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Wolf renews 90-day COVID-19 Disaster Declaration for second time
Justin Henry//September 1, 2020//
Listen to this articleGov. Tom Wolf on Monday renewed the state’s 90-day disaster declaration for a second time, marking six months since the state recorded the first two presumptive cases of the novel coronavirus.
“As we approach the six-month mark of this crisis, I continue to be amazed at the resiliency and strength shown by Pennsylvanians during this pandemic,” Wolf said. “We are going to continue to combat the health and economic effects of COVID-19, and the renewal of my disaster declaration will provide us with resources and support needed for this effort.”
Wolf signed the initial 90-day declaration on March 6 and renewed it for the first time on June 3.
The declaration has provided increased support for agencies in their response to the virus and has lifted certain regulations to allow for efficient operations during the ongoing pandemic. Under the declaration, Pennsylvanians can waive the one-week waiting period to receive unemployment compensation.
The declaration allows the state to suspend some training requirements, certification and licensure renewals for health care professionals, childcare workers and other workers providing life-sustaining services to vulnerable residents.
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) is authorized through the declaration to assign the National Guard to provide various types of support for long-term care facilities.
The governor said the declaration will continue to support actions that have been mobilized over the past six months, while providing the resources for PEMA to develop new intervention tactics, such as the administration of a vaccine.
