Coronavirus Latest: Chester, Delaware Counties Join Forces In COVID-19 Battle
DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- The Chester County Department of Health is taking over the coronavirus response in neighboring Delaware County. The new partnership was put in place Thursday.
These changes only apply to the response of the coronavirus outbreak and they're in place until this epidemic is resolved.
"This country is strong. These communities are strong. We will get through this," Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline said.
And with a combined 24 cases of coronavirus, Chester and Delaware Counties will get through this outbreak together.
"Together we have trained, planned and practiced for situations such as this," Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said.
Delaware County doesn't have its own health department. With the new partnership, the Chester County Department of Health will provide the testing and will share the data with Delaware County officials.
"We had a sub-optimal way to respond to this crisis. Without a health department, we didn't have all the information that one would have liked to have had," Delaware County Councilman Brian Zidek said.
Delaware County has 14 positive cases but the county wasn't told who was tested, who came back positive or where they lived. They also weren't told how many people were being quarantined because of exposure.
The partnership only applies to the two counties' response to the outbreak.
"At times, it feels like we're wearing sunglasses in a dark room as we try to figure out what to do next and some of that is because we don't have a health department," Zidek said.
Chester County officials say this partnership will not limit their ability to respond to other health-related issues in the county.
