Montco Coronavirus: 41 Cases, 2 Deaths Friday

NORRISTOWN, PA — In Montgomery County, 41 more people tested positive for the new coronavirus on Friday. According to county data, 2 additional deaths were also reported.

As of Friday, the county's total number of positive tests is 8,689, and the total death toll has risen to 810.

Also on Friday, the county reported one more person in a long-term care facility had tested positive for the new coronavirus. No new inmates in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility have tested positive as of Friday.

Testing

On Monday, all six of the county's new walk-up testing sites will reopen with expanded test capacity, the county said in a release.

The 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.

This Saturday, the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium will also offer free testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Siloam Baptist Church at 1329 Willow Street. Testing at the church is available to everyone regardless of appointment, age or a doctor's order or prescription or ability to pay.

Green Phase

On June 29, Pennsylvania entered the Green Phase of its reopening plan. In a news conference Wednesday, Commissioner Val Arkoosh said the goal of the green phase is "carefully and cautiously moving forward to our new normal."

Arkoosh implored residents to do five things in order to continue the Green Phase of reopening, protect businesses and allow schools to reopen in the fall:

• Wear a mask (Pennsylvania's universal mask order requires masks to be worn when indoors or outdoors when social distance can't be maintained)
• Maintain a social distance of at least 6-feet from others.
• Keep hands clean using soap and water or hand sanitizer.
• Get tested
• Cooperate with contact tracing

Arkoosh said restaurants and businesses are being monitored for compliance to orders in the Green Phase. Residents who see restaurants disregarding guidance are encouraged to report the business to county health officials by emailing covid19@montcopa.org.

The commissioner said inspectors will investigate reports and close restaurants if they're caught being noncompliant twice.

All reports are kept anonymous, she said.

Rental Assistance

On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered that almost all evictions and foreclosures in Pennsylvania be postponed through the end of August.

"I am taking this action to help families know they will have a roof over their heads and a place to live while all of us fight the COVID-19 pandemic," Wolf said. "It takes one more burden off of people who are struggling and ensures that families can remain in their homes so they can protect their health and well-being."

Also, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance agency to provide financial relief for renters who qualify.

"More than 13,000 of our renters experience extreme cost burden with rent representing more than 50% of their income at any given time," Arkoosh said in a statement Monday. "We hope to help as many people as possible to stay safe and healthy in their homes during the pandemic by providing much needed economic relief."