Burns decries secrecy in state coronavirus response

Calls on governor, Sec. of Health to follow other states and release details

EBENSBURG, March 11 – As communities across Pennsylvania brace for the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is calling on Gov. Tom Wolf and the state secretary of Health to follow other states in releasing critical details about the state response which, so far, have been kept from the public.

"The governor thinks we should follow the lead of surrounding states when it comes to raising the minimum wage, but not when it comes to informing the public of the spread and containment success of a health pandemic that threatens the lives of Pennsylvanians?" Burns said. “If this isn’t a public health concern, what is?”

Burns pointed to other states where health officials have released details about the evolving crisis, including how many individuals have been tested , the number of people quarantined, and the ages of infected people, details which, to date, have been withheld from the Pennsylvania public.

“How can I support any emergency measures -- funding, quarantine, etc. -- if the scope of the problem remains secret?” Burns said. “People look to state government for leadership in times of crisis -- and leadership includes full transparency on the scope of the problem.”

State officials have cited a 65-year-old law that allows the Health Department to keep records and reports of contagious diseases strictly confidential. But, as Burns points out, today’s ongoing and rapidly evolving situation is very different, and urges transparency and honesty from the state’s leadership.

“There is no need to hide behind a 1955 law designed to protect people from syphilis shaming,” Burns said. “This is very different, and we all need to know if the administration's response is adequate and effective.”