Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced a partnership with General Healthcare Resources to assist with the COVID-19 response.
“We are so pleased to have this level of collaboration and assistance from General Healthcare Resources,” Dr. Levine said. “COVID-19 is a particularly challenging situation for congregate settings, particularly our long-term care facilities. These teams are assisting us in our response in the hardest-hit areas as we work to protect the public health and safety of Pennsylvanians.
General Healthcare Resources will be deploying onsite assessment teams to assist with infection control practices, staffing and PPE training needs. The team will also assist with specimen collection and urgent staffing needs. The Department of Health will be funding the 41 individuals that will be deployed for one year.
“We’re honored to be supporting this program and are committed to providing the state of Pennsylvania with the professional, qualified staff they need to meet this challenge within the senior community,” said Laura Magner, President and COO of General Healthcare Resources. “If you’re an experienced RN, LPN, Medical Assistant, CNA, EMT or other healthcare professional interested in joining this effort, please contact us at 800-879-4471.”
In addition to General Healthcare Resource’s support, the department has also been working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Since May 20, HHS assessment and action teams have been providing onsite support and training to long-term care facilities in the commonwealth.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Diarrhea
- Chills
- Repeating shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.
As of 12:00 a.m., June 14, there were 78,798 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide in 67 counties and 6,215 confirmed deaths. Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 and older. More data is available here.
For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.
The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
- If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.
All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies.
