In a conference call yesterday, State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine took questions from members of the media and from board members of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, and answered a couple of questions of particular local interest from Renda Broadcasting’s Mark Bertig.
One of those questions had to do with coronavirus restrictions on local hospitals. Levine said earlier this month that the state would withhold Personal Protective Equipment from hospitals which chose to begin doing elective surgeries again, but she said yesterday that they have reversed that course.
Levine said they are hoping hospitals such as IRMC sign on for the new Rural Health Initiative, which requires hospitals to change from a fee-for-service model to a global budget. She also cited the PENNVEST loan that Senator Joe Pittman helped arrange for IRMC and said rural hospitals will also be getting federal money from the CARES Act.
Another question was about sports and events such as the Indiana County Fair. Levine said sports would not be allowed in the governor’s “yellow” phase, but they do anticipate sports will begin again when a county transitions to the “green” phase, although they are still working to define the parameters of what “green” will mean. Levine said they have not yet made any decisions about fairs. but whatever the event, it will be important that proper safety protocols be followed to guard against an outbreak of Covid-19.
HERE IS THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN MARK BERTIG AND DR. RACHEL LEVINE:
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