Baker calls for public health emergency declarations

HARRISBURG, PA — With a case of COVID-19 appearing in her district, PA Sen. Lisa Baker is calling on her colleagues to give the governor the power to declare a public health emergency.
Gov. Tom Wolf did sign a COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration, but Baker said he should be able to declare an emergency more directly tied to public health.

“Reports of presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, or coronavirus, require an immediate response, and the governor’s emergency disaster declaration is warranted,” said Baker
“This situation highlights the need to pass legislation to provide a governor [with] the ability to declare public health emergencies. Such a declaration would authorize the Department of Health to waive regulations, create new temporary regulations, publish notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for tracking and treating a disease and allow public workers to provide treatment to control the emergency.

“While a governor can currently declare a disaster emergency, the ability to declare a public health emergency would be better suited for scenarios such as containing COVID-19. The Senate passed Senate Bill 633 providing for public health emergency declarations. I urge the House of Representatives help us get this important legislation enacted.