Montgomery County Officials Hold Daily Coronavirus Response Briefing

In Pennsylvania, there are 930 cases in 40 counties.

BEARS AS WELL.SO AS WE'VE SAID YOU'REENCOURAGING TO OUTSIDE.YOU'RE ALLOWED TO GO OUTSIDE.PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCE THEREAND ORDER FROM YOUR FAVORITERESTAURANTS TONIGHT.WITH THAT I'LL TURN OVER TOCOMMISSIONER GALLON LYNN.GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.I'M MONTGOMERY COUNTYCOMMISSIONER JOE GAYLE I'D LIKETO BEGIN MY REMARKS TODAY BYTHANKING ALL THE RESIDENTS OFMONTGOMERY COUNTY FOR THEIRCOOPERATION AS WE COMBAT THISPANDEMIC.AND WE HAVE DATA AND STATISTICSTHAT PROVE THERE'S BEEN A GREATAMOUNT OF COOPERATION WITH THERESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.ONE OF THEM BEING THE LEVEL OFCOMMUNICATION.THE HOTLINE THE E-MAIL ADDRESSAND THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THECOVID-19 HOTLINE HAS BEENUTILIZED BY THE RESIDENTS OFMONTGOMERY COUNTY AND THEY'REREFERRING TO THOSE FORMS OFCOMMUNICATION INSTEAD OFEMERGENCY 911.AND WE HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE ONTHIS SCREEN WHERE IT SHOWS THEAMOUNT OF POLICE INCIDENT CALLSFROM FEBRUARY 1st OF THIS YEARTO YESTERDAY WHICH WASMARCH 23rd.AS YOU SEE, WE HAVEAPPROXIMATELY 12 -- 2,000ACTUALLY OVER 2,000 POLICERELATED INCIDENT CALLS A DAYHERE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.LAST WEEK I GAVE A SPECIAL THANKYOU AND SHOUT OUT TO THE TELECOMMUNICATORS THAT WORK 365 DAYSA YEAR, 24/7 FIELDING THESEEMERGENCY CALLS AND IF YOU PUTYOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES, THECALLS THEY'RE DEALING WITH ARENOT PLEASANT.THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES CHAOS ONTHE OTHER LINE AND OBVIOUSLY ANEMERGENCY ON THE OTHER LINE SOTHEY'RE WORKING VERY HARD YEARROUND FIELDING OVER 2,000 CALLSAPPROXIMATELY A DAY.SO OUR FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 INMONTGOMERY COUNTY WASMARCH 7th.THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POLICERELATE THE INCIDENT CALLS WASMARCH 9th 2 DAYS LATER WHENTHIS WAS ACTUALLY KICKING IN ANDPEOPLE HAD -- STRESSED OVER IT,WE RECEIVED THE MOST 911 RELATEDCALLS APPROXIMATELY 2300.2,000 THEE HUNDRED CALLS.THIS NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS HASDRASTICALLY DECLINED SINCE.YESTERDAY WAS OUR ONE OF OUR LOWWE HAVE POINTS OF EMERGENCYPHONE CALLS AT APPROXIMATELY1200.1,200 CALLS.SO THAT'S ABOUT 1,000 DECREASEOF AMOUNT OF 911 EMERGENCY CALLSTHAT OUR TELE COMMUNICATORS AREFIELDING.SO THAT'S A CREDIT TO THERESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTYTHAT ARE UTILIZING THE HOTLINEAND REALIZING THAT TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE HERE FOREMERGENCY ONLY NOT FOR TESTINGCASES OR ANYTHING SIM FLOORTHAT.I'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOUWHAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP THETAXPAYERS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTYAS WELL AS THE WORK FORCE HEREIN MONTGOMERY COUNTY ANDBUSINESSES.LAST WEEK PRESIDENT TRUMP ANDTREASURER SECRETARY STEVEMNUCHIN ANNOUNCED THAT THEDEADLINE FOR FILING FEDERALTAXES WILL MOVE FROMAPRIL 15th TO JULY 15th.SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN ASKED BYMANY RESIDENTS WHAT THE STATUSIS ON THE STATE PERSONAL INCOMETAX RETURNS.THE DEADLINE FOR TAXPAYERS TOFILE THEIR 2019 PENNSYLVANIAPERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURNS ISALSO EXTENDED TO JULY 15th2020.THIS MEANS THAT TAXPAYERS WILLHAVE AN ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS TOFILE FROM THE ORIGINAL DEADLINEOF APRIL 15th.LAST WEEK I ANNOUNCED MY EFFORTSTO HELP FAMILIES AND TAXPAYERSADVERSELY IMPACTED BY THECORONAVIRUS BY WORKING TO EXTENDTHE PROPERTY TAX FILINGDEADLINES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.THIS IS ON-GOING EFFORT ANDCOMMUNICATION WITH THE 62MUNICIPAL LOLLS AND TAX COLLECTSACROSS THE COUCH TEE ISUNDERWAY.GIVEN THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVEFINANCIAL IMPACT ON FAMILIESCAUSED -- FACING BECAUSE OF THISPANDEMIC AND ALSO THE LEGALREQUIREMENT THAT TAX COLLECTORSOFFER IN PERSON OFFICE HOURSPRIOR TO CERTAIN DEADLINESRELATED TO THE TAX PAYMENTS WEARE ASKING OUR MUNICIPALPARTNERS TO CONSIDER ANEXTENSION OF THE DISCOUNT PERIODFOR PAYMENT OF REAL ESTATETAXES.WE HAVE REACHED COMMITMENTS FROMTHE LARGEST FINANCIALINSTITUTIONS THAT THEY WILLDEPOSIT ESCROWED FUNDS AS THEYNORMALLY WOULD AND WILL NOTCHANGE THE PAYMENT DATE SO THANKYOU FOR THE COOPERATION OF OURFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS COOPERATETHROUGH THE ESCROW PAYMENTS.THE COUNTY RECOGNIZES THAT THISDECISION MUST ULTIMATELY BE MADEBY OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS AND WEWOMEN EXTENSION OF AT LEAST FOURWEEKS WITH PREFERRED OPTIONBEING ALL MUNICIPALITIES JOINTLYEXTEND THROUGH MAY 31st, 2020.AS THIS CRISIS IS LIKELY TOEXIST FOR SOME TIME WE BELIEVEMUNICIPALITIES SHOULD ALSO BEGINCONSIDERATION OF AN EXTENSION OFTHE FACE VALUE PERIOD AS WELLAND THE FACE VALUE IS THE FULLPROPERTY TAX AMOUNT.WHILE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS WILLPUT ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON BUDGETSTHAT ARE NO DOUBT FEELING THESTRESS OF THE CURRENT EMERGENCY,WE FEEL THAT THIS EXTENSION ISIN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL OFOUR RESIDENTS.IN ADDITION IF PROPERTY TAXEXTENSION LATER THIS WEEK WEWILL ANNOUNCE RESOURCESAVAILABLE TO ASSIST THE BUSINESSCOMMUNITY DURING THIS DIFFICULTTIME.OUR MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMERCEDEPARTMENT WILL BE PROVIDINGINFORMATION ON RESOURCESAVAILABLE THROUGH THE SMALLBUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE LOSTREVENUE AS A RESULT OF THECORONAVIRUS CAN APPLY FOR LOWINTEREST RATE LOANS THROUGH THESMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATIONLOAN PROGRAM.THESE LOANS CAN BE USED TO PAYPAYROLL, FIX DEBTS, ACCOUNTSPAYABLE AND OTHER BILLS.SO WE WILL HAVE MORE TO UPDATEYOU REGARDING THAT AND PLEASECONTINUE TO VISIT OUR COUNTY'SCOVID-19 DATA HUB FOR UPDATESAND WE WILL BE RELEASING MORESPECIFICS LATER THIS WEEK.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.ALL RIGHT.SO WITH THAT, JUST AGAIN WANT TOTHANK EVERYBODY FOR WHAT ISGOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY WHICHIS ACTUALLY NOT A LOT.WHICH IS GREAT.THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.PEOPLE ARE REALLY HEEDING THECALL TO STAY HOME.WHEN I DROVE HERE THIS MORNING,THE STREETS WERE AS EMPTY ASI'VE SEEN AND THAT'S GOOD NEWS.WE KNOW IT'S INCREDIBLYDIFFICULT ON OUR LOCALBUSINESSES AND SO IF YOU CANPOSSIBLY SUPPORT PARTICULARLYTHE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE STILLWORKING, PLEASE DO THAT IN ANYWAY THAT YOU CAN.BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TOMAKE SURE THAT WE GET ASITUATION THAT LOOKS LIKE THISBOTTOM LINE, NOT THE TOP LINEAND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKEQUESTIONS.IS THERE ANY WAY TO TELL IFTHAT'S WORKING OR IS THAT JUST ABIG PICTURE OF THINGS?

YOUMENTIONED THAT WITH MORE TESTINGYOU'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO GETMORE POSITIVES.IS THERE ANY WAY TO KIND OF TAKETHIS APART.THERE IS.I THINK ONCE WE HAVE MORE TESTRESULTS BACK PARTICULARLY FROMOUR COMMUNITY BASED TESTING SITEWE'RE PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER ATHOUSAND TESTS DONE THERE NOWBUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSERESULTS BACK.SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THOSERESULTS BACK, PLUS THE RESULTSTHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND THENEGATIVES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, ITWILL HELP US TRY TO ACTUALLYFIGURE THAT OUT.RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE QUITEENOUGH DATA TO KNOW WITHCERTAINTY BUT I THINK JUST BASEDON WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THINGSLIKE THE REDUCTION IN POLICECALLS, HOW EMPTY THE STREETS ARENOW, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON SOMEOTHER DATA THAT WE MAY BE ABLETO PRESENT TOMORROW.I DO THINK THAT WE ARE SEEING AREDUCTION.BUT WE'LL KNOW IN TIME.HAVE YOU GOT ANY TEST RESULTSBACK FROM THE TESTING SITE?JUST A HANDFUL, RIGHT?WE DO HAVE FAIR NUMBER OFTESTS BACK BUT THEY'RE NOT --THEY'RE NOT ALL BACK YET.YEAH.I MEAN IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE.QUESTION FROM REPORTER.WE COULD ABSOLUTELY.AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEENTALKING ABOUT THAT, AS WE DOMANY, MANY MORE TESTS, WE WILLEXPECT TO SEE MORE POSITIVEINDIVIDUALS.AND THAT WILL GIVE US BETTERDATA TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHEREEXACTLY WE ARE HERE INMONTGOMERY COUNTY.IT'S FRUSTRATING TO PEOPLEWHO ARE IN ISOLATION TO FEELLIKE IT'S NOT WORKING.POSSIBLE DECREASE OUT THERE ANDNOT DISCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT IT'SNOT WORKING.NO ONE SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED.IN FACT JUST THE OPPOSITE.WE'RE CAUTIOUSLY HOPEFUL THATWE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT SOCIALMITIGATION STRATEGIES IN PLACEWHICH WE STARTED THE VERY FIRSTWEEK THAT WE GOT NOTIFIED THATWE HAD PRESUMPTIVE POSITIVESAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HEEDINGTHOSE CALLS.SO I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK ATWHERE WE ARE TODAY, WITH 159?HE'LL SORRY.I LOST TRACK OF WHAT THAT NUMBERIS.YEAH, 159 CASES TODAY, COMPAREDTO WHERE A PLACE LIKE NEW YORKCITY IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY MUCHLARGER POPULATION THERE, BUTALSO A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OFPEOPLE WITH DISEASE.WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TOCOME OUT OF THIS OKAY AND KEEPTHAT CURVE RELATIVELY FLATCOMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHERPLACES.BUT AGAIN I DON'T HAVE THE DATATO SHOW THAT.YOU KNOW THE COMMUNITY HASBEEN AMAZING.IN WILLINGNESS TO DONATE MASK.WE'VE GOT MANY, MANY BOXES OFMASKS.I WANT TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS ALITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ONWITH PERSONAL PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY ANDHOSPITALS.SO THE HOSPITALS ARE HAVE AWELL-ESTABLISHED PATHWAY TOCOMMUNICATE ANY UNMET NEEDS FORSOMETHING LIKE PERSONALPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.AND THE HOSPITALS GO TO THEHOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEMASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA WITHANY UNMET NEEDS.IF THAT IS ABLE TO FULFILL THOSENEEDS FROM THOSE SOURCES THEYWILL REACH OUT HERE TO THEEMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER TALKTO OUR DIRECTOR TOM SULLIVAN ANDCONVEY THEY HAVE UNMET NEITHERAND THEN THE COUNTY CAN TRY TOWORK WITH THEM TO HELP FILL THATNEED.OUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY HERE ATTHE COUNTY IS FOR ALL OF THEFIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS THECOUNTY, 50 MUNICIPAL POLICEDEPARTMENTS, OUR, UM,PARAMEDICS, FIREFIGHTERS, OTHERFIRST RESPONDERS, SO OUR FIRSTRESPONSIBILITY IS TO THEM.BUT WE ALSO HAVE MADE REQUESTSSTRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE FORMASKS AND THIS PAST WEEKENDTHERE WAS A DELIVERY FROMMONTGOMERY COUNTY'S ALLOCATIONOF MASKS TO EVERY HOSPITAL INTHE COUNTY.SO WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELYWITH OUR HOSPITALS ACROSS THECOUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEYARE ABLE TO GET WHAT THEY NEED.I SPOKE BETWEEN DR. WEISS ANDMYSELF WE TOUCHED BASEPERSONALLY WITH EACH HOSPITAL INTHE COUNTY THIS MORNING AND THEHOSPITALS ARE FEELING OKAY.THEY ARE TAKING IT DAY BY DAY.THEY HAVE THE SURPRISE THAT THEYNEED FOR THE SHORT TERM.WE ARE ALL WORKING TO GET MORESUPPLIES IN FOR THE LONG TERM.WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS ISGOING TO LAST.SO WE ARE MAKING PLANS FOR THISLASTING FOR MANY WEEKS TO COME.SO WE DON'T COME UM SHORT.BUT SO FAR SO GOOD.PEOPLE ARE CONSERVING PERSONALTHE C D.C.

HAS VERY CLEARGUIDELINES FOR HOW HEALTH CAREFACILITIES CAN CONSERVE PPEDURING A PANDEMIC, AND I BEEFMOST IF NOT ALL OF OUR HOSPITALSARE FOLLOWING THOSE GUIDELINES.BUT THEY ALL SAY AT LEAST TODAYAND FOR THE NEXT SHORT INTERVALTHEY ARE OKAY.THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE WHAT THEYYOU MENTIONED WHEN YOU TALKEDABOUT THE COMMUNITY TESTING SITETHAT -- YOU ARE WATCHING THEMONTGOMERY COUNTY PRESSCONFERENCE WE CONTINUE TO BRINGYOU THE VERY LATEST ON THECOVID-19 CORONAVIRUS HERE ON TVAND ONLINE AT CBSPHILLY.COM.WE NOW JOIN THE TALK ALREADY INPROGRESS.THIS HAS BEEN BREAKING NEWS