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Enforcement of this Order will commence at 8:00 PM on Monday, March 23, 2020.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older
adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk for
serious illness. Early symptoms may also include chills, body aches, sore throat, headache,
diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose.
On March 19, 2020, the Governor and Secretary of Health issued Orders directing
the closure of non-life sustaining businesses. Operation of non-life sustaining businesses
present the opportunity for unnecessary gatherings, personal contact and interaction that
will increase the risk of transmission and the risk of community spread of COVID-19.
Similarly, the directive for individuals to stay at home will facilitate the mitigation of
COVID-19 by decreasing the opportunities for the transmission of the virus and decrease
the risk of community spread.
COVID-19 is a threat to the public’s health, for which the Secretary of Health may
order general control measures, including, but not limited to, closure, isolation, and
quarantine. This authority is granted to the Secretary of Health pursuant to Pennsylvania
law. See Section 5 of the Disease Prevention and Control Law, 35 P.S. §§ 521.1; 521.5,
sections 2102(a) and 2106 of the Administrative Code of 1929, 71 P.S. § 532(a) and 536
and the Department of Health’s (Department) regulations found at 28 Pa. Code §§ 27.60-
27.68 (relating to disease control measures; isolation; quarantine; movement of persons
subject to isolation or quarantine; and release from isolation and quarantine). Particularly,
the Department has the authority to take any disease control measure appropriate to protect
the public from the spread of infectious disease. See 35 P.S. §§ 521.5; 71 P.S. § 532(a),
and 1402(a); 28 Pa. Code § 28.60. The Department determines that the appropriate disease
control measure based upon COVID-19, the manner of its spread in the Commonwealth
and in the world, and its danger to Pennsylvanians, is for individuals residing in the
Commonwealth to stay at home except to obtain life-sustaining services for themselves or
others as outlined in this order to prevent and control the spread of disease.
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Accordingly, the order and directive for individuals residing in the Commonwealth
to stay at home is necessary to protect the public’s health. This Order shall take effect
immediately and remain in full force and effect for a period of two weeks, specifically until
April 6, 2020.
Rachel Levine, MD
Secretary of Health