Lehigh Valley COVID-19/Coronavirus Response Resources

LVEDC continues to monitor effects of COVID-19 on Lehigh Valley’s economy. We update this page often with information about resources available to businesses.

Our financing page has information about assistance to small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Visit here for more information.

Mitigation Measures Announced by Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf has introduced the use of the Pennsylvania Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard, which is updated each Monday as mitigation and reopening plans are determined and updated. This dashboard provides county and statewide breakdowns on the number of confirmed cases, incidence rates per 100,000, PCR testing occurrences, average daily hospitalizations, average daily ventilators, and total hospital visits.

The governor ended special temporary mitigation measures on Jan. 4, but several mitigation measures remain in effect.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued COVID-19 Guidance for Pennsylvania Businesses to help businesses protect workers, suppliers, and customers.

Paycheck Protection Program Reinstated

The federal government has reinstated the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with an allocation of $284 billion. PPP loans provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep workers on the payroll. Qualifying businesses may apply through March 31. PPP loans may be forgiven if businesses meet employee retention criteria and use the funds they receive for eligible expenses. Visit LVEDC’s Financing Programs webpage for additional information about PPP and other federal, state, and local financial assistance programs for businesses.

Training Webinars: Applying for Financial Assistance

The Small Business Development Center is hosting a series of training webinars on the process of applying for financial assistance from federal programs including PPP loans. Webinars are scheduled for Thursdays at 9 a.m. from Jan. 21 through Feb. 25. Click here to select a webinar date and register to attend.

COVID-19 Resources and Information Sources

• Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf Newsroom
• PA.gov: Responding to COVID-19 in Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Department of Health
• Pennsylvania Department of Health Mask Order
• Northampton County COVID-19 Risk and Recovery Training for Businesses
• Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development COVID-19 Resources and Assistance
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Coronavirus Unemployment Offerings for Employees Impacted
• Pennsylvania Rapid Response Information Guide

Industry-Specific Guidance from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

• Essential Agricultural Businesses
• Farms and On-Farm Deliveries
• Farmers Markets and On-Farm Markets
• Food Processors and Manufacturers
• Dairy Guidance
• Behavioral Health Services
• Aging Services
• Telemedicine
• Child Care Providers

NBC10, Telemundo62 Campaign to Highlight Area Businesses

The “In the Name of Love” campaign seeks to support regional businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

LVEDC is partnering with the news organizations of NBC10 and Telemundo62 for a promotional campaign called “In the Name of Love,” designed to support businesses throughout the region that have been affected by the pandemic. The television stations will air news stories featuring businesses, people, organizations, and neighborhoods that are coming together to recharge, rebuild, and recover.

LVEDC Blog Posts Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic:

• Long-Awaited COVID-19 Relief Financing Programs Announced
• Don Cunningham Column: The ‘Groundhog Day’ Quality of Pandemic Life
• Region’s Health Networks Administer First COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Lehigh Valley Flexes Its Logistics Muscle as E-Commerce Star Rises During COVID
• OraSure Technologies Draws National TV Attention for COVID-19 Testing Device
• USSF Expanding, Creating Jobs as it Develops COVID-19 Vaccine
• Don Cunningham Column: Pandemic is this Generation’s Catalyst for Changes
• New Data Details How Sharply, Unevenly COVID Recession Hit Lehigh Valley
• Even Amid a Pandemic, Here Are Five Things to be Grateful for this Thanksgiving
• Chamber Highlights COVID-19 Funding Lehigh Valley Businesses Received
• Research Consortium Report Focuses on Lehigh Valley Resilience
• Health Network Laboratories Sees Its World Changed by COVID-19
• Report Shows Lehigh Valley Economy Already Showing Signs of Recovery 
• Discover Lehigh Valley Celebrates Accomplishments from a Challenging Year
• Summit Discusses the Future of Manufacturing in a Post-Pandemic Climate
• Lehigh Valley’s Life Sciences Sector Continues to Thrive
• Unemployment Rate Drops to 8%, But Not All Sectors Are Recovering Equally
• LaunchBox Ladies Discuss Entrepreneurship and “Power of the Pivot”
• Beyond the Unemployment Rate Drop: Where Lehigh Valley Stands Six Months into COVID-19
• Lehigh Valley Poised to Benefit from New Office Trend
• Talent Supply Council Hears Updates on Pandemic Impact on Employers, Educators
• Don Cunningham Column: The Puzzle of Lehigh Valley Economy During the Pandemic
• Commercial Real Estate Outlook: Brighter Times are Ahead
• New LVEDC Report Highlights Population Changes, Development Projects
• Lehigh Valley Unemployment Rate Dropped Slightly in July
• LVEDC, Guardian Life Provide Grants to Companies Impacted by COVID-19
• LVEDC Partners with NBC10, Telemundo62 on Campaign to Highlight Local Businesses
• Nearly 300 Small Businesses in Lehigh Valley Receive COVID-19 Assistance
• OraSure Technologies to Create or Retain 410 Jobs with Lehigh Valley Expansion
• Pennsylvania COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Grant Program Reopens
• Internship Summit to Address Challenges Created by COVID-19
• Measuring the Economic Recovery from COVID-19 in Lehigh Valley
• Economic Heroes: Lehigh Valley Company Develops Thermographic Monitoring System
• Lehigh Valley Unemployment Rate Held Steady in June Amid Pandemic
• Lehigh Valley Entrepreneurs Create Curbside Communications App for Businesses
• Two Programs Announced to Support Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
• Analysts: Coronavirus Effect on Lehigh Valley Logistics Market Limited Thus Far
• Don Cunningham Column: What Torch Is Being Passed to this Generation?
• PPP Loan Application Window Extended Until Aug. 8
• Economic Heroes: Allentown Plastic Company’s New Product Making Elevators Safer
• Lehigh Valley’s Unemployment Rate Drops in May Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
• LVEDC Q&A: ArtsQuest’s Kassie Hilgert Discusses Musikfest, Impact of Coronavirus on the Arts
• Ben Franklin Technology Partners Gives COVID-19 Funding to Lehigh Valley Startups
• PPP Adds Flexibility, Federal Reserve Creates COVID-19 Relief Program
• Lehigh University Team Working on Project to Disrupt Spread of Coronavirus
• Businesses Discuss How LVEDC Helped Them Secure COVID-19 Financing Assistance
• LVEDC Q&A: Carol Kuplen of St. Luke’s and Ed Dougherty of LVHN
• LVEDC Continues Municipal and Community Outreach Efforts
• Unemployment Rate in April Shows Rising Impact of COVID-19
• Don Cunningham Column: Sometimes It’s OK to Stop and Watch the Chipmunks
• Susan Larkin Discusses Staffing Challenges During COVID-19
• Economic Heroes: Sharp Expanding in Lehigh Valley as it Fights Against Coronavirus
• Expertise of LVEDC Board Helps to Understand Lehigh Valley Economy
• Lehigh Valley Business Owners Discuss Innovating Amid COVID-19
• LVEDC Releases First Commercial Real Estate Report Since Coronavirus Outbreak
• Lehigh Valley Women Entrepreneurs Discuss Navigating the New Normal
• Economic Heroes: LifeAire Systems Designs Decontamination Unit for N95 Masks
• Essential Work of Owens & Minor in Lehigh Valley Earns President’s Praise
• Economic Heroes: Americold Serves Key Role in Global Food Distribution Network
• Lehigh Valley Construction Companies Resume Activity
• Don Cunningham Discusses Economic Impact of Coronavirus on Lehigh Valley
• LVStartup Provides Coronavirus Information to Lehigh Valley Entrepreneurs
• Economic Heroes: OraSure Technologies on Front Lines in Fight Against Coronavirus
• Don Cunningham Column: A New Chapter for Lehigh Valley Economy
• New Unemployment Data Show Start of COVID-19 Impact in Lehigh Valley
• Online Job Ads Provide Peek Into Lehigh Valley’s Economy During Pandemic
• Analysts Say Lehigh Valley Industrial Market Well-Positioned to Weather Pandemic
• Pennsylvania Issues Guidance for Construction Projects to Resume Starting May 1
• Lehigh Valley Economic Development Activity Continues During Pandemic
• Regional Experts Discuss Coronavirus Pandemic at Virtual Town Hall
• COVID-19 Funding Starting to Flow to Lehigh Valley Companies
• Lehigh Valley Has High Percentage of Essential Jobs that Cannot Be Done at Home
• LVEDC Continues to Connect Lehigh Valley Companies with Emergency Financing
• Lehigh Valley Businesses Step up to Fight COVID-19; Supplies for Care Providers Still Being Sought
• LVEDC Helping Connect Lehigh Valley Small Businesses with COVID-19 Financing
• Don Cunningham Column: Finding a New Way and Maintaining Connectedness
• Lehigh Valley Companies Step Up To Fight COVID-19 Outbreak
• Supplies Sought for Lehigh Valley Health Care Providers
• Financing Options Available for Lehigh Valley Businesses Affected by COVID-19
• LVEDC Reports Initial Findings From Survey of COVID-19 Economic Impacts
• COVID-19 UPDATE: Business Resources Available After Gov. Wolf’s Closure Order
• LVEDC Monitoring, Gathering Economic Data in Response to Coronavirus
• Economic Impact of Coronavirus Discussed at Lehigh Valley Business Symposium