Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Centre County on March 29
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about coronavirus in Centre County. Check back for updates.
Penn State student opens up about COVID-19 experience
Caela Camazine, a Penn State senior and 23-year-old State College native, spoke to the Centre Daily Times’ Josh Moyer about her experience as a positive COVID-19 case.
Camazine tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, but has been in a self-imposed quarantine for two weeks, after noticing symptoms. She had been vacationing in Austria with 22 others, including her boyfriend, who also tested positive.
Although she had been in contact with a confirmed positive case, had symptoms and been in a region of Austria that was hit hard by the virus, Camazine was initially told she didn’t meet the qualifications for testing.
“Had I not felt the moral obligation to listen to the CDC and self-isolate, and listen to my parents, I would have been fine to go out and go to the grocery store and pick up all the produce and squeeze a grapefruit and see if it was ripe enough and put it back,” she said. “It’s been super frustrating.”
- By Josh Moyer
Now under a stay-at-home order, Centre County adds 7 new coronavirus cases
With Centre County now under a stay-at-home order, the number of confirmed cases in the county grew by seven on Sunday, according to the state Department of Health.
The total number of cases in Centre County is 22, while the statewide total is now at 3,394 — 643 more cases than Saturday. There have been 38 deaths connected to the coronavirus in Pennsylvania. No Centre County residents have died from the virus.
Four more people have also died of the coronavirus, bringing the state total to 38. No Centre County residents, or residents from neighboring counties, have died from the pandemic. The state updates its county-by-county coronavirus numbers at noon every day.
Nearby Mifflin County gained its first cases on Sunday, with two confirmed by the state Department of Health.
Penn State Harrisburg in Dauphin County reported its first positive case of COVID-19 on Saturday. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, also in Dauphin County, reported its first inpatient fatality associated with COVID-19 on Friday.
- By Jessica McAllister
Gov. Wolf requests major disaster declaration
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf requested a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump through the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday to bring more funding and programs to the state amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The COVID-19 outbreak has taxed our commonwealth and our communities in ways that are almost incomprehensible,” Wolf said in a press release. “I am calling on the president and the federal government to make available to us the assistance that will make a tangible difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors, and the dedicated public servants who are working in overdrive to support them.”
Pennsylvania already receives reimbursement for eligible expenses for emergency protective measures to state, county and local governments and certain nonprofits under the president’s nationwide emergency proclamation.
If approved, the major disaster declaration would also provide the following individual assistance programs: Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Community Disaster Loans and the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Program; and Statewide Hazard Mitigation.
Stay at home order goes into effect for Centre County
The “stay-at-home” order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus went into effect for Centre County at 8 p.m. Saturday and continues until at least April 6.
Under the order, residents are allowed to leave home only for allowable activities and essential travel, according to press release from the governor’s office.
A full list of what is and what isn’t allowed can be found here.
“We think the need is there to up the game and to make sure that people are staying home and that we’re doing even more to keep ourselves safe,” Wolf said during a media briefing Saturday, “to keep ourselves from infecting other people.”
Law enforcement will focus on making sure residents know about the order and social distancing guidelines rather than enforcement “at this time,” according to the governor’s office. Noncompliant businesses should be reported to local law enforcement’s nonemergency number or state police. Do not call 911.
The state Department of Health reported four new positive cases of the coronavirus in Centre County Saturday, bringing its total up to 15. The DOH reported 2,751 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, an increase of 533.
In Centre County, Mount Nittany Health reported its first case of an employee testing positive within its system on Friday, and Penn State confirmed a case on its campus Tuesday.
Continuation of Suspension of Visits at Centre County Correctional Facility
The Centre County Correctional Facility extended its suspension of all visitors, volunteers and programs within the facility until April 13.
The facility is actively monitoring the situation and will revisit the suspension in two weeks. Any visitation questions can be directed to 814-355-6794.
Here’s what happened in Centre County this week:
Enforcement began on Pa.’s ‘non-life-sustaining business’ shutdown
Enforcement began Monday of Gov. Tom Wolf’s order for all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to shutter their brick-and-mortar locations in effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The order has forced tens of thousands of business across the state, including Centre County, to close or think creatively about ways to remain in operation remotely or to close.
Fitness instructors and owners of gyms and fitness studios — not considered life-sustainaing — have taken to teaching classes online with the help of remote conferencing platforms like Zoom.
“We’ve received feedback that members like it when other members turn their cameras on, because it makes it feel like they’re in the class doing it together instead of doing their own thing at home,” said Mandy Sergent Glitzer, owner of State College-based Wellness in Motion.
Restaurants had been told to close their dining rooms since March 18, and most have taken to offering delivery, takeout or curbside pickup options.
While they’ve still been able to operate parts of their business, restaurant like Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks in Millheim are still feeling the financial burden of the shutdown.
“We don’t have three weeks,” Elk Creek owner Tim Bowser wrote on a GoFundMe page. “In order to keep the lights on, pay our rent, keep our skeleton staff, and do right by our vendors, we need $27,000 in operations bridge capital to help us through the next month until the loan(s) are in the bank.”
As local businesses struggle, community members have stepped up to show their support. Elk Creek’s GoFundMe raised more than $10,000 in less than two days. The #FocusOnLocalChallenge, started by Bellefonte-based Hello Social, encourages people to shop local, take photos and promote on social media.
Businesses have also done their part. Rony’s Place Restaurant and Pizzeria in Pleasant Gap distributed free homemade “Stir Crazy Pizza Kits” to families on Monday. Big Spring Spirits and Seven Mountains Winery are distilling hand sanitizer for first responders and The Corner Room, India Pavilion and Cozy Thai Bistro in State College have donated hundreds of meals to families in need and service industry workers.
