100% ESSENTIAL: Donate now and support our urgent public-service journalism about the coronavirus

Coronavirus

The latest reporting on the Pennsylvania state government’s response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Coronavirus

The Department of Human Services, led by Secretary Teresa Miller, said the agency is "trying to expand resources to facilitate telework for these employees." — Commonwealth Media Services

Limited tech forces thousands of state workers to still report for work, despite their offices being closed

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

April 7, 2020

Coronavirus

Wolf is "very concerned" about the threat of an outbreak in the state's prisons, his spokesperson said. — Commonwealth Media Services: Natalie Kolb

Less risk, less reward in Gov. Tom Wolf’s choice to wait for legislature to act on prisoner releases

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

April 6, 2020

Coronavirus

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has taken the national spotlight as the “coronavirus governor,” with his colorful press briefings, candor, and willingness to go toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump to bring home needed supplies. — Darren McGee / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

The darling, the technocrat, and the Ph.D.: N.Y., N.J., and Pa. governors tackle COVID-19

by Pranshu Verma of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

April 6, 2020

Coronavirus

Thomas Nolan, public safety director for Upper Merion Township, said he worries about the coronavirus "constantly." His department has retrofitted certain ambulances to deal with the crisis. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Coronavirus will accelerate EMS crisis in Pa.’s small towns and rural areas, experts say

by Wallace McKelvey of PennLive | The Patriot-News

April 4, 2020

Coronavirus

Large swaths of Pennsylvania’s economy are shut down in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, prompting new unemployment filings to eclipse 1 million in a little more than two weeks and leaving workers struggling to pay their bills. — TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. banks inundated with requests for federal small business loans intended to prevent layoffs

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

April 3, 2020

Coronavirus

Pennsylvania’s state government employs about 80,000 people. — Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. to stop paying 9,000 state employees amid coronavirus fallout

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

April 3, 2020

Coronavirus

Businesses not classified as life-sustaining were ordered to close March 19, and though the scope of that order has been revised several times, large swaths of Pennsylvania’s economy remain shuttered. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. to close waiver process for businesses affected by coronavirus shutdown as calls for transparency mount

by Brad Bumsted of The Caucus and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

April 3, 2020

Coronavirus

For patients with severe cases of the coronavirus, a ventilator can mean the difference between life and death, making them hot commodities throughout the country. — JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. needs another 1,000 to 1,400 ventilators, governor says. Here’s how the state is trying to find them.

by Brett Sholtis of WITF

April 2, 2020

Coronavirus

So far, more than 890,000 Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment. With many unable to pay their bills, advocates and public defenders are bracing for a surge in evictions. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa.'s high court extends eviction moratorium as coronavirus shutdowns lead to record unemployment

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnline

April 1, 2020

Coronavirus

Gov. Tom Wolf had resisted a statewide order, saying he wanted to take a measured approach to limiting people's movements. — Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Tom Wolf extends coronavirus stay-at-home order to all of Pennsylvania

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

April 1, 2020