Coronavirus category, Page 266
Sen. Pat Toomey: Red tape hampers federal coronavirus response efforts, paid sick leave
The devil is in the details where coronavirus is concerned, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, said Tuesday. Red tape at the National Institutes of Health threatened to slow the certification of hospital-developed tests in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley Republican said, until he asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the...
Blood donations at critical shortage because of coronavirus pandemic
Blood banks are asking healthy donors to turn out “in full force” as donations drop in the face of the spreading coronavirus. “If we don’t have enough blood to meet the sick patients’ needs, we’ll have another public health crisis on top of the pandemic,” said Kristen Lane, spokeswoman for...
French Open postponed until September because of coronavirusVideo
The French Open was postponed for about four months because of the coronavirus pandemic, shifting from May to September. The French tennis federation announced the decision Tuesday. Main-draw matches for the clay-court tournament at Roland Garros in Paris were scheduled to begin May 24. This is the first instance of...
NASCAR tackling how to reschedule races, keep teams afloatVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR plans to reschedule the seven Cup Series races already postponed due to the the covid-19 pandemic. Figuring out how to cram the events and the All-Star race into the crowded 36-race schedule could be difficult. NASCAR has already postponed its season until May 9 at Martinsville...
Pa. health secretary: ‘Would not surprise us’ if coronavirus cases start increasingVideo
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said no hospitals are strained under the weight of the coronavirus right now, but she expects numbers to continue rising as the month goes on. “It would not surprise us if we do start to see increasing numbers – probably next week and...
Outer Banks closed to visitors as coronavirus pandemic spreads
The Outer Banks area of North Carolina closed to visitors starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Dare County officials said in a news release. “While there are currently no individuals who have tested positive for covid-19 in Dare County, officials weighed the potential benefits...
As part of $850 billion coronavirus response, Trump wants checks sent to public in 2 weeks
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is asking Congress to unleash a torrent of emergency economic aid to help people through the financial pain of the coronavirus crisis, with sizable checks directly to Americans as part of the deal. Trump wants checks out to the public within two weeks, Treasury Secretary...
Westmoreland County court cancels hearings, alters procedures
Criminal court proceedings in Westmoreland County scheduled from Wednesday to March 27 have been canceled under a judicial emergency order issued Tuesday. Special courts administrator Don Heagy said preliminary hearings for defendants who are incarcerated are still going on at the county’s 17 district court offices as scheduled. Some other...
Pittsburgh Marathon canceled over coronavirus pandemic
The Pittsburgh Marathon is canceled for 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Race organizer P3R announced Wednesday that it was following Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s executive order that banned gatherings of more than 50 people. “All of us at P3R are disappointed and frustrated that this year’s Dick’s Sporting Goods...
Here’s what a drive-by coronavirus test looks likeVideo
Want to see what a test for the coronavirus entails? Photojournalist Lauren Petracca of The Post and Courier newspaper in Charleston, S.C., can show you. It’s essentially the same as a test for the flu. Here’s a video of her getting tested at a drive-by center similar to the one...
Coronavirus challenges affecting all religious denominations
Fears about the spread of the coronavirus are testing the faith of religious bodies and congregations throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. Some, including the Diocese of Greensburg and the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, canceled worship services. Others are issuing guidance on everything from responsible behavior in church to alternatives to church attendance....
Rolling Stones postpone Pittsburgh show, ‘No Filter’ tour
The Rolling Stones won’t be playing Pittsburgh, for now. AEG Presents/ Concerts West announced Tuesday that the Rolling Stones “No Filter” tour is being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Stones were set to play Heinz Field on June 23. pic.twitter.com/d6lbhVdXzK— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) March 17, 2020 “We’re...
Allegheny County dentists urged to delay nonemergency procedures
The Allegheny County Health Department is encouraging all dental providers and patients to delay nonemergency dental services and procedures during the covid-19 outbreak. This is due to “the close proximity between patients and their dental service providers,” according to a statement Tuesday by Dr. Debra Bogen, health department director. The...
Trump moves to blunt coronavirus’ heavy impact on U.S. economy
WASHINGTON — Ahead of an expected surge in coronavirus cases, President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to blunt the impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy, fundamentally altered by a push for a nation to stay home. As the global markets fluctuated amid fears of a recession, the president...
Tell us your stories: What’s keeping you strong in the coronavirus pandemic?
While it’s time for social distancing, the Trib wants to hear from you – and share your stories about life in this public health emergency. • How are you keeping strong? • What are your fears? • What gives you hope? • What are you doing to help your family,...
Airlines cut flights out of Pittsburgh International Airport as coronavirus spreads
Airlines are cutting flights out of Pittsburgh International Airport in response to the spreading coronavirus, airport officials said Tuesday. Delta has decided to cut 1% of its capacity at Pittsburgh International, trimming flights to Atlanta starting in April, according to a report in BlueSky, the airport’s news outlet. American Airlines...
North Huntingdon sewer line project meeting canceled
A public meeting to discuss the Five Pines phase one sewer line replacement project has been cancelled for Thursday at the North Huntingdon Town House, the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority said. The authority does not have plans at this time to reschedule the meeting, said Michael Branthoover, authority manager....
State Supreme Court Justice Wecht self-quarantines family after son has presumed coronavirus
An Indiana Township man is recovering from a presumed case of the coronavirus, while officials in Fox Chapel Area School District are warning that two of the man’s siblings were at the high school Monday after being in contact with him. Pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht identified the man as his...
Allegheny County confirms 1 new coronavirus case, 3 presumptive positives
Another new case and three presumptive positive cases of covid-19 have been confirmed in Allegheny County, officials announced Tuesday morning. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Allegheny County to seven. The new confirmed case is a patient in their 60s who is hospitalized. The health department said...
Fallout from coronavirus: Movie theaters close, airlines cut flying, Walmart limits hours
WASHINGTON — U.S. movie theaters are closing nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, turning dark nearly all of the country’s 40,000-plus screens in an unprecedented shutdown. United Airlines will slash 50% of its flying capacity in April and May and warns the cuts could extend into the peak summer travel...
Where to see local and national music through live streamsVideo
The live performances may have been canceled (or postponed) out of an abundance of caution amid the coronavirus outbreak, but — as they love to say — “the show must go on.” And why not online? Many acts — local and national — are taking to the internet to perform...
Amtrak to suspend Pennsylvania passenger trains
Amtrak will suspend its passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia beginning Wednesday and all of its passenger service in Pennsylvania will be shut down as of Thursday because of a reduction in demand for the service, the railroad said. Amtrak runs a morning train daily between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia,...
Actors, actresses who’ve announced they have coronavirus
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, people from all walks of life have contracted the virus. Actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson, became the first high-profile faces of the outbreak last week when they said on social media that they had the virus. Their announcement came on the...
Pittsburgh-based American Eagle closing all stores in U.S., Canada
American Eagle Outfitters has closed all stores in the United States and Canada, citing the most recent government recommendations about the spreading coronavirus. The clothing outlet says it hopes to reopen retail stores on March 27, but it will reevaluate as time goes by. American Eagle had already closed some...
Portable toilets replace public restroom facilities along Pa. Turnpike
Travelers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Tuesday discovered no public toilets or fast food at any of the 17 service plazas along the 360-mile toll road. As of midnight, the commission locked the restrooms at all service plazas in response to the coronavirus pandemic, in an effort to safeguard employees...
