
March 17, 2020 4:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is urging all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants for at least the next few weeks as officials forecast a surge in the coronavirus outbreak. For the first time Trump acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and went on to suggest that Americans may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.” Trump’s warnings came Monday as the White House released sweeping guidelines for the next 15 days. People are advised not to gather in groups of more than 10, and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.
March 17, 2020 2:18 am
The Wolf Administration is clarifying efforts announced Monday afternoon to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 across Pennsylvania. The governor ‘strongly urged’ non-essential businesses to close for at least 14 days. The governor’s request is to protect employees, customers and suppliers. Previously, the governor designated Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Allegheny Counties to launch their own mitigation efforts. Non-essential businesses include entertainment, hospitality, and recreation facilities, including but not limited to community and recreation centers, gyms, hair salons and barber shops. Also, spas, casinos, concert venues ,theaters, sporting event venues and golf courses. Shopping malls are also included except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations.
March 17, 2020 2:16 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania will shut down all of its roughly 600 state-owned wine and liquor stores as part of the state’s expanding shutdown to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said all wine and liquor stores and licensee service centers will close 9 p.m. Tuesday. Online sales ended Monday. Wolf already ordered the stores to close after Monday in four southeastern Pennsylvania counties where he had said there was “confirmed evidence of risk.” Stores in those four counties first drew large crowds over the weekend, and the liquor control board said it saw unusually high online order volume.
March 16, 2020 5:21 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – The Dow industrials took a 2,999-point nosedive on Monday as fears deepen that the coronavirus outbreak will throw global economy into recession. Even for a market beset by volatility in recent weeks, the losses were staggering. The 12.9% drop in the Dow was its worst since 1987. The losses accelerated in the last hour of trading as President Donald Trump advised Americans to avoid large gatherings. He also said he sees a chance of recession and promised help to the struggling airline industry. The losses came as huge swaths of the economy come closer to a standstill due to the outbreak as businesses and travel shut down.
March 16, 2020 4:38 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that there are 16 additional positive cases of COVID-19, which brings the state total to 63. All patients diagnosed are either at home in isolation or being treated at a hospital. Of the 16 cases, another case was found in Allegheny County, bringing the county’s total to three cases. Officials have tested or are in the process of testing 446 patients. Of those tests, 205 have been negative, while 183 patient samples are in route or in the lab for testing. Below is the break down of cases by county as of noon today:
- Allegheny (3)
- Bucks (4)
- Chester (2)
- Cumberland (5)
- Delaware (7)
- Lehigh (1)
- Luzerne (1)
- Monroe (6)
- Montgomery (24)
- Northampton (1)
- Philadelphia (6)
- Pike (1)
- Washington (1)
- Wayne (1)
To stay up to date on the latest coronavirus updates, visit the PA Department of Health’s website.
March 16, 2020 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal government’s effort to ramp up testing for the coronavirus will initially prioritize health care workers and the elderly. Trump administration officials on Sunday described a targeted, government-driven effort to screen for the virus in the most vulnerable Americans and those able to treat them. Officials said federal emergency and health workers would partner with states to set up community centers capable of testing 2,000 to 4,000 people per day. The details come amid growing frustration about lack of access to testing and concerns the virus is spreading undetected.
March 16, 2020 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the new coronavirus will begin Monday. A government official says the first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine that day. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial that is taking place at a Kaiser Permanente research facility in Seattle. Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by NIH and Moderna Inc. Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.
