COVID-19 Updates

Thank you all for the continued work that you are doing to deliver essential services to Pennsylvania. On Friday, April 3, Governor Wolf and I recommended that all Pennsylvanians wear a mask any time they need to leave their home for a life-sustaining reason. In prior weeks, face masks were only recommended for individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 or for those working closely with a COVID-19 patient.

As the COVID-19 situation has evolved, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have revised the existing guidance on masks, noting that health care providers should continue to wear medical masks, and the general public should wear cloth or homemade masks.

That said, the administration is taking this recommendation very seriously. The administration already has partnered with the Department of Corrections to provide employees who are reporting to onsite work locations with a reusable cloth mask. In the next few days, your facility will be receiving masks for employees to wear. We are asking that all Commonwealth employees who are still reporting to their work site wear these masks to protect themselves and their surrounding community. More information on masks, including when to wear them and how to make them, can be found on the Department of Health’s website.

In addition to wearing the mask, it is important to continue to participate in everyday public health best practices like washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. For more information on COVID-19 and up to date guidance, visit the Department of Health’s website. We appreciate you complying with this request, and all the work you are doing to keep Pennsylvanians safe and healthy.

Thanks,
Dr. Rachel Levine

If you have other questions on this matter, please contact your Children's Bureau Regional Office. Thank you for your ongoing assistance in assistance young people affected by the temporary closure of college campuses.

 

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