September 2020 to November 2020

Public Health & Safety September 2020 to November 2020

November 24, 2020

November 23, 2020

As COVID-19 infections surge across the country, the Borough of State College is urging all residents to reduce the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19 this Thanksgiving holiday by limiting in-person gatherings and vigilantly following public health guidance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), small household gatherings are a significant contributor to the rise in COVID-19 cases. The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with only people in your household. Learn more...

The Borough of State College would like to thank the Centre County Commissioners and Centre County Government for extending the FREE walk-in testing site at the Nittany Mall through December 18. Please note the following:

Where: Nittany Mall, inside the former Bon-Ton storefront (Use the exterior entrance)

  • Open weekly, Tuesday through Saturdays, 10 am to 7 pm
  • Not open this week (Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27)
  • Reopens Tuesday, December 1, 10 am to 7 pm weekdays through Saturday, December 19)

If you are looking for more information on testing, visit our testing map.

November 19, 2020

From Monday, November 9, to Sunday, November 15, there were 6 temporary emergency ordinance violations reported to the police department that resulted in the issuance or filing of 2 citations. Since enactment, there have been a total of 93 citations issued for violations. View the update.

Aditional Thanksgiving gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu. Follow these tips to make your Thanksgiving holiday safer.

The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, take steps to make your celebration safer.

For more information: Everyone Can Make Thanksgiving Safer; Consider Other Thanksgiving Activities pdf icon.

Helping Happy Valley will hold a Facebook live event on December 5 from 5 pm to 10 pm The event will showcase the County's small businesses and the gifts they have to offer. A Happy Valley Wish Book has also been created. The Wish Book features locally made products, shops and boutiques. It also promotes gift card purchases from restaurants and shops not offering e-commerce. Learn more at https://helpinghappyvalley504406311.wordpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR16eAyFQkbBCRczem3hftlHzc-HQFTrhA6yFN7pvbiTQQjAUUR_EgDMJdk.


October 21, 2020

  • Trick or Treat Update

The Boroughs of Bellefonte and State College and the Townships of Benner, College, Ferguson, Harris, Patton, Spring and Walker have set Thursday, October 29 from 6 to 8 pm for residents who wish to participate in trick or treating. We encourage residents to make their own choice if they will participate in trick or treating. We as residents to follow the CDC guidance on Halloween activities. Residents who choose to receive trick or treaters should turn on their porch or outside light and follow the CDC's guidance on contactless trick or treat options.

  • Mt. Nittany Mall 'Walk-In' Testing Site to Reopen over a 21 day period beginning Sunday, October 25 and ending Saturday, November 14

The Centre County Board of Centre County Board of Commissioners approved a contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare to provide a 'walk-in' COVID-19 testing site over a 21 day period beginning Sunday, October 25 and ending Saturday, November 14. More details will be released today by the Centre County Government, however, we wanted to provide the public with information in the interim:

  • Walk-in site; no appointment necessary.
  • Hours of operation: 11 am to 6 pm (Scheduled days below).
  • Location: Nittany Mall - former Bon-Ton space, entrance to space is from the outside. There will be no entrance to the test site from inside of the mall and no one may enter the mall through the testing site.
  • No age limits for testing (some sites test only 18 years and older).
  • Free.

Schedule of testing dates: 15 days

  • Week one: Tuesday (10/27) - Saturday (10/31)
  • Week two: Monday (11/02); Wednesday (11/04) - Saturday (11/07)
    • The testing site closed on Tuesday, 11/03 Election Day
  • Week three: Tuesday (11/10) - Saturday (11/14)

Staff is currently working with Centre County Government on adding the details to our Covid-19 Testing Site Map.

September 18, 2020

  • Department Of Health To Collaborate With Centre County, Adds Testing Sites In Centre County In Effort To Contain Local Spread Of COVID-19

Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced beginning Friday, September 25, testing clinics will be held at locations in Centre and Columbia counties to contain the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in these counties. In addition, the department is working closely with Centre County in regard to its increase in cases over the last several weeks.

The department has signed a contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI) to provide testing in communities in need across Pennsylvania. AMI will be deploying teams to perform community testing.

"Since the beginning of September, we have seen an increase of 1,109 cases in Centre County and 173 cases in Columbia County, which gives us significant cause for concern," Dr. Levine said. "These testing sites will be open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate and quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19."

The schedule for testing in both counties is 7 am to 7 pm on:

  • Friday, September 25;
  • Saturday, September 26;
  • Tuesday, September 29;
  • Wednesday, September 30;
  • Thursday, October 1;
  • Friday, October 2; And
  • Saturday, October 3.

The address for Centre County testing is Nittany Mall, 2901 E College Avenue, State College, PA, 16801. The address for Columbia County testing is Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, W Fort McClure Boulevard, Bloomsburg, PA, 17815.

Up to 500 registered patients can be tested per day. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is at no cost to those being tested. Patients are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 in order to be tested. No appointment is necessary, but a photo-ID or insurance card is required. Registration will also be completed on-site.

Individuals who are tested should self-isolate while they await test results. For those individuals who live with other people, they should self-isolate in a private room and use a private bathroom if possible. Whoever else lives in the home with the individual awaiting test results should also stay at home. The department has additional instructions for individuals waiting for a COVID-19 test result.

In addition, Dr. Levine today offered Centre County officials assistance as they work to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the county.

"I have directed my staff to assist Centre County in identifying localized containment and mitigation efforts to reduce the spread and facilitate communications between large employers, county officials, and local governments," Dr. Levine said. "This group will work together to develop strategic recommendations tailored to this specific area to stop the spread of COVID-19.

This will be a concentrated, short-term effort that will include focused meetings with the county representatives and municipality partners independently. Once these meetings are held, joint meetings will occur with all partners to determine the best steps to assist the county in the work they are doing to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus in their jurisdiction.

Partners in this Centre County effort will include the Department of Health staff, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency staff, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Centre County Commissioners, State College Borough, Penn State University, additional local elected officials, local chambers of commerce, and other stakeholders.

The department intends to continue its work to assist counties seeing significant increases in new cases through efforts to determine what strategies may best assist the county.