December 2020 to January 2021

Local COVID-19 Updates December 2020 to January 2021

To report those not in compliance with the local COVID-19 ordinance please contact the police department's non-emergency number at 814-234-7150. Please do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.

This page contains local updates and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our local Health Department and the Region Emergency Management Agency are advising the community to follow the PA Department of Health and CDC guidelines on COVID-19.

All Local Video Updates from Mayor Ronald L. Filippelli

For more information visit the following websites:

State College Borough Resources/Dashboards

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LAUNCH TESTING SITE MAP

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LAUNCH COVID-19 DATA DASHBOARD

ORDINANCE 2145 (DOWNLOAD)–Temporary COVID-19 Mask Wearing and Gathering Limit Ordinance (PDF)

*Translations made possible by the assistance of Penn State Law student members of the Student Bar Association Law and Equity Committee

01/22/2021

Tom Charles, MHA, MBA, Executive Vice President, System Development and Chief Strategy Officer, Mount Nittany Health, gives an update on the COVID-19 vaccine efforts.

01/08/2021

State College Borough Council extended the Temporary COVID-19 Mask Wearing and Gathering Limit Ordinance.
State College Parking Department COVID-19 Update

On Monday, January 11, the parking garages (off-street) will no longer offer free parking, however, free on-street parking will still be allowed. To assist local businesses and ensure turnover in high demand parking areas will continue to enforce a 2-hour time limit at parking meters with free parking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a 3-hour time limit of free parking for the Street Lot, Beaver Ave Lot, and McAllister Deck from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will help ensure people are not storing their vehicles overnight and for staff to complete routine street sweeping and maintenance. All parking areas in the Borough's neighborhoods will be enforced.

01/05/2020

COVID-19 Walk-In Testing Site Extended

The COVID-19 Testing Site at the Nittany Mall has been extended. Walk-in testing is available from Tuesday, 1/5 through Saturday, 1/30 with testing hours from 10 am to 7 pm

The Centre County Board of Commissioners has extended a contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare to provide a 'walk-in' COVID-19 testing site through January 30th.

Walk-in site; no appointment necessary.
Location: January 5th - January 16th: Nittany Mall - former Bon-Ton space,
- The entrance to the 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.
- January 19th - January 30th: an alternative testing site will be determined
Hours of operation: 10 am to 7 pm
No age limits for testing.
Free. ID required.
Individuals with insurance will be asked to provide an insurance card; however, no co-pay or any other cost is charged to the individual.
Uninsured individuals will also be tested without cost to the person.
Anyone needing to be tested may access this site regardless of residency.

Testing Dates Available

Tuesday, January 5 - Saturday, January 9
Tuesday, January 12 - Saturday, January 16
Tuesday, January 19 - Saturday, January 23
Tuesday, January 26 - Saturday, January 30

Press Release

December 11, 2020

State College Borough Municipal Building Closure Notice

In response to the increasing prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the county, the State College Borough Administration Offices (243 South Allen Street) will close to the public until further notice. Staff may be reached by email or by phone at 814-234-7100 during regular business hours. All staff and public meetings will continue to be held virtually or by phone. The decision to reopen to the public will be made as conditions improve.

The State College Police Department will continue to respond to all emergency and non-emergency calls for service. The non-emergency number is 814-234-7150.

The State College Borough Public Works crews will continue operating as normal with split shifts for the duration of the closure. Other staff will work remotely as able. Taxes and other payments can be paid by using the Drop-off Box in the front of the building.

Please continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Thank you for your understanding. Number MASKUPSC

December 10, 2020

Gov. Wolf, Sec. of Health Announce New Protective Mitigation Efforts to Put Pennsylvania on Pause through Early January [Read the Full Announcement]

The new, limited-time mitigation orders take effect at 12:01 am on December 12, and remain in effect until 8 am on January 4, 2021. Limited-Time Mitigation efforts announced today include:

In-Person Dining and Alcohol Sales

All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events is prohibited.
Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Sec. of Health or by the governor.

Multiple studies have found indoor dining to drive case increases and fatalities. A study by JP Morgan analyzed credit card spending of more than 30 million Chase cardholders and Johns Hopkins University's case tracker and found that higher restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there three weeks later. Additionally, research from Stanford University found that restaurants accounted for a significant amount of new infections while research from Yale University found that closing restaurants reduced fatality rates.

Indoor Gatherings and Events

Indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 persons are prohibited.
Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of congregate worship are specifically excluded from the limitations set forth above during religious services, these institutions are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time. While this an incredibly difficult recommendation to make, particularly at this time of year, faith leaders must carefully weigh the health risks to their congregants given the immense amount of community spread of COVID-19.

A new study from Stanford University and published in the journal, nature, used cellphone data collected from 10 U.S. cities from March to May to demonstrate that restaurants, gyms, cafes, churches and other crowded indoor venues accounted for some 8 in 10 new infections in the early months of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic.

Outdoor Gatherings and Events

Outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 persons are prohibited.

According to a Yale University study, limiting outdoor gatherings was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates.

The CDC states that medium-sized outdoor gatherings carry a higher risk of COVID-19 spread, even with social distancing. CDC notes that the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading, and that the higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spreading during a gathering.

Capacity Limits for Businesses

All in-person businesses serving the public may only operate at up to 50% of the maximum capacity stated on the applicable certificate of occupancy, except as limited by existing orders to a smaller capacity limit.

The same Stanford University study that collected cellphone data also noted that limiting indoor capacity can reduce COVID-19 transmissions.

Gyms and Fitness Facilities

Indoor operations at gyms and fitness facilities are prohibited.
Outdoor facilities and outdoor classes can continue, but all participants must wear face coverings in accordance with the Sec. of Health's Updated Order Requiring Universal Face Coverings, including any subsequent amendments, and practice physical distancing requirements.

According to a Yale University study, closing businesses like gyms was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates.

Entertainment Industry

All in-person businesses in the entertainment industry serving the public within a building or indoor defined area, including, but not limited to, theaters, concert venues, museums, movie theaters, arcades, casinos, bowling alleys, private clubs, and all other similar entertainment, recreational or social facilities, are prohibited from operation.

The CDC puts movie theaters and other indoor settings on its list of higher-risk activities for contracting COVID-19.

In-Person Extracurricular School Activities

Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity's governing body or administration are suspended, but these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs, and school dances.

Our top priority is stopping the spread of this virus so students and teachers can return to their classrooms as soon as possible. Data from the Department of Health notes that one-quarter of the cases of COVID among school-age children have occurred within the past two weeks, increasing the need to keep children safe outside of school so that they can return to classrooms.

K-12 School Sports and Youth Sports

All sports at K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and club, travel, recreational, intermural, and intramural sports are paused.

The Pennsylvania Principals Association is recommending a delay to the start of the winter sports season. The surge in cases among school-age children increases the risk that asymptomatic participants will spread the virus at a game or practice, in the locker room, while traveling to and from events, or at team meals, parties or other gatherings.

Professional and Collegiate Sports

Professional or collegiate sports activities may continue in accordance with guidance from the CDC and the Department of Health.
Spectators may not attend such sports activities in person.

The CDC warns large gatherings create a high risk of COVID-19 spreading.

"We know that COVID-19 thrives in places where people gather together," Gov. Wolf said. "Therefore, these mitigation measures target high-risk environments and activities and aim to reduce the spread of this devastating virus."

According to Yale University research, mitigation measures such as mandatory mask requirements, and gym and restaurant closures are policies that most consistently predict lower four- to six-week-ahead fatality growth.

"The work we do now to slow the spread of COVID-19 is not only crucial to keeping our fellow Pennsylvanians safe and healthy," Gov. Wolf said. "It will help all of us get back to normal, and back to all of the things we've missed, faster. And it means more Pennsylvanians will be alive to celebrate that brighter future. This year, we show our love for our families and friends by celebrating safely and protecting one another."

Gov. Wolf Limited-Time Mitigation Order
Sec. Levine Limited-Time Mitigation Order

Video Updates for Mt. Nittany Staff:

REMINDER: Centre County Government Extends Nittany Mall Testing Site

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 19. 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 weekdays through Saturday, December 19.

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

State College Area School District Update:

Dear Parents and Guardians:

After consulting with our health and safety team yesterday, we have decided to remain in full remote learning until January 11. This was a difficult decision for us because we truly believe in-person learning is best for our students. However, during the last couple of weeks, the spread of COVID-19 in our community has continued to worsen, and the epidemiologists on our team expect conditions to further decline.

When we closed two weeks ago, it was mostly due to staffing shortages from isolations and quarantines. Now, because of the significant rise in local cases, our reasons for remaining closed have shifted to include community spread and concerns about hospital capacity. The virus is now infecting our students, employees and families at its highest rate so far this year.

To put our situation in perspective, during the first 92 days of the school year, we had 48 positive cases among employees and students. By contrast, in the past 10 days, we have had 49 new positive cases - a 10-fold increase in our daily cases. District testing reveals an increase as well. Through the end of November, our random employee testing program yielded one positive out of 304 tests. But this past week, 380 new employee tests led to 7 positive cases, a positivity rate of about 2%. This rate for asymptomatic testing was concerning to our health and safety team.

Another factor in our decision comes from our primary medical providers, Mount Nittany Health, Penn State Health, and Geisinger Health. Since school started in August, we have monitored their testing results. At present, their 7-day % positivity average stands at 27%, as compared to 6% during a previous high point in October.

December 16 and December 23 will remain asynchronous days districtwide. Instructional support centers will remain open through December 23, and we'll follow up with these families today regarding our plans for January.

To conclude on a positive note, our epidemiologists and physicians also expressed hope for our schools in the future. A COVID-19 vaccine could start to be distributed soon, and that will begin our return toward normal - a reason to be optimistic for a better year ahead.

Sincerely,

Bob O'Donnell
Superintendent of Schools

12/07/2020

REMINDER: Centre County Government Extends Nittany Mall Testing Site

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

Open weekly, Tuesday through Saturdays, 10 am to 7 pm weekdays through Saturday, December 19.

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

State College Mayor Ronald L. Filippelli Partnered with the Downtown State College Improvement District to Help Local Businesses

Mayor Filippelli throughout the month of December will be posting video messages to our community via the State College Borough Facebook page. The first two videos are listed below:

Mount Nittany Health weekly COVID update (December 4) [CLICK TO READ]
Helping Happy Valley Live Event Highlights How Residents Can Help Local Businesses

On December 5, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and partner organizations hosted "Helping Happy Valley Live" which showcased the county's small businesses and the products they have for sale, just in time for the holidays. You can watch the event at https://www.facebook.com/HappyValleyAdventureBureau.

The PA COVID-19 alert app now supports four languages: English, Spanish, German, and Traditional Chinese.

Help fight COVID-19. Please download and share with everyone you know. Follow the link below to download the app now. https://www.pa.gov/covid/covid-alert-pa/