Reopening updates: Centre County adds 4 COVID-19 cases, and other updates for June 22

We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news now that Centre County is in the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to reopen Pennsylvania. Check back for updates.

Penn State’s Nittany Lion Inn to be repurposed as isolation space during COVID-19 pandemic

Penn State students are slated to return for in-person classes this fall, but the Nittany Lion Inn will remain closed, as its 223 rooms will be used as isolation spaces for those who might contract the coronavirus.

Penn State announced the inn’s continued closure during a virtual town hall held Monday. Penn State President Eric Barron said the decision will affect the jobs of 79 inn employees, and while the university is considering alternative work for displaced staff, he said some staff members will be laid off.

The inn has been closed since March, but employees received their full salary through May 3. Employees who could not work remotely received 50% of their salaries and benefits based on pay, Barron said. Employees will continue to receive half of their pay and benefits through July 31.

-By Marley Parish

Centre County adds 4 COVID-19 cases

Centre County added four COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing its overall total to 184 since March 20, according to the state Department of Health.

Statewide, 456 additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday, bringing the overall total to 82,186. There were also three new deaths reported, bringing the statewide total to 6,426 deaths. Six of those deaths have been reported in Centre County.

In Centre County, here’s the breakdown by ZIP code (those without cases are not listed):

• 16823 (Bellefonte, Milesburg and Pleasant Gap): 42
• 16801 (State College): 40

• 16803 (State College): 38

• 16827 (Boalsburg): 11
• 16870 (Port Matilda): 9
• 16686 (Tyrone): 7
• 16822 (Beech Creek): 6
• 16841 (Howard): 5
• 16666, 16828, 16844, 16845, 16852, 16860, 16865, 16866, 16872, 16875: 1-4 cases each (The state does not give specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy.)

According to the DOH, 3,657 Centre County residents have tested negative.

-By Jessica McAllister

As Centre County anti-hunger programs experience increased need, 4th Fest organizers find ways to help

Since it opened three months early, the Centre County YMCA summer lunch program has fed thousands. But with kids off for the summer and families continuing to struggle amid the pandemic, hunger is still affecting the community, anti-hunger advocates say.

In an effort to support the feeding initiative, Central Pennsylvania 4th Fest and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau announced a countywide food drive for the YMCA’s most needed items. Beginning Monday, businesses and individuals are asked to sign up as food collection points online; the drive will run from July 1-9.

-By Marley Parish

More Penn State student-athletes set to return to campus Monday

More Penn State student-athletes are set to return to campus Monday as the Nittany Lions continue a phased return in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The second phase will include the return of more student-athletes from the football program, as well as men’s and women’s basketball players, according to a tweet from the athletic department.

The second phase will also include a return of Penn State football coaches, according to a source with knowledge of the plan.

-By Jon Sauber

Health care

• A COVID-19 drive-thru testing site has opened in the Walmart parking lot on North Atherton Street, according to a news release from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office. Quest Diagnostics and Walmart are working with the department to provide no-cost testing for residents living in areas where there are fewer testing sites. The site is open from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday to test up to 50 registered patients daily. Registration is required one day in advance. For more information, visit www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Symptoms-Testing.aspx.
• University Health Services is now offering telemedicine to provide safe and convenient health care for students. Those students who would normally have access to UHS providers and services will still be able to access those providers, with a few exceptions depending on the states they live in, via phone or video interactions. Telemedicine providers can diagnose, suggest follow-up care and prescribe medications. “We’re excited to be able to offer telemedicine visits to our students,” said Robin Oliver-Veronesi, senior director of UHS. “Please reach out to us with your medical concerns. We are here for you, and we will continue to support our students.” Visit the UHS webpage for more information. To make an appointment, call 863-0774.
• All current Penn State employees at all campus locations and their immediate family members are eligible to use University Health Services Pharmacy, the university announced Tuesday. The UHS Pharmacy at University Park offers prescriptions and over-the-counter items by mail (home or campus) and curbside pickup from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Complete the Pharmacy Employee/Retiree Enrollment Form or call a customer service representative at 800-821-7285 to start filling prescriptions.

