Pedestrians walk across the Walnut Street Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on Aug. 19, 2019.
Ian Sterling for WITF
Updated: 2020-03-17 21:20:33
Government, religious organizations across the midstate respond to COVID-19 concerns
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Rachel McDevitt/StateImpact Pennsylvania
Ian Sterling for WITF
Pedestrians walk across the Walnut Street Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on Aug. 19, 2019.
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This story has been updated with responses from additional cities and counties.
(Harrisburg) — The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are becoming more visible in the midstate.
In addition to government buildings and businesses temporarily shutting down, some religious organizations are suspending operations.
There will be no public masses in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg until further notice. The diocese will provide a list of online broadcasts for worshipers to observe services.
Bishop Ronald Gainer is also asking all churches and chapels to close to the public.
Lancaster County-based Mennonite Disaster Service is closing projects.
Volunteers in the U.S. and Canada have been told to cancel their travel plans and stay home, and project leaders were instructed to start closing them up.
“It’s not a decision we ever expected to make,” said executive director Kevin King. “But given the rapidly changing situation with the virus, we needed to do it. The health and safety of our volunteers, and of the people in the communities where we are serving, is our top priority.”
The decision applies to projects in Marianna, Winter Haven, Panama City and Chipley, FL; Greenbrier, WV; Rio Grande, Wharton, Victoria and Coastal Bend, TX; Puerto Rico; Pollocksville, NC; the bridges project in West Virginia; Bennettsville and Burgaw, SC; and Ukiah, CA.
A number of city and county governments across the midstate are taking action. Last week, the City of York declared a disaster emergency.
On Monday, Dauphin County and the City of Harrisburg both declared disaster emergencies.
That means events are canceled and government buildings will be closed to the public.
The County Commissioners’ public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. will take place in the lobby of the Dauphin County Administration Building. The public meeting on Wednesday, March 25 is canceled.
Effective 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, Dauphin County government offices, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas and magisterial district court offices will be closed to the public until further notice.
People in the county can still pay a tax bill or drop off a voter registration form or absentee ballot using a locked box near the entrance of the Administration Building.
In Harrisburg, the MLK City Government Center, Public Works Building, and Reservoir Parks Mansion will be closed to the public until further notice, effective Tuesday, March 17. The city’s 311 Helpdesk will continue to operate.
The City Council work session scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 has been canceled.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse also suspended street cleaning until Sunday, March 29. During that period, vehicles will not be ticketed on city streets during posted street-cleaning hours.
Tuesday saw a new wave of emergency declarations.
The City of Lancaster declared a state of emergency, limiting access to government buildings and suspending city council and board meetings until further notice.
Lancaster is also closing its recycling drop-off center, suspending housing and lead inspections, and shutting down the petting zoo at Long’s Park.
Lebanon’s mayor Sherry Capello declared a disaster emergency for that city. The Lebanon City-County Municipal Building will be closed to the public for 14 days starting Tuesday. City Council meetings have been canceled.
Cumberland County commissioners issued a declaration of disaster emergency.
The courthouse and all county facilities will be closed Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday March 19 to all visitors. The board of commissioners plans to provide an update on Thursday, March 19.
Cumberland County has the most reported cases of COVID-19 in the midstate, with ten as of Tuesday afternoon.
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