Montgomery County has extended its COVID-19 emergency statement for an additional 60 days, after tests showed an increasing number of cases.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Valerie Arkoosh, a physician, said Thursday that 8.1% of the county’s residents tested positive for the 14 days ending April 8, compared with 7.1% for the two weeks ending April 8. April 1st.
“As our number of cases increases, so do our hospital admissions,” Arkoosh said. As of Wednesday, there were at least 213 county residents in hospitals with COVID-19, up from 206 a week earlier.
Arkoosh said at the virtual commissioners meeting on Thursday that residents should continue to wear masks and maintain social distance to prevent the spread of the corona virus.
She said the county has “paused” the use of Johnson & Johnson’s one-time vaccine until more advice comes from the federal government. Montgomery will provide the vaccination for Pfizer Inc. continue to administer.
Arkoosh and fellow Democrat Kenneth Lawrence Jr. then voted to extend the county’s emergency COVID-19 statement by 60 days. Republican Joseph Gale voted no. Gale has opposed pandemic restrictions on businesses and schools. He did not comment on his vote on Wednesday.
Before the vote, Lawrence County Solicitor asked Josh Stein to confirm that the emergency declaration applies only to state and federal government operations and pandemic costs.
The statement “has nothing to do with company closures or the opening of schools or any form of COVID restrictions,” said Lawrence.
“That’s absolutely correct,” said Stein.
Arkoosh noted that COVID fatigue may affect some residents as the pandemic extends into the 58th week. In a statement Wednesday, she said tempers have been raised in some locations in the vaccine region.
“It is never acceptable to yell, berate or otherwise harass clinic staff,” she said.
The commissioners also discussed appointments to the board of directors of Montgomery County Community College on Thursday. Gale objected to the reappointment of Marcel Green, who was active in the leadership of the Democratic parties in Pennsylvania and the county.
Gale said he opposes political appointments of people from both parties to advisory councils. Arkoosh and Lawrence won 2-1.
Arkoosh is active in the Democratic primary for the United States Senate. Gale is a candidate for governor on the Republican side, and his brother Sean is active in the Republican Senate.
The next board meeting is on April 19 at 10:00 AM. It is kept virtual and broadcast on Facebook. Recordings of meetings are posted on the province’s YouTube site.