Lora Werner

“If you want to have one you need to have a referendum to establish one. But it’s not required, so we have a mishmash of the counties that have taken that step and those that have not.”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner explained that establishing a county health department requires a referendum but is