Gov. Wolf extended school closure through at least April 6
While the governor extended his order to keep all K-12 school closed another two weeks, Centre County school districts have struggled to come up with ways to keep their students learning.
State College is launching required remote learning on Monday, but for other districts like Bald Eagle Area, where a recent survey found 20-25% of students don’t have reliable internet, making online learning a requirement isn’t an option.
For schools without mandated online learning — BEA, Bellefonte, Penns Valley and Philipsburg-Osceola — grading and attendance for any learning offered during this time will be optional.
“It’s going to have to be flexible as far as how much we can grade or not grade, simply because of internet access,” Philipsburg-Osceola Superintendent Gregg Paladina said during Tuesday’s virtual school board meeting.
Schools are still meeting — virtually — to make decisions on graduation and the rest of the school year.
With the closure extended, the PIAA also pushed back the start of its spring sports season, while the conclusion of the winter sports championships continues to be on hold. All offsite practices are also banned.
“When we first got the school cancellation, we knew we weren’t practicing,” P-O baseball coach Doug Sankey said. “Trying to hold an off-site practice or workouts goes against what we’re trying to do (as a society).”
Penn State held virtual town halls to answer questions
Penn State is not exempt from feeling the financial strain of coronavirus mitigation efforts.
“While it’s too early to be specific, there is no question we’re going to be impacted (financially),” Provost Nick Jones said during a virtual town hall Tuesday. “No enterprise across the nation, or across the world, is immune to the deep recession we’re now facing.”
While the university guaranteed it’ll pay all employees both wages and benefits through the end of April, furloughs or layoffs are not off the table after April 30, President Eric Barron said.
In addition, Jones said there will be no general salary increase for employees next year, and departments have also been asked “at this moment” not to fill open positions unless they’re mission critical.
Penn State on Tuesday directed all faculty and staff to work from home if they are able to until the end of the spring semester on May 8.
The announcement was made last week that in-person classes would be suspended for the remainder of the semester, and graduation postponed. Penn State announced this week a new, optional grading system to help the students combat the challenges of working remotely.
Mount Nittany, Penn State Health instituted changes in response to COVID-19
Penn State Health on March 23 announced the temporary closure or consolidation of a number of its physician practices across the region, including the State College area, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Penn State Health Medical Group locations in State College — 1850 E. Park Ave., Suite 207 and Penn State Sports Medicine at 1850 E. Park Ave., Suite 112 — remain open.
Meanwhile, Mount Nittany instituted new screening measures at all its facilities. Any patients who enter its emergency department with fever, cough or shortness of breath will be directed to a dedicated area outside of the department.
Mount Nittany announced Thursday the opening of a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at its Blue Course Drive location at 1700 Old Gatesburg Road in State College. Those who want to get tested must first have an appointment and be referred by a primary care physician from Mount Nittany or Penn State health.
The Penn State University Health Services Pharmacy on campus will remain open but is no longer accepting walk-in patients. Prescriptions can be delivered by mail or curbside pickup, available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, until further notice.
Changes made to parks, recycling, transportation
Centre Region Parks and Recreation announced Saturday that, due to Centre County’s stay-at-home order, Centre Region municipalities will close park playgrounds starting Monday.
Several other regional services announced announced changes to their operations.
Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority will suspend curbside recycling as of Monday in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus. Trash and refuse collection services will not be affected.
CCRRA announced the change Friday, saying it is needed to protect its workers because they sort items by hand from recycling bins to trucks. Additionally, there are “many unknowns about how long the COVID-19 virus remains viable on surfaces.”
Residents can store their recyclables until service begins again or bring them to one of the drop-off sites around the county. A list of sites is available at www.centrecountyrecycles.org/dropoffrecycling.
The Centre Area Transportation Authority announced additional service reductions Monday as it deals with “nearly nonexistent revenue streams,” according to Executive Director and CEO Louwana Oliva and is on track to lay off about 80% of its staff in the next two weeks.
Buses will run 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday only at a reduced frequency. The updated route schedules can be found at www.catabus.com. CATARide and CATAGo will only take riders only to destinations considered essential by the governor’s office.
Big Ten extended suspension of organized team activities
The Big Ten announced Friday that it will extend its previously announced suspension of all organized team activities through May 4, and will re-evaluate again at that time.
While the NCAA had already canceled the spring sports competition season, eventually holding practices again was still on the table. However, coaches like baseball’s Rob Cooper and lacrosse’s Jeff Tambroni weren’t sure whether they’d want to resume practice, even if given the OK.
“I’ve got to evaluate where these guys are at because you don’t want to throw them right back to practice like they were practicing yesterday,” the baseball coach said on March 16. “You don’t want to assume they are where they’re going to need to be physically.”
Since Cooper spoke to the media, Penn State extended its suspension of in-person classes for students for the remainder of the spring semester.
Football coach James Franklin spoke to the media for the first time this week since the suspension of spring practice, Pro Day and the cancellation of the Blue-White Game.
Franklin, whose daughter is living with an auto-immune disorder, urged the public to adhere to health guidelines.
“I want to encourage everybody out there to stay home, to wash their hands and be diligent about those things — and obviously avoid contact with others as much as possible,” he said. “I don’t think any of us expected anything like this or experienced anything like this.”
Bret Pallotto, Jon Sauber, Marley Parish, Josh Moyer, Matt Hymowitz, Lilly Riddle, Jessica McAllister, Sarah Paez, Abby Drey and Lauren Muthler contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 29, 2020 at 11:00 AM.