Rep. Wild Holds COVID-19 Response Call with Local and State Stakeholders

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) convened a bipartisan call with Pennsylvania officials, as well as representatives from the education, business, emergency, and elderly care sectors. This is the first of a series of calls with the working group of nearly 40 community and state leaders. The call focused on sector, local, state, and federal collaboration efforts to keep PA-07 citizens healthy and safe. 

 

“Our call this morning was both productive and necessary,” Wild said. “It is very clear to me the need for continued state, local, and federal collaboration on the holistic response to COVID-19 in PA-07. Our call was the first in a series that we will hold with this working group to provide a central venue to make cohesive guidelines and recommendations to the public.”

 

The call focused on several sectors. Leaders from those sectors providing the following information and updates:

 

Health Care Sector

From the health care sector, representatives from Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), St. Luke’s University Health Network, and the Allentown Health Bureau were present on the call. Both health networks have established hotlines for coronavirus questions, including symptom and treatment guidance. They are strongly encouraging the public to utilize these hotlines before heading into emergency rooms or urgent cares. The health networks currently have test kits that can and will be used when deemed medically relevant and are expecting more shipments in coming days. For both of these hotlines, nurses will be assessing symptoms in accordance with the most recent CDC guidelines.

 

LVHN Hotline: (888) 402-LVHN (5846), will direct to the new myLVHNrn system to begin the screening process.

 

St. Luke’s Hotline: 1 (866) STLUKES ((866) 785-8537), select option 7 to begin the screening.

                  Email Address: coronavirus@sluhn.org

 

 

Elected Officials

Our communities elected officials are prepared and eager to help aid all sectors affected, including the health care, the education, and the economic and labor sectors. PA State Representatives expressed their intent to act as conduits between the local response and the statewide efforts. Our state representatives and senators are aware of possible mask, hand sanitizers, and glove shortages and will be working at the state level to find solutions to address those shortages.

They are further aware of concerns about the upcoming election and whether the state will need to invest in a fully mail-in ballot system or be prepared for a rigorous sanitization policy day-of. Elected officials reiterated that the 2020 Census remains critically important to federal funding allocations for roads and health care and can be returned via mail, phone, or online.

 

Education Sector

Expressed by several PA-07 area superintendents on the call was the need for continued communication and uniformity in any issued guidelines for school closures and reopenings. State-wide webinars among school district leadership and local elected officials have occurred, but school districts are continuing to seek updated recommendations and guidance as it becomes available.

Wild has organized a follow up call with local elected officials and school leadership to further address these concerns and continue the discussion about ability to access school meals and provide all of these services to our students that schools often fill.

Note: Governor Wolf has since announced that all Pennsylvania schools will be closed for the next two weeks.

 

Business Sector

The long-term effect of local and county-wide closures on businesses in the service sector and the impact on the gig economy, including independent contractors, was of predominant concern. Wild will continue to work with local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to find possible ways to collaborate and ensure business-owners receive the resources they need to support their businesses and workers.

 

Senior Care Sector

Throughout our communities, senior care centers and nursing homes are taking precautions in accordance with CDC recommendations. It is recommended visitors and volunteers call in advance of visiting these senior care facilities, as several in our community have limited or suspended non-essential personnel access at this time.

“Above all, this moment demands a calm, evidence-based response, non-partisan response,” Wild said. “I truly believe that we are at our best when we are all working together on behalf of our community.”

Please visit Wild’s Coronavirus Resource Page for information and hourly updates.

 

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