Penn State

• Penn State will hold a pair of virtual town halls Monday to address questions and concerns related to its plan to return students, faculty and staff to campus and resume in-person learning in the fall. The first hourlong town hall is set for 2 p.m. and will be focused on faculty and staff. The second town hall, devoted to students and their families, will begin at 3:30 p.m. President Eric Barron will host both events, and will be joined by Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones, Vice President for Human Resources Lorraine Goffe, Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims and Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics researcher Matt Ferrari. The town halls can be viewed at liveevents.psu.edu and will be recorded and archived for later viewing. Faculty and staff and students can submit questions online.
• Penn State is accepting applications from students for the second round of funding from the university’s share of the federal Higher Education Relief Fund. The funding is available for students who incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Penn State awarded up to $1,000 to more than 25,000 students to help pay for things such as course material, food, housing and child care with the first round of funding. Students who did not receive a grant in the first round can apply at studentaid.psu.edu/pubThemeAppsWa/CaresApp.

Community feedback

Pennsylvania news

• Masks must be worn when entering any business in yellow and green counties, Gov. Tom Wolf reminded residents Thursday. The rule included in an order from Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine. “In yellow and green counties, it is required that masks are worn when visiting businesses to protect employees, employees’ families, and communities as a whole,” Wolf said in a release. “Mask-wearing has proven to be an important deterrent to the spread of the virus, and as more counties move to green and more things reopen, we need to be vigilant in our efforts to continue our mitigation efforts.”

• Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Perry, Pike and Schuylkill counties moved into the green phase of the state’s reopening plan on Friday. There are now 54 counties in green and 13 counties in yellow. “While (the green) phase facilitates a return to a ‘new normal,’ it is equally important to continue to monitor public health indicators and adjust orders and restrictions as necessary to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum,” Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said in a statement. Green phase guidelines include: telework strongly encouraged; businesses operating at 50% occupancy in the yellow phase can increase to 75% occupancy; gatherings of more than 250 people are prohibited; restaurants and bars can open at 50% occupancy; personal care services (such as hair salons) can open at 50% occupancy and by appointment only; indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities (such as gyms and spas) can open at 50% occupancy with appointments strongly encouraged; and entertainment facilities (such as malls, theaters and casinos) can open at 50% occupancy.

• More than 4,000 people with ties to COVID-19 patients have been identified and monitored through contact tracing efforts across the state, the Department of Health said Friday. There are 500 trained contact tracers in Pennsylvania, including 130 state health nurses. More than 800 contract tracers have signed up through ServPA and others have been brought aboard through AmeriCorps as well as other community organizations and colleges.

• The state Department of Aging issued guidelines for counties in the green phase to start opening up senior centers, adult day centers and allowing in-person visits. “The process of reopening will be conducted gradually, strategically and cautiously, while allowing flexibility at the local level to keep older adults and staff safe,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “There is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to resuming operations and our overriding objective is to ensure the health and safety of older adults and staff.” Centers that open are required to develop new operational policies to address sanitation practices, social distancing, the number of participants attending at any one time, changes in programming and communication of the new rules to participants.

Campus check-in

• A week after the football team returned to campus, Rutgers is reporting cases of coronavirus with some players. Coach Greg Schiano disclosed Monday during a conference call with the media two players has tested positive for the virus. It was his first availability since the team was allowed to return for voluntary workouts.

• Wisconsin officials say that two Badgers athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating. Those positive results came from the 117 athletes who participated in the school’s initial campus screening.

• Iowa’s athletic department says nine athletes, coaches or staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week. That accounts for nearly one-quarter of the 40 tests conducted in that time frame. The athletic department said contact tracing has begun.

• Louisville football’s season opener against North Carolina State has been moved up a day to Sept. 2 to avoid conflicting with the rescheduled Kentucky Derby weekend at neighboring Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks and Derby were postponed from May 1-2 to Sept. 4-5 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Boston College says its football players began returning to the school Monday as part of its COVID-19 operational plan to bring all its student-athletes back to campus. The school says its new protocols include limiting personnel at facilities, mandating face coverings be worn in common areas, as well as daily temperature checks for staff and athletes.

Recreation

Things to do

Community outreach/appreciation

Free food options

This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 9:30 AM.