BETHLEHEM

VACCINE CLINICS: The Bethlehem Health Bureau has scheduled additional COVID-19 vaccine clinics through the month of January. These clinics are open to health care personnel (1A priority group) in the City of Bethlehem and in Northampton County. Health care personnel in this group include licensed medical professionals and care staff, as well as home health agency staff. To schedule an appointment for one of the upcoming clinics, please click on the registration link for the clinic you plan to attend.

Clinic schedules are available on the Bethlehem Health Bureau website’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) page.

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

COUNTY PRISON: The Director of Corrections reports that, since the beginning of the outbreak in March 2020, 132 inmates at the Northampton County Prison (NCP) have tested positive for COVID-19. One hundred fifteen have finished their quarantine periods or are no longer in the institution; 17 are currently in quarantine. Since March, NCP has conducted 1,844 tests for COVID-19 on inmates.

Forty-two NCP employees have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic. Forty-one have finished their quarantine periods and have returned to work. One staff member is in quarantine.

To protect the health of inmates and staff, volunteers, visitors and tours were banned from the prison March 10. NCP has suspended all programs and will re-evaluate restarting those services in January. Inmates can contact their loved ones via phone, tablets or mail.

There are currently 516 inmates in residence at NCP. Twenty-eight non-violent offenders have been granted extended furloughs.

GRACEDALE: Gracedale Nursing Home received its first distribution of COVID-19 vaccines Dec. 29, 2020.

More shipments are scheduled in the next two weeks.

LEHIGH VALLEY

COUNTY PRISON: On Dec. 31 at 1609 hours, a 54-year-old male inmate of the Lehigh County Jail, who was hospitalized for the past several weeks at St. Luke’s Hospital, Allentown, passed away due to complications relating to COVID-19.

The inmate had been incarcerated since October 2019 charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment. He was also being held on a state parole

PENNSYLVANIA

RESTAURANT ENFORCEMENT: From Dec 21 through 27, the department’s Bureau of Food Safety performed 381 inspections, 54 of which were complaint-driven. Of those, 50 were COVID-19 specific complaints. The department received 42 food facility COVID-19 related complaints, and 20 of those COVID-19 related complaints were referred to local and county health jurisdictions.

Inspectors closed 33 restaurants by order after confirming that each was open for dine-in service and refused to comply with the order while the inspector was present.

On Dec. 23, 2020, the Department of Health petitioned Commonwealth Court through the Attorney General’s office, seeking an injunction against 22 restaurants that continued to offer dine-in services after receiving the Bureau’s closure order. The petition asks the court to: 1) issue a preliminary injunction immediately enjoining these restaurants from permitting indoor dining; and 2) award the commonwealth compensatory damages for costs of enforcing the temporary order, punitive damages for willful and wanton violation of the order, and other damages the court deems appropriate.

COVID ENFRCEMENT: The Department of State’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation (BEI) released data related to COVID-19 enforcement actions from Dec. 20 through 27.

From Dec. 20 through Dec. 27, BEI performed 269 total inspections and opened 13 investigations during which COVID-19-specific compliance was a focus. This week, the Bureau distributed two warning letters and one compliance letter relating to COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

These numbers include actions taken during routine inspections and investigations prompted by consumer complaints.

PLCB ENFORCEMENT: Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 1,091 licensed liquor establishments from Thursday, December 31, 2020 through Sunday, January 3, 2021 to ensure businesses are abiding by COVID-19 mitigation requirements, including the suspension of in-person service from December 12, 2020 until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021, as outlined in the limited-time mitigation order.

Liquor Control Enforcement Officers issued 46 notices of violation and 37 warnings for failing to follow COVID-19 requirements.

Complaints regarding licensees not complying with COVID-19 mitigation mandates may be directed to the BLCE at 1-800-932-0602 or reported through the BLCE’s online complaint form.

NATIONAL

ASSISTED LIVING SURVEY: American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently surveyed assisted living providers across the U.S. Key findings include:

• More than half (56 percent) of assisted living providers say they won’t make it another year, given current operating pace due to increased COVID costs.

• 86 percent of nursing homes are currently operating at a profit margin of 3 percent or less.

• 55 percent of assisted living providers are currently operating at a loss.

• PPE and staffing have been the top costs in response to COVID, with nearly eight out of 10 assisted living providers saying PPE was a top cost.

• 65 percent of assisted living providers said additional staff pay and hiring new staff was a top cost incurred due to COVID.

• 61 percent of assisted living providers have hired additional staff and nine out of 10 have asked current staff to work overtime and provided hero pay.