Governor Tom Wolf yesterday ordered all non life sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations as of 8 p.m. yesterday to slow the spread coronavirus.
Enforcement actions against businesses that do not close physical locations will begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 21.
In extenuating circumstances, special exemptions will be granted to businesses that are supplying or servicing health care providers.
“To protect the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians, we need to take more aggressive mitigation actions,†said Gov. Wolf.
“This virus is an invisible danger that could be present everywhere.
“We need to act with the strength we use against any other severe threat.
“And, we need to act now before the illness spreads more widely.â€
Pursuant to the Emergency Management Services Code, the governor is granted extraordinary powers upon his declaration of a disaster emergency, such as COVID-19.
Among these powers, the governor may control the ingress and egress into the disaster area, the movement of persons, and the occupancy of premises within the disaster area, which has been established to be the entire commonwealth for the COVID-19 disaster emergency.
The secretary of health separately is authorized under the law to employ measures necessary for the prevention and suppression of disease.
The governor has directed the following state agencies and local officials to enforce the closure orders to the full extent of the law:
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Department of Health
Department of Agriculture
Pennsylvania State Police
Local officials, using their resources to enforce closure orders within their jurisdictions.
Governor Tom Wolf yesterday announced the availability of low interest loans for small businesses and eligible non profits in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.
The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible.
The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years.
Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay. ■