Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine warns Pennsylvania is on the verge of repeating the cycle that led to widespread community shutdowns in the spring to mitigate COVID-19.
During a press briefing Monday afternoon, Levine urged residents to stop the cycle by wearing a mask and making important choices to reduce exposure.
“At the start of the pandemic, we saw a higher number of cases in people ages 19-49, before it spread to those over age 65,” Levine said. “This pattern is now repeating.
“There are things we can do right now to stop this cycle, … wearing a mask, staying at least six feet from others not in your household and maintaining healthy habits like washing your hands.”
Levine said the number of Pennsylvanians over the age of 65 who are positive for COVID-19 has dropped to about half of the overall cases.
However, the number of Pennsylvanians aged 19-49 with positive cases now account for 45 percent of the total case count.
“Our experience from the beginning of the pandemic shows that first cases rose in younger people, some of whom became very sick, required hospitalization and went on to recover,” Levine said.
“Then COVID-19 spread quickly throughout the community, impacting congregate settings like nursing homes where most of our serious illnesses and deaths have occurred.”
Levine encouraged residents to make the choice and avoid situations where they could be exposing themselves to COVID-19.
“If you feel uncomfortable with how close people are at the restaurant where you are dining, make the choice to leave,” Levine said.
“If you are in a store where people are not following the mandatory mask order, make the choice to leave.
“And if you are getting together with people who are bragging that they are not changing their lifestyle at all and refusing to wear a mask, make the choice not to go.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Repeating shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.
For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.