Dr. Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, is offering residents facts and guidance as the coronavirus crisis continues to develop, writes Allison Steele for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Since the county’s first suspected coronavirus infections were reported, Montgomery County has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pennsylvania.

However officials were not caught off guard by the outbreak. Led by Arkoosh, who has decades of experience working as a physician and in public health, the county has been preparing for months.

Read Dr. Arkoosh 2016 MONTCO.Today Montgomery County Leadership profile.

The first cases pushed those preparations into high gear. County officials promptly canceled meetings and warned residents against holding large gatherings. Then, schools closed and jury trials were halted. By the end of last week, most of the county was on lockdown.

During the daily news briefings, Arkoosh has released more information on infected patients and offered glimpses into the county’s plans for such emergencies as making sure schoolchildren and seniors have access to food by sharing law enforcement services.

“I am a parent, and a physician, and a public official,” Arkoosh said, “and I bring all of that to bear as I approach this situation.”

Read more about Val Arkoosh at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.

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Public Health Notice: To get the latest information and updates regarding COVID-19, visit the Montco COVID-19 Data Hub here. Have questions about the County’s response to the coronavirus? Send an email to COVID19@montcopa.org.

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