Trusted info is magnified in crisis

April 1, 2020

In these tumultuous, chaotic times, the new corona­virus pandemic has spawned shortages of such essential products as face masks, protective garments and ventilators. One thing is available in abundance: Information. In the age of the internet and the 24-hour news cycle, information on the coronavirus is everywhere. So much information is out there that the World Health Organization described it as an “infodemic.” The problem, of course, is that a lot of the information is incorrect. Some of the misinformation comes from scams; half-truths twisted into a political viewpoint ...

Not crying Wolf: All business is essential

March 29, 2020

It’s funny the things that occupy your thoughts when circumstances like a pandemic afford you rare opportunities to think. It has been little more than a week since Gov. Tom Wolf rendered our chamber of commerce “non-essential” and mandated that whatever we were doing on behalf of the local business community should come to an abrupt halt. He didn’t really say that to chambers in particular, of course, even though that’s what I heard as I tried to assess our value pitted against those on the essential business list. So, as I reluctantly emerge from crybaby mode, allow me ...

‘These are the heroes among us’

March 28, 2020

If we follow the advice from the Center for Disease Control, as well as Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, we will be able lessen the potential effects of COVID-19. While their directives and recommendations may seem challenging — social distancing, working remotely, limiting travel, frequent hand washing and avoiding crowds over 10 people — we must all work together to limit the spread of the virus while we await the development of a safe and well-tested vaccine. From a recent historical perspective, this moment calls for the same national ...

Lack of parity hikes telemedicine costs

March 25, 2020

My family physician’s office is transitioning into telemedicine services. What I’m most concerned about is the potential for additional fees due to the lack of parity laws throughout the commonwealth. Due to the recent pandemic of the coronavirus, many aspects of our daily life have been affected — Whether that’s the lack of toilet paper availability, the shortage of hand sanitizer, or the recent preventative measure of online classes for college-level students. Other experiences such as highly-recognized sports teams and traveling opportunities are suffering the ...

We’re paying for China’s doctrine

March 23, 2020

Virtually no media coverage of the COVID-19 Virus is directed where it should be — to the Communist Party of China. Reportedly, the virus started in October 2019, but was not acknowledged for three months. In any country with a free press, news would have spread quickly and early action would have been taken. Timely release would have effectively doubled the world’s response time. Imagine how much more could have been accomplished. More time to produce N-95 masks, respirators, research vaccines, restrict travel and develop and implement mitigation policies. Why didn’t ...

Coverage of the virus ‘essential’

March 22, 2020

What day is it? Oh, Sunday. The days since initial concern over the coronavrius quickly morphed into a pandemic — challenging our world like never before — are running together so please forgive me. You’re seeing designations of “essential” and “life-sustaining” references to various businesses. Newspapers and media have long been recognized as such in order to help keep the public informed. That’s especially “essential” during time of crisis, and the coronavirus, with the damage it’s done and all the uncertainty and fear that it’s created, qualifies ...