Montgomery County has extended its COVID-19 emergency declaration by another 60 days, after the test showed an increase in the number of cases.
The chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Valerie Arkoosh, a physician, said on Thursday that 8.1% of the country’s residents tested positive during the 14 days ended April 8, compared to 7.1% for the two weeks ended 1 April.
“As our numbers increase, so do our hospitalizations,” Arkoosh said. As of Wednesday, there were at least 213 provincial residents in hospitals with COVID-19, up from 206 a week earlier.
Arkoosh said during the virtual commissioner meeting on Thursday that residents should continue to wear masks and maintain social distance to try to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
She said the country had “interrupted” the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with one shot until the federal government took further guidance. Montgomery will continue to administer Pfizer Inc.
Arkoosh and his fellow Democrat Kenneth Lawrence Jr. agrees to extend the province’s emergency declaration COVID-19 by 60 days. Republican Joseph Gale voted no. Gale opposed the pandemic restrictions on businesses and schools. He did not comment on Wednesday’s vote.
Prior to the vote, Lawrence asked attorney Josh Stein to confirm that the state of emergency only applies to rural government operations and compensation for state and federal government pandemic costs.
The statement “has nothing to do with closing businesses or opening schools or any form of COVID restrictions,” Lawrence said.
“That’s absolutely correct,” Stein said.
Arkoosh noted that COVID fatigue could hit some residents as the pandemic stretches into the 58th week. In a statement Wednesday, she said tempers flared at some vaccine sites.
“It is never acceptable to shout, touch or otherwise harass clinic staff,” she said.
The commissioners also on Thursday reviewed the appointments to the community college board in Montgomery County. Gale objected to the reappointment of Marcel Green, who was active in the leadership of the Pennsylvania and provincial Democratic parties.
Gale said he opposes the political appointments of people from one of the parties to advisory boards. Arkoosh and Lawrence prevailed 2-1.
Arkoosh is running in the Democratic primary for the US Senate. Gale is a candidate for governor on the Republican side, and his brother Sean is running for the Republican Senate.
The next board meeting is April 19 at 10:00. It is practically held and broadcast on Facebook. Meetings of meetings are posted on the country’s YouTube website.