Pennsylvania Senator Art Haywood Talks About COVID-19 Resources
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Pennsylvania Senator Art Haywood is nervous about the COVID-19 pandemic. “Right now we do not know who is affected but we are getting testing centers up and running in the region. There will be three tiers of people to get tested. 1 Hospital workers and first responders. They are he highest at risk. 2 Citizens that may be experiencing symptoms and the third their is at risk population. If you have no symptoms, there is no need for testing at this point in time, ” Senator Haywood said. One such testing site will be around Lincoln Financial Field.
“This is a time when the community comes together to help each other,” Haywood said. His district includes Germantown and also Abington and Jenkintown. in Montgomery County. The income gap among his constituents is staggering. However, all have the same needs. With places of work closing, people need food. Food pantries in those areas are as follows. Every Wednesday at the Cheltenham School Administration building, Jenkintown residents can go the the school building , loop off of Highland Avenue and Abington has something going for students and their families at the school cafeteria.
People in Germantown can go to MLK High School as well as recreation centers that will be able to assist with students and their families. “Some people are seriously under banked, by this Friday, they are broke. They have saved less than $1000 for retirement,” Haywood said. He attributes that to House republicans that refuse to raise the state minimum wage, keeping people in poverty.
“People should relax,there is no reason to hoard food. By hoarding it, a lot of it will go bad. Food distribution centers are classified as essential. Food warehouses are well stocked and there in no break in the supply chain,” he said. People have been buying multiple servings of chicken and meats. Store shelves are bare. That was due to the stores not being able to replenish their stock.
In his district, he has a staff member checking stores for price gouging. Generally, it is the smaller stores that do this. Large chain stores know the risks. “You should report this to the Attorney General if you see it going on, wherever you are in Pa,” he said.