The spike continues upward | Confirmed Covid-19 cases in Pennsylvania as of March 22, 2020

US: now third in the world | The number of known COVID-19 cases now ranks the US third in the world. But the number of persons tested is not known.

Local messages |Facebook posts from local restaurants and food serving establishments offering take-out service during the Coronavirus emergency. 

• American Legion Post 372: “In compliance with Governor Wolf’s mandatory shut down of all non-essential businesses, we will be closing tonight at 11pm and will remain closed until March 30.”
• Black Olive: “Black Olive Will be open from 8 am to 8pm for take out and delivery minimum is required for delivery order starting at $10.00.”
• Cafe 301: “Starting March 23, 2020 Café 301 will continue its TAKE-OUT ONLY service with modified hours. You may pre-order your order over the phone by calling us at 717-992-4148. All pre-orders must be paid over the phone.”
• Coffee & Cream: “We will be open for take-out. If you want to order ahead, call us at 717-449-5488”
• Hinkle’s Restaurant: “OPEN from 11am until 6pm for TAKEOUT ONLY with a LIMITED daily menu.”
• Kristen’s Katering: “This week’s meal…take out hours this week will be Wed 12-6, Thurs 12-2, and Fri 12-2. Order ahead, or stop in.
• Rocky’s BBQ: modified hours; “serving one Customer at a time.”
• Rose’s Deli & More: “Rose’s deli is offering curb side service, take out or delivery
  10 am til 8 pm. 717 684 0285”
• Taco To Go: “To all our valued friends, we will not be opening during the current health crisis for the next two weeks. We will try to open April 1st, as long as it is safe for everyone. We feel that we could not offer a safe business procedure to all of you by putting a limit on only a few people inside our shop as well as trying to distance everyone while you are visiting. Money exchange is a huge concern of ours. Curbside takeout would also be an issue, as you know our parking would be another problem. Please follow the recommendations of the officials so that we all get through this as fast and as safe as possible. We hope to see you soon.
• Vecchio Sicilia Pizza Shop: “NO DINE IN UNTILL FURTHER NOTICE”
• Root’s Country Market: “We are closely monitoring Governor Wolf’s mandate and as of Monday 2pm, Root’s will be open for business Tuesday March 17. Because of all the food stands at Root’s, we are part of the “essential business” list allowed to be open as he called grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies.”

What went wrong? | “On January 10th, three days after Chinese government officials announced that a novel coronavirus, now known as sars-CoV-2 (or COVID-19), was responsible for an upsurge of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, a team of Chinese scientists uploaded a copy of the virus’s genome to an online repository⁠, and virologists around the world set to work to develop diagnostic tests for the new disease.” Did bureacratic red tape and systems smother US testing? – The New Yorker

Here’s how | Columbia Borough has changed since the virus has began to spread in Pennsylvania, according to this article at Lancaster Online: 

• “We are encouraging all non-emergency calls to be handled over the telephone at (717)684-7735 when possible,” the police department update stated.
• If documents need to be brought to the station, people are encouraged to utilize the Dispatch Center, although all communication will be done with the audio system.
• All borough buildings will be closed to the public.
• Meter enforcement and street-sweeping are both currently suspended.
• Non-emergency reports can be made online. 
• Click here to read all of the changes impacting Columbia Borough.

Dynamic updates | Manheim Township is one municipality that is keeping its citizens updated by communicating its responses to the pandemic at its Website. Elizabethtown, too.