Cornonavirus/COVID-19 Information
For Milford Area Residents
Milford Borough Public Safety Committee
Mayor Sean Strub, Chair, Borough Council President Frank Tarquinio,
Councilmember Joseph Dooley, and resident Annette Haar
*****Also please see Important Borough Announcements and News on the main page for additional information*****
If You Have an Emergency, Please Dial 911
***The Milford Borough Council Will Update This Page as Necessary**
UPDATE FROM PIKE COUNTY:
NYC travelers 14-day self quarantine 1
https://news.pikepa.org/post/2020/03/09/COVID-19-Update
Last Update: March 20, 2020
Milford’s Public Safety Committee has recommended a series of measures to decrease the spread of Covid-19 in our area and provide support to the elderly, immune-suppressed and/or infirm who are or will be isolated in their homes.
As a county with a large number of weekend homes, many commuters, and in proximity to densely-populated areas with large numbers of Covid-19 cases, and a Borough with many elderly residents, we are at heightened risk.
Virtually every public health expert asserts that, at this point, huge numbers of U.S. residents will acquire Covid-19. It is only logical to assume that many in our area have already been exposed or contracted Covid-19.
What we recommend below includes some extraordinary measures, but they should also inspire confidence that Milford Borough is providing needed leadership to reduce transmission risk and slow the epidemic.
Many of these recommendations are only for the next two weeks—until March 27—and will be revisited as that date draws closer and we know more about how the epidemic has grown.
While some may not feel that they are at risk and are only inconvenienced by these measures, we hope they will remember those for whom this could be a matter of life and death and how our collective actions can minimize that risk.
Following the recommendations, please find additional information concerning actions the Borough has taken, other local developments, information on symptoms, social distancing, the most recent media coverage, resources and a personal report from Italy, where the entire country has been restricted significantly.
As soon as additional information on testing is available, we will post it here
Delaware Valley School System
By the order of Governor Wolf, all Pennsylvania School Districts will be closed for the next 10 school days; starting on Monday, March 16 with a scheduled reopening on Monday, March 30, 2020. All five days next week will be treated as snow days, therefore, any additional school work assigned for extended break does not apply until all snow days are exhausted.
Please check the school website and social media outlets for continued updates throughout the closure.
Additional Important Information
Recommendations for Everyone
All residents should try to stay at home as much as possible. Stocking up on food and necessities will help limit visits to stores and potential risk of transmission.
Try to maintain a distance of at least six feet from other people as much as possible, including while standing in line.
Severely restrict visitation in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Belle Reve, in Milford Borough, has restricted visitation to medically necessary visits only. All of their staff are having their temperatures checked before entering the building.
Recommendations for Businesses
Encourage and support those employees who can work at home to do so.
Liberalize sick leave policies. Remember that for low-wage, gig-economy, and non-salaried workers, staying home from work has especially critical implications for economic survival.
Supermarkets and pharmacies are encouraged to extend their hours of operation to make the stores less dense with customers.
Other retail businesses, including restaurants, banks, real estate offices, fitness centers, theatres and shops are urged to implement extraordinary hygiene measures and either close or limit their hours of operation as much as possible through March 27.
If remaining open, limit the number of customers in the store or restaurant at any given time to lessen density.
Provide tissues and lavatory facilities for hand-washing for customers as well as staff. Use gloves.
Implement stringent sanitation and hygiene procedures and utilization of temperature checks as staff arrive for work.
Send staff home at the very first sign of any cold or flu-like illness.
Encourage use of credit cards in chip readers, rather than cash. Require employees to wash their hands frequently while at work, including after every occasion when they handle cash.
What Milford Borough is Doing
The Milford Borough Office will function online only until further notice. Inquiries submitted through the website, including requests for forms and applications, will be responded to as we are able. There will be no Building Permits issued at this time.
Milford Borough Council has cancelled all in person meetings and will hold future meetings via zoom. Information on how to participate will be posted on this website when available.
All Milford Borough Parks are closed until further notice.
Milford Police Department will limit interactions with the public and take additional precautionary measures.
The TBD Task Force’s planned March 14 lecture on coronavirus at the Pike County Public Library, by Dr. Robert Ollar, has been cancelled.
Junior Zayed, the owner of Key Foods in Milford, has offered to deliver groceries to Borough residents who are ill and isolated in their homes. Junior will do this personally, as he does not want to ask his staff to do this. Call Key Foods at 570-296-7200, payment is by credit card only.
Information regarding businesses in the Borough is available on the the Pike County Chamber of Commerce website at info@pikecoc.com
Additional information can be found on the Pike County PA website at pikepa.org
Local Hospitals
Both Newton Hospital and Wayne Memorial Hospital have sent out emails and have information on their websites detailing their preparedness to diagnose and treat any suspect COVID-19 cases. The Bon Secours site details their Infection Prevention Protocols.
Additional Links
Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 Information
March 4, 2020 White House Press Briefing (including Dr. Anthony Fauci.)
Pennsylvania Department of Health Coronavirus Page (very current, and reliable)