(Lititz, PA-LititzDailyNews.com) – Gov. Tom Wolf announced today that he has extended the closure of all Pennsylvania schools for an additional two weeks, through at least April 6. The governor had previously ordered all schools in the state to close on Monday, March 16, and to remain closed for two weeks.

“Our school closures and other mitigation efforts will be extended for another two weeks,” the governor said during a virtual press conference today.

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For Pennsylvania parents whose patience is wearing thin under the current closures, it’s more challenging news.  Widespread closures, cancellations, job loss, and shortages have already taken a toll in the wake of the virus.

Warwick High School

All of us need to take this situation seriously,” said the governor. “Our Commonwealth has not experienced a disruption of this magnitude in its supply chain since at least the Civil War.”

In an effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the governor extended the school closure amid other measures meant to stop the “exponential” rise of cases in the commonwealth.

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He also placed six more counties under “stay-at-home” orders due to outbreaks of the disease, effective 8 p.m. tonight: Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe and Montgomery counties. Philadelphia has already ordered a stay-in-place order. Lancaster County is excluded, for the time being, from the “stay-at-home” order.

“You must stay in your home unless not staying in your home would endanger a life,” said the governor.

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His message to those under the order are clear: “Don’t leave your home unless someone’s life depends on your leaving, because ultimately someone’s life does depend on you staying.”

The governor’s hope is that these measures will stem the tide of the virus in Pennsylvania. In recent days, the number of confirmed cases has doubled daily.

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“We need to buy time,” he said, noting that the measures are meant to slow the spread so that the capacity of the healthcare system is not overwhelmed.

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Lynn Rebuck is the editor and publisher of award-winning LititzDailyNews.com, the only independent digital news source in Lititz. Lynn is an award-winning photojournalist who was invited to the White House and has received top recognition from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, Pennsylvania Women’s Press Association, National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and has been profiled in Editor & Publisher magazine for her unparalleled dedication to publishing LititzDailyNews.com to benefit the community.