Break out the masks and the hand sanitizer, McKean County has been elevated to the high community risk status for COVID-19 — again.
The CDC made the change on Thursday, and is once again recommending masks be worn indoors due to the risk. According to the website Covid Act Now, the weekly new reported cases are at 221.5 per 100,000.
The county is listed at the third highest infection rate for the state, at 1.26, behind Fayette and Blair counties. Cameron County is 4th at 1.24, Potter is 35th at 1.06 and Elk is 61st at .87.
The average for McKean County is 13 confirmed cases per day, the website reported.
The positive test rate is 17%, the site also reported.
The Era reached out to educational facilities and government entities to see if changes were on the way in accordance with the announcement.
The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford appears to be the only one making immediate changes, while government officials said they will continue to monitor the situation.
There are no changes to school district protocols at Bradford, Smethport, Port Allegany or Otto-Eldred, according to the superintendents. Kane’s superintendent did not immediately respond to questions from The Era.
At Pitt-Bradford, university spokeswoman Pat Frantz Cercone explained.
“Masking requirements on all of the University of Pittsburgh campuses will continue to follow CDC Community Levels,” she said. “For Pitt-Bradford, whenever the CDC designates McKean County’s infection level as high, everyone – faculty, staff, students and visitors – is required to wear a mask indoors in public spaces, regardless of vaccination status.”
She continued, “The CDC updates its COVID-19 Community Levels weekly. When the CDC moves McKean County’s level to medium or low, masks will be optional. Signs will continue to be posted throughout campus to make everyone aware of McKean County’s current Community Level and what that means in terms of masking.”
Cercone explained that a vaccine requirement is in effect.
“The University of Pittsburgh requires faculty, staff and students on all campuses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved exemption for medical, moral or religious reasons,” she explained.
As for county government, Commissioner Chairman Tom Kreiner said, “There currently are no restrictions in place for visiting county buildings,” but added that the situation would be monitored.
In the City of Bradford, administrator Chris Lucco said he would alert city council to the CDC’s elevation of COVID risk and ask them how they choose to proceed.
For Bradford Area School District, Katharine Pude, superintendent, said, “It doesn’t change any of the protocols that we have in place and masking will still be optional for both students and teachers. We ask all parents to please keep their children home if they have COVID symptoms and contact their doctor. Our updated COVID plans are on our website.”
At Port Allegany School District, Superintendent Gary Buchsen said only that the classification does not impact COVID protocols in the district.
At Smethport Area School District, Superintendent Brice Benson explained why the change in classification doesn’t impact the schools.
“Smethport Area School District transitioned the management of COVID-19 to the practices and protocols in which we have previously managed all other communicable diseases,” Benson said. “Doing so will allow SASD staff to fully focus on the whole child (academic, social and emotional), rather than public health mitigation efforts.”
And at Otto-Eldred School District, Superintendent Matthew Splain said nothing will change in the district’s plans. “As we have always done, we will be mindful of any communicable disease that may impact our buildings. Our focus remains supporting students through a variety of supports to ensure they continue to develop as students and as young adults.”
