Montco Coronavirus: 31 New Cases, 3 More Deaths Friday

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Montgomery County reported 31 additional cases of the new coronavirus on Friday along with three more deaths, according to health department data.

Data also shows one additional long-term care facility resident and one additional Montgomery County Correctional Facility inmate have tested positive for the virus as of July 16.

As it stands, the county has reported a total of 8,889 cases of the virus and 814 deaths since March 7.

Schools

Montgomery County officials on Friday rolled out recommendations for keeping students and staff safe and healthy when they return to school this fall.

Per the guidelines, everyone in a school building, including students and teachers, will also be required social distancing for everyone in a school and requiring masks when distance can't be maintained.

Testing
In a news conference Wedenesday, county commissioner chair Dr. Valerie Arkoosh acknowledged that some county residents have waited between 7 and 10 days to obtain results from a COVID-19 test, a turnaround time she said is unacceptable.

The commissioner said she has spoken with Quest Diagnostics, the county's test provider, and expressed her "deep anger and frustration" with the situation.

Quest attributes its delays to overwhelmed labs and said it's working to expand its capacity with additional equipment.

While Arkoosh said she understands the reasoning behind delays, the county is actively exploring other labs and could switch to a new provider of one is found to be able to provide quicker turnaround results on tests.

The county's six walk-up testing sites are available to people of all ages without a prescription or insurance. Residents can begin making appointments for testing at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Testing is also available at no cost through 12 CVS and Rite Aid locations in Montgomery County. These drive-thru testing sites are available only to people 18-years-old and older.

Arkoosh said when registering for a testing appointment online, some users will encounter a pop-up warning that reads, "This site is closed for testing tomorrow." Arkoosh urged residents to disregard the message, which she called a glitch, and continue to registration.

Preventing the Spread

Residents can do a number of things to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in their communities, Arkoosh said.

Residents are urged to wear a mask whenever they leave their homes, continue practicing physical distancing and regularly and thoroughly wash their hands.

In a campaign titled "Mask Up Montco," the county has shared downloadable information and posters to help educate residents on when and where to wear masks.

Businesses are encouraged to download the posters and post them publicly.

"The decisions people are making today will manifest fully four to six weeks for now," Arkoosh said. "That’s how long it takes for the disease to spread and [have an] impact."