Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf issued a stay-at-home order for all of Pennsylvania. Previously the governor had only restricted citizen movement in the greater Philadelphia region, including Chester County, and a few other counties within the commonwealth.

People worry what the future holds. The governor ordered all "non-essential" businesses close operations less than two weeks ago. The roads are empty of travelers for the most part. Further, people aren't making the money they were a month ago due to the economy, today, at a near-complete stand still.

To address concerns and answer questions, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-6th, of Easttown, held her fifth virtual Town Hall on the coronavirus crisis Wednesday evening.

Four thousand callers dialed in to take part on March 31.

Special guests included Dr. Benjamin Abella, attending physician and vice chair for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Penn Medicine; Dr. George Fiore, executive director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit; and Carol Hawkins, aging care management supervisor at the Chester County Department of Aging.

Houlahan addressed the recently passed, and signed into law by the president, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“Last Friday, I returned to Washington to help pass the bipartisan CARES Act, a historic stimulus package, the third such package in our response to the coronavirus pandemic,” Houlahan said.

She said the legislation provides:

• Provides a direct cash rebate of up to $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per child for many Americans;
• Significantly expands eligibility for Unemployment Compensation, including for individuals who are not traditionally eligible for unemployment like those who are self-employed and independent contractors, through December;
• Provides an additional $600 per week to each recipient of Unemployment Compensation for four months and extends eligibility for those whose benefits were scheduled to expire;
• Temporarily defers payments towards principal and interest on federally-backed student loans and stops interest accrual for 6 months;
• Waives the 10 percent penalty on early distributions from retirement accounts, allowing people diagnosed with COVID-19 or who are economically harmed by the virus to access their savings for immediate needs;
• Prohibits evictions for renters and foreclosures for homeowners with federally-backed mortgages; and
• Ensures COVID-19 testing is covered by ALL private insurance plans without cost sharing.

As Houlahan told her constituents Wednesday evening, the CARES Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on March 27, decrees that American taxpayers earning less than $75,000 a year will receive a stimulus check for $1,200 per individual, plus an additional $500 per child. Lawmakers anticipate that checks will be issued to citizens within the next three weeks.

On March 13, Trump declared a national emergency to combat the coronavirus crisis stateside. That same day, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf closed all schools in the commonwealth for the foreseeable future.

By March 23, the governor issued not only stay-at-home orders for people living in Chester County and the surrounding Philadelphia suburbs, but also closed down all businesses deemed by the governor’s administration as “non-essential.”

“I want you to know how proud I am of our community. Every day, I'm hearing from local leaders, first responders, business owners, and dedicated employees who are doing what they can to keep us safe. To all those on the front lines, thank you,” Houlahan said.

She said it was a privilege and honor to serve as the community's congressional representative.

Houlahan told callers her office has been coordinating daily with local leaders to ensure that the community is prepared to meet the unprecedented challenges at hand.

“Over the past two weeks, our dedicated staff helped residents who were trapped abroad due to COVID-19 return home from Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, Morocco, and stranded cruise ships,” Houlahan said. “We are happy to have them back in Pennsylvania.”

The congresswoman said, “We stand ready to assist others in need.”