Many states, including Pennsylvania, already were immersed in a deadly public health crisis before COVID-19 superseded it early in 2020.
kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ <:==:?8 >@C6 E92? ` >:==:@? p>6C:42?D[ r~'xs\`h 6C2D65 AC@8C6DD E92E 925 366? >256 282:?DE @A:@:5 255:4E:@? 2?5 562E9D 3J @G6CH96=>:?8 D@>6 A2CED @7 E96 962=E9 42C6 DJDE6> 2?5 =:>:E:?8 A6CD@?2= >@G6>6?ED 2?5 A6CD@?\E@\A6CD@? 4@?E24E] pD E96 AF3=:4 962=E9 A@=:4J D9:7E65 E@ r~'xs[ >2?J @A:@:5 FD6CD H9@ 925 366? :? EC62E>6?E 76== @FE @7 :E 7@C =24< @7 2446DD]k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 E96 r~'xs 4C:D:D :D ?@E @G6C[ E96C6 :D 2E =62DE DA246 7@C 8@G6C?>6?ED 2?5 E96 962=E9 42C6 DJDE6> E@ C67@4FD @? E96 3FC86@?:?8 @A:@:5 4C:D:D] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?[ >@C6 E92? `_g[___ A6@A=6 5:65 @7 @A:@:5 @G6C5@D6D :? a_a`[ 2 dcT :?4C62D6 @G6C E96 f_[e__ 562E9D :? a_`h — E96 >@DE C646?E AC6\r~'xs J62C]k^Am
kAm!6??DJ=G2?:2 925 >256 AC@8C6DD] xE :>A=6>6?E65 2 EC24<:?8 DJDE6> E@ DE@A “5@4E@C\D9@AA:?8” 7@C AC6D4C:365 A2:?<:==6CD[ H@C<65 H:E9 >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D E@ 492?86 AC6D4C:AE:@? AC@E@4@=D[ H:56=J 5:DEC:3FE65 E96 9:89=J 67764E:G6 2?E:5@E6 ?2=@I@?6 2?5 :?4C62D65 EC62E>6?E 2446DD]k^Am
kAm%96 D42=6 2?5 ?2EFC6 @7 E96 4C:D:D 92D 492?865] |@C6 E92? EH@\E9:C5D @7 @A:@:5 @G6C5@D6D ?@H :?G@=G6 76?E2?J=[ 2 A@H6C7F= DJ?E96E:4[ C2E96C E96 AC6D4C:AE:@? 5CF8D @C 96C@:?]k^Am
kAm#6AF3=:42?D 2?5 s6>@4C2ED :? E96 DE2E6 {68:D=2EFC6 AC@A@D6 H:56=J 5:G6C86?E >62?D E@ C6DA@?5 E@ E96 6A:56>:4[ 3FE E92E 5@6D ?@E >62? E92E E96J >FDE 36 >FEF2==J 6I4=FD:G6]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 $6?] s@F8 |2DEC:2?@[ E96 #6AF3=:42? 8F36C?2E@C:2= ?@>:?66[ 92D 8@?6 E@ 2? @=5 A=2J3@@< H:E9 2 3:== E@ 4C62E6 2 >2?52E@CJ >:?:>F> D6?E6?46 @7 ad J62CD 7@C 2?J@?6 H9@ AC@G:56D 2? @A:@:5 :?G@=G65 :? 2? @G6C5@D6 562E9]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 $6?] r9C:D #233[ 2 !9:=256=A9:2 s6>@4C2E[ 92D 2 3:== E92E H@F=5 ?2CC@H E96 DE2EFE6 4@G6C:?8 “5CF8 56=:G6C:6D C6DF=E:?8 :? 562E9” D@ :E 4@G6CD @?=J E9@D6 562=:?8 5CF8D 7@C AC@7:E[ E9FD 6I4=F5:?8 255:4ED H9@ D92C6 5CF8D H:E9 @E96CD]k^Am
kAm#233’D >@C6 4@>AC696?D:G6 3:== 6>A92D:K6D EC62E>6?E[ 2?5 96 :D 4@CC64E E92E :E :== D6CG6D 2?J@?6 E@ 7:== E96 AC:D@? DJDE6> H:E9 @A:@:5 255:4ED]k^Am
kAm!6@A=6 H9@ EC277:4 :? @A:@:5D 7@C AC@7:E 56D6CG6 =@?8 AC:D@? D6?E6?46D] {2H>2<6CD D9@F=5 E2C86E E96>[ H9:=6 >2<:?8 EC62E>6?E E96 AC:>2CJ >62?D E@ 255C6DD E96 AF3=:4 962=E9 4C:D:D]k^Am
kAmk6>m\$4C2?E@? %:>6D\%C:3F?6k^6>mk^Am