Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Centre County on May 17

We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Centre County continues to reopen. Check back for updates.

Centre County adds 2 new COVID-19 cases, as overall cases in Pennsylvania top 62,000

Centre County added two new cases of the new coronvairus on Sunday, according to the state Department of Health, bringing the county’s overall total to 131 cases since March.

Statewide, the numbers continue to rise — but the rate of confirmed positive cases has slowed. As of noon Sunday, there are now 62,234 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, meaning 623 cases are new.

-by Jessica McAllister

‘A tremendous inequality.’ How rural schools, students adapt to remote learning amid pandemic

Madelyn Bailey starts her week at 6 a.m. with an eight-hour shift at the Dunkin’ in Bellefonte, taking people’s coffee and doughnut orders.

On top of finishing her classwork online during a pandemic, the Bald Eagle Area High School senior has been working 40 hours most weeks since school closed to save money for her freshman year at Penn State’s University Park campus.

But unlike many of her peers at the flagship state university, Bailey lives in Moshannon, an area of Centre County where internet options are limited and connectivity is both spotty and slow.

-by Sarah Paez, for the CDT

Curbside recycling is back after a hiatus due to COVID-19. Here are safety guidelines to follow

As you all know, we had to suspend our curbside recycling operation for about a month due to concerns with COVID-19, but have since resumed our service as of April 27. When we resumed, we added some guidelines to help to keep our workers and residents safe.

-by Amy Schirf, Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority

As elective services resume, here’s what to expect when you visit the doctor in Centre County

Appointments, elective surgeries and other health care services that were scaled back in mid-March to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus are gradually resuming in Centre County.

The following is a look at what to expect at three of the biggest health care networks that operate in Centre County.

- by Bret Pallotto

Closings/cancellations

Education

Business updates

Jobs

Municipal updates

• Ferguson Township is asking residents to take a six-question survey about how COVID-19 updates can be communicated. The survey closes on Monday and can be found here.

• The State College Borough Public Works Department will resume normal bulk and brush collections. Bulk items and brush are collected throughout the week beginning on Monday, unless there is a legal holiday during that week. To schedule bulk collection, visit http://www.statecollegepa.us/forms.aspx?fid=152.

Pennsylvania news

• The state Department of Health on Friday distributed the second shipment of the investigational antiviral medication, remdesivir, to treat patients in the hospital with COVID-19. On Friday, 1,548 doses of medication were sent today to 21 hospitals, and a second shipment of 6,390 doses will be distributed to 58 hospitals on Monday. The DOH first distributed 1,200 doses of the medication from the federal government to 51 hospitals across Pennsylvania on Tuesday. “The department is working to give our hospitals every opportunity to treat patients with COVID-19,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement. “It is important to note that there is limited information on the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19. However, it was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the recovery time in some people, which is why the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of the medication for treatment.”
• The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission said Friday that all state-owned historic sites and museums, including the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, will be closed to the public until their counties enter the green phase of the state’s reopening plan. Thirty-seven counties, including Centre, Clinton, Clearfield and Blair, are in the yellow phase, and another 12 are set to join next Friday. The remaining counties are in the red phase.

Community outreach/appreciation

• The State College Area School District is holding a “Stuff the Bus” food collection drive from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to benefit the State College Food Bank. Nonperishable food items, including those on the food bank’s “greatest needs” list, can be dropped off at Corl Street, Easterly Parkway, Ferguson Township, Gray’s Woods, Mount Nittany, Park Forest, Radio Park and Spring Creek elementary schools, and Mount Nittany Middle and Park Forest middle schools. The district’s school buses will then pick up the food and deliver the donations to the food bank the next day.

Things to do

• Penn State released a list of virtual things to do from May 14-21, including online lectures, exhibits and more.
• Penn State President Eric Barron will host a virtual town hall at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to answer questions regarding how the university continue to manage the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including the work being done to return students and staff to campus. The hourlong event will be livestreamed at liveevents.psu.edu, and also feature Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones and other key faculty and administrative leaders.
• Penn State University Police and Public Safety is holding four public safety Zoom sessions each week through May 27. Two sessions each week will cover Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program, and the other two will be open question and answer sessions with Penn State police officers. Participants should register with a Penn State email in advance; space is limited. Register here for the Active Attacker Response Program. Register here for the open public safety Q&A session.

Free meal options

This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 9:18 AM.