The Rocky statue is outfitted with mock surgical face mask at the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
4 things you need to know about the debate over reopening more Pa. businesses
Wolf vs. legislature over reopening businesses
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Ed Mahon
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
The Rocky statue is outfitted with mock surgical face mask at the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
Fifteen years ago, Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar disappeared. A court declared him legally dead in 2011, but the mystery of what happened remains. PennLive’s Wallace McKelvey deeply examines threee theories (homicide, suicide or Gricar chose to walk away). The piece also raises questions about the ability of small police departments to handle major cases. And it’s a really good read. —Ed Mahon, PA Post reporter
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
Who will win the slugfest between Democratic governor and GOP legislature? The Rocky statue is outfitted with mock surgical face mask at the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 14, 2020. (Matt Rourke / AP Photo)
1. The legislation would allow many more businesses to reopen in Pennsylvania.
A bill passed Wednesday requires the Wolf administration to follow guidelines from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a part of the Department of Homeland Security, regarding which businesses are essential.
Republicans argued that the businesses could operate safely by following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they said move would help the more than 1.1 million people who have applied for unemployment since mid-March.
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) frequently returned to the argument that following the guidelines would be more fair and transparent than the waiver system Wolf put in place after his March 19 shutdown order.
“There was inconsistency throughout the process,” Corman said. “It was very difficult to understand.”
2. Wolf and Republicans disagree about how far-reaching the proposal is.
In a letter to lawmakers, Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine warned that the proposal would have a “devastating impact” and that encouraging more social movement “by reopening a significant amount of businesses would be reckless and irresponsible.” She said the federal guidelines are too broad.
“In fact, there are very few industries out of retail (which would also see large exemptions) that wouldn’t be able to make an argument that they could open under this legislation,” Levine wrote.
On the Senate floor, Corman said the guidelines are targeted. “This is not a massive opening of the economy,” he said.
You can see the guidelines here. Among other things, home construction would be allowed, as well as many other types of construction.
3. Wolf plans to veto the bill.
On Tuesday, he told reporters he was going to wait to see the legislation. On Wednesday afternoon, as senators debated the bill, he again declined to say whether he would veto it. But he defended his shutdown orders.
“The course we’re on now is the least bad choice we have to make” and is the “right course for Pennsylvania,” he said.
Corman acknowledged the possibility of a veto during a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. But he said lawmakers had a responsibility to take action after the concerns they heard from their constituents.
But, early Wednesday evening, Wolf’s press secretary said he would veto it because “irresponsibly going against the direction of the Secretary of Health and reopening businesses too early will only extend the length of the economic hardships created by the pandemic.”
The bill didn’t receive any Democratic votes in the House or Senate, and Republicans don’t have the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto on their own.
4. It’s not the only way Republicans are trying to open up businesses in Pennsylvania.
Senators also debated a measure that would give county commissioners the power to decide when businesses can re-open.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington) said the leaders in the counties she represents, including one with about 36,000 people, are in a better position to make those decisions.
“These county commissioners know just about each and every single owner and operator of all of these businesses,” Batolotta said. “And they are the ones with the boots on the ground.”
State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia) opposed the measure. And he criticized GOP lawmakers for previously standing in the way of giving this kind of power to local leaders who want to reduce what Farnese called the “epidemic of gun violence that plagues cities like Philadelphia.” —Ed Mahon
Other Pennsylvania must-reads:
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WHYY: Coronavirus update: Drexel student sues for tuition refund in proposed class action
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PennLive: When can Pa. return to normal? Roadmap emerges, although distance uncertain
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Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Posthumously innocent? The first prisoner to die of COVID-19 in Pa. was hard at work trying to clear his name
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Masks required for employees and customers, new Pa. health department order states
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The Morning Call: After 8 days on a ventilator, Bethlehem man who had coronavirus talks about his recovery
Answering your questions
Ed Mahon / PA Post
A reader wanted some suggestions for mask patterns. I didn’t make my own masks, but a relative sent these cool ones. (Ed Mahon / PA Post)
Lisa Wardle, digital manager for PA Post and WITF, has helped answer many questions from readers throughout the coronavirus outbreak. We’re devoting the best of the rest section to some of those questions and answers .(Lisa ended both of these emails with the hope that the reader stays “safe and healthy”)
Looking for mask patterns
Q: “Where can I get some pattern for some mask to go food shopping?”
A: Here are a couple resources:
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Scroll down a bit on this page for specific sewing instructions from CDC.
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Here’s a guide from John Hopkins Medicine.
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The Washington Post has this: Answers to your DIY face mask questions, including what material you should use
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You may need this useful piece from the Post-Gazette: 5 tips to avoid foggy glasses while wearing a face mask
Regardless of which pattern you use, the key points are to make a mask out of tight-woven but breathable fabric (100% cotton is good) and to ensure the mask fits properly.
I used the John Hopkins pattern and find that design fits both my face and my spouse’s face quite well. One other personal note: fabric ties were easier for me to ensure a proper fit than elastic ear loops, which had to be cut to just the right size so there was a good fit without being too tight.
Testing for antibodies?
Q: “If a person suspects that they may have had Coronavirus and have recovered, should they seek the test to see if they have the antibodies?”
A: At this point, the testing performed in Pennsylvania and most other places (a nasal swab) can only detect active infections. Researchers are working to develop other diagnostic tools, including blood tests that would detect antibodies. I know the FDA granted emergency approval to at least one of those tests just this week, and the agency has said it doesn’t intend to get in the way of others.
It’s important to remember this type of testing is in its early stages. There are small-scale tests being done, but it is likely still months away from being available to the greater public.
This Washington Post article offers a look at the issue.
Got another question? Drop us a line at the Listening Post.
A few more coronavirus stories worth your time:
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Buzzfeed: Here’s What Life Will Probably Look Like In California After The Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order Ends
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New York Times: Testing Falls Woefully Short as Trump Seeks an End to Stay-at-Home Orders
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USA Today: Protests draw thousands over state stay-at-home orders during coronavirus pandemic
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The Washington Post: Coronavirus destroys lungs. But doctors are finding its damage in kidneys, hearts and elsewhere
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Kaiser Health News: A Desperate Scramble As COVID-19 Families Vie For Access To Plasma Therapy
