State Senator Provides Coronavirus Update

State Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46) conducted a telephone town hall meeting Thursday afternoon. Bartolotta gathered experts throughout the region to discuss issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Terry Wiltrout, Vice President of the Washington Health System summarized testing numbers. WHS tested 927 people, 818 tested negative, 37 positive and the remaining tests are still pending results. Wiltrout stated that 19 offices are currently equipped for telemedicine and 770 cases have been treated this way. Ami Gatts, Director Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board told residents that all personnel are working remotely, but unemployment claims, job placements and classes are still being offered online. When asked about unemployment claims with the new federal programs, both Gatts and Bartolotta indicated that their offices are waiting for further direction from the Federal Government. Leslie Grenfell, Executive Director Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging indicated that all Senior Centers have closed for socialization. Some centers are providing drive by food service. A list of those centers is available by calling the office. Finally, Donald Martin, Executive Director of Intermediate Unit 1 repeated the announcement from Governor Tom Wolf earlier in the day that mandated that all schools remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Martin indicated that students satisfactorily completing the remote learning programs being implemented will be qualified to graduate or advance in grade at the end of the school year.