COVID-19
Some University of Pittsburgh's students, faculty and alumni are upset that it accepted $4.2 million in funding from the Charles Koch Foundation for a new center to study politics, markets and technology.

Pennsylvania’s leading COVID-19 modeler explains how life might start returning back to normal and what might not

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The FRED model uses information about where and how residents interact at school, work and in their neighborhoods, to predict the spread of diseases like influenza, H1N1 and dengue. Applied to COVID-19, the model predicts that, with statewide social distancing, the state can limit the number of total hospitalizations to 100,000 and that the peak number of hospitalizations can be delayed for hundreds of days, enough time to potentially make additional healthcare resources available.

COVID-19
Endocrinologist Dr. Monica Gomberg has seen a decline in patients in her private practice since the COVID-19 outbreak began in the U.S.. (Photo by Kimberly Rowen/PublicSource)

Allegheny County’s independent medical providers are struggling to stay open, even as healthcare system braces for COVID-19 influx

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Doctors at three independent offices told PublicSource that they are considering cutting back hours and staff — or have already done so. To comply with an order from Gov. Wolf to stop elective surgeries, some local providers have had to cut out some or all of their business. And many patients are canceling and delaying their appointments. While some patients have turned toward telemedicine, it still hasn't been enough to offset the lost revenue.

COVID-19
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority's water treatment plant in Lincoln–Lemington–Belmar. (Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource)

PWSA is looking into options to address customers’ fears over upcoming rate increase

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Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger pointed out at the end of the Friday board meeting, which took place on a conference call because of the coronavirus, that notices about a future rate increase were being sent to customer homes with their upcoming monthly water bill. Strassburger asked if there was a way to reassure people or pull back on the communications about the rate increase, “with record numbers of people out of work.”

COVID-19
(Photo courtesy of the Department of Corrections)

PA stops taking new male prisoners for ‘several days’ to establish quarantine procedure

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The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections [DOC] said it will stop accepting new male prisoners for “several days” as it sets up a new centralized system for bringing new men into the prison system in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The new policy only applies to men; women will still be accepted at two separate facilities and the state didn’t respond to immediate requests for comment on why there is a discrepancy.