News

December 9, 2020

COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Caregivers

If you are a parent, caregiver, or family member living in Pennsylvania, it’s important to remain calm, prepare, and take precautionary measures to maintain the health and wellbeing of yourself, your family, and the community. Continue reading below for a brief overview of COVID-19 and a list of family and caregiver resources.

 


PA 2.1.1 Southwest

If you require assistance and would like to access an extensive list of family and caregiver resources, please call 2.1.1 or text your zip code to 898.211 to receive text alerts. For more information or to receive support, visit the 2.1.1 website.

PA 2.1.1 Southwest seeks to provide an easy-to-remember phone number and web resource for finding health and human services for everyday needs and in crisis situations, serving the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.


 

An Overview of COVID-19

COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus not previously seen in humans. Because the virus impacts the respiratory system, common symptoms of infection include fever, dry cough, tiredness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. However, WHO states that some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea. After being infected with COVID-19, individuals generally display mild symptoms that begin gradually, but some people who become infected may not develop any symptoms at all and may feel healthy.

To learn more about COVID-19 and the steps you can take to reduce your family’s risk of infection, read our recent news post. This post also includes information about what to do after infection, information on how it spreads, and links to several other organizations and entities that can provide more information.

Guidance for Pennsylvanians

As of May 31, COVID mitigation orders are lifted in Pennsylvania. The order requiring universal face coverings was lifted statewide on June 28, 2021. The Pennsylvania Department of Health still urges Pennsylvanians to follow CDC guidance on wearing masks where required by law, rules, and regulations, including healthcare, local businesses, and workplace guidance.

Search for Child Care

If your family is in need of child care, visit the Allegheny Child Care website to search for programs in Allegheny County or visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website to search for programs throughout Pennsylvania.

Meals for Children

The Summer Food Service Program distributes free Grab ‘n Go Meals to children at 13 CitiPark and 34 partner locations in Pittsburgh. Meals are available to children up to the age of 18, and to individuals with disabilities up to 21 years old. This program runs from June 11 through August 13, 2021 (dates vary by location). To learn more, visit the program webpage or call 412.571.3291.

 

 


 

Resources

Information about COVID-19

Talking with Children

Prevention

After Infection

Impacts on Child Care, School, and Work

At-Home Activities

Fact Sheets and Guides

Informational Flyers

Recorded Webinars

Mental Health

Receiving Support

Multilingual Resources

Curated Lists

Contacts and Information

More Information

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or World Health Organization (WHO) websites.

News

June 2, 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

As of June 9, 2020 at 12 p.m., the Pennsylvania Department of Health has stated that there are 76,436 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Commonwealth, including 2,027 positive cases in Allegheny County. For a full breakdown of affected counties, visit health.pa.gov.

While positive cases have been confirmed, it’s important for community members to remain calm and take precautionary measures to reduce your likelihood of infection.


COVID-19 Resources

To best support these community members and the young children in their lives, Trying Together has created two resource lists, featuring helpful resources that families and educators can use to maneuver this difficult time. Click the links below for more COVID-19 information.


Guidance for Pennsylvanians

As of June 5, there are 33 counties in the yellow phase and 34 counties in the green phase of reopening. On Friday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m., 12 counties currently in the yellow phase will be moving into the green phase. For information about work, congregate setting, and social restrictions, please review Governor Wolf’s Process to Reopen Pennsylvania.

Counties in the Green Phase

Counties in the green phase of reopening include the following: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Counties in the Yellow Phase

Counties in the yellow phase of reopening include the following: Adams, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Union, Wayne, Wyoming, and York.


What is COVID-19?

According to the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), “COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus not previously seen in humans.” While this strain of coronavirus is new, coronaviruses are actually a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others circulating among animals, including camels, cats, and bats. While it is rare for animal coronaviruses to infect people who are exposed to infected animals, it has happened in the past as seen with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Symptoms

As COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, common symptoms of infection include fever, dry cough, tiredness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. However, WHO states that some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea. After being infected with COVID-19, individuals generally display mild symptoms that begin gradually, but some people who become infected may not develop any symptoms at all and may feel healthy.

80 percent of the individuals who become infected recover from the disease without needing special treatment. However, one out of every six people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Elderly individuals, immunocompromised individuals, and individuals with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney diseases, hepatitis B, and cancer are particularly at risk of developing serious illness if infected with COVID-19. Because of this, it’s important to limit possible contamination and reduce the spread of the virus.

Currently, there are no vaccines or medications approved to prevent or treat COVID-19 and reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe cases, including illness resulting in death. However, possible vaccines and drug treatments are currently being investigated through clinical trials.

How It Spreads

COVID-19 spreads through person-to-person contact (within about six feet) or by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes after coming into contact with surfaces that have been contaminated with respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. WHO states that “studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days.”

The risk of getting infected by COVID-19 depends on where you are and if there is an outbreak currently happening in that area. Individuals living in or visiting cities or areas that are experiencing an outbreak have a higher risk of becoming infected. There is a higher risk of infection and serious complications for elderly individuals, immunocompromised individuals, and individuals with underlying medical conditions. With this, WHO states that it’s important to “comply with any local restrictions on travel, movement, or large gatherings” and to cooperate with disease control efforts to reduce your risk and potential spread.

How to Protect Yourself and Others

Currently, the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to protect both yourself and others against infection are to:

    • avoid touching your face, nose, and mouth;
    • if water and soap are not available, sanitize your hands regularly with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol;
    • clean and disinfect commonly used items and frequently touched surfaces such as the items listed above with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants that are appropriate for the surface, following the label directions appropriately;
    • practice social distancing from others, especially avoiding individuals who are exhibiting symptoms, coughing, or sneezing;
    • wear a face mask when shopping at essential businesses, visiting your health care provider, on public transportation, interacting with others at essential business, and when feeling sick, coughing, or sneezing; and
    • comply with any local restrictions and recommendations on travel, movement, or large gatherings.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more information on how to properly clean and disinfect the areas around you. While this resource is primarily intended for individuals and households with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, hygienic practices can help reduce the spread of the virus. Watch this video for proper handwashing techniques.

Resource for At-Risk Individuals

The CDC also has a resource highlighting precautions and preparation tips for individuals at risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19, such as elderly individuals, immunosuppressed individuals, and individuals with underlying medical conditions. Visit the CDC website to learn more. 

What to Do After Infection

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, please stay at home and contact your primary care provider to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19. If you are in Allegheny County, do not have a primary care provider, and are not sure if you need to be tested, please contact the Allegheny Health Department at 412.687.2243. If you need to seek immediate medical care, please call 911 or phone ahead before going to a doctor’s office or emergency department to ensure staff at these locations have time to prepare for your arrival.

If an infection is confirmed, health care professionals will assess whether the infected individual needs to be hospitalized or if they can be cared for at home in mandatory quarantine. If isolated at home, infected individuals will be monitored by staff from their local or state health department.

Until a healthcare provider says that you or the infected person can return to their normal activities, the CDC states that infected and potentially infected individuals should follow the following preventive measures:

    • stay at home except to get medical care (do not go to school, work, or public areas and avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxi services);
    • separate yourself from other people and animals in your home as much as possible, if possible;
    • if you must care for others or your pet while sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them and wear a face mask;
    • call ahead before visiting your doctor, as they need to take steps to prepare to reduce spread and exposure;
    • wear a face mask when you are around other people and animals; and
    • cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, followed immediately by washing your hands with soap and water or sanitizing with an alcohol-based sanitizer.

For a full list of COVID-19 resources, preventative measures, and precautions, visit the CDC website.

More Information

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Allegheny County Health Department, World Health Organization (WHO), or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.

*Information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and Allegheny County Health Department

News

March 26, 2020

COVID-19: Legislative and Regulatory Roundup

Join the NIHCM Foundation, Alliance for Health Policy, and Commonwealth Fund on March 27 for their COVID-19 webinar series.

About

This COVID-19 Webinar Mini-Series will synthesize the information in the headlines to provide cohesive insight into the status of the response and remaining gaps in the system that must be addressed to limit the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. This week, Congress is set to pass the third major legislative package in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This webinar will offer a high-level analysis of the policies that Congress and the administration have pursued to date and what we can expect in the coming months.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

March 20, 2020

COVID-19: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals

Join Executive Director for the Institute for Child Preparedness Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-Paramedic, on March 24 for his webinar, “COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals.”

About

Gryphon House is partnering with the preparedness experts at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness to offer this special webinar, designed to help cut through the noise and provide you with the essential information you need as an early childhood professional. Gryphon House author, Andrew Roszak, will provide the latest updates and information designed to help keep you safe.

This webinar will be of benefit to pre-k teachers, librarians, child care providers, and school and district leaders. There will be time to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!

News

March 16, 2020

Strategies for eLearning Days in the Wake of COVID-19

With many schools and learning centers closing for a period of time due to coronavirus (COVID-19), educators are utilizing technology to offer learning opportunities to students at home. Join the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) on March 17 for their webinar to learn more about implementing “eLearning Days.”

About

In this webinar, presenters will provide essential resources for state, district, and school administrators and teachers as they prepare for eLearning Days in the wake of school closings related to the COVID-19 virus. Launched by SETDA with the support of AT&T, the SETDA Coalition for eLearning will compile and provide resources on eLearning for state education agencies and school districts at no cost.

The Coalition will also support leaders and spark innovation around eLearning related to the COVID-19 virus, as well as inevitable inclement weather and other disruptive events. A school-based experience in eLearning Days will provide first-hand experience of planning and implementing eLearning Days.

This webinar is suitable for kindergarten through high school teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders. Time for questions will be provided.

Register

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

March 3, 2020

Managing Infectious Diseases in Early Education and Child Care Settings

Join the national American Academy of Pediatrics on March 11 for a one-hour webinar to learn more about two new tools that help professionals meet national early education and child care training requirements for managing infectious diseases.

Included Topics

Participants will learn about the following:

    • the important role managing infectious diseases training plays in early childhood settings;
    • a free, new online managing infectious diseases module for any early learning provider;
    • a free, fully downloadable managing infectious diseases training curriculum that can be tailored for your audience’s needs; and
    • training tips that can help you share information about managing infectious diseases with your early care and education community.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

More Information

For more information, contact Eleni Victoria at evictoria@aap.org.