Coronavirus quarantines and your legal rights: 4 questions answered | Thursday Morning Coffee

Pennsylvania is now up to 133 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the state, sadly, has seen its first fatality, a resident of Northampton County. On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-8th District, announced he’d gone into self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone suffering from the illness. And the rest of us are working from home or are in our own form of self-isolation.

Which got us thinking: So what is quarantine, anyway? And what are your legal rights when the government tells you to Netflix and couch it? We’re turning things over to University of Oregon Legal Research Professor Latisha Nixon-Jones, who has some answers. She wrote the piece below for The Conversation, where it first appeared.

MORE:

https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/coronavirus-quarantines-and-your-legal-rights-4-questions-answered-thursday-morning-coffee/ 

Distilled spirits groups ask Gov. Wolf to reconsider his coronavirus-related shutdown of the state stores

The Distilled Spirits Council and the American Distilled Spirits Association sent a letter to Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday afternoon urging him to reconsider his decision to close all of the Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores.

Those closures took place at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

MORE:

https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/2020/03/distilled-spirits-groups-ask-gov-wolf-to-reconsider-his-coronavirus-related-shutdown-of-the-state-stores.html 

The day county courts get shut down: a look inside district court in Columbia

The sharp smell of disinfectant hung in the air in Columbia District Judge Miles Bixler’s courtroom on Wednesday afternoon.
A cleaning service comes in twice a week, but given the coronavirus outbreak, Bixler had stepped up disinfecting by spraying all surfaces over lunch before afternoon hearings had begun.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/the-day-county-courts-get-shut-down-a-look-inside/article_39a4ffe0-69d7-11ea-aa64-4305c9fe179e.html 

Borough of Columbia State of Emergency | Columbia Borough Police Department

A State of Emergency is declared in the Borough of Columbia, Pennsylvania beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This State of Emergency will continue until the COVID-19 Virus is no longer a threat to the health and safety of Columbia Borough employees and residents. Please continue to monitor CrimeWatch (https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd) or the Columbia Borough School District website for updated information. 
Attachments:  borough_of_columbia_state_of_emergency_proclamation_03-17-2020.pdf 
Source:  Columbia Borough Police Department

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update and Response | Columbia Borough Police Department

The CDC is recommending social distancing among all citizens.  There will be some minor changes and responses during the next few weeks.  You will still see Officers from the Columbia Borough Police patrolling the community and enforcing laws.  We are encouraging all non-emergency calls to be handled over the telephone at (717)684-7735 when possible.  If you need to bring documents into the Police Department, you can utilize the Dispatch Center, however all communication will be done through the audio system. Please try to refrain from coming to the Station.  They will also refrain from physical contact with the general public (ie. hand shaking) except in cases of arrest or lifesaving measures.  Officers will be issued personal protective equipment (ie.respirators, and gloves), so you may see them handling certain calls wearing this equipment.  Don’t be alarmed if you see certain first responders wearing masks for calls.  This is to protect the Officers and our citizens from further spread.  Wash your hands frequently and stay six feet away from other persons.   We greatly appreciate your patience during this time.

For more information visit:

Lancaster County Emergency Management – https://www.lancema.us/

PA Department of Health – https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

PA Emergency Management Agency – https://www.pema.pa.gov/Pages/AlertDetails.aspx

Center for Disease Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situatio...

Source:  Columbia Borough Police Department

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/covid-19-or-coronavirus-update-and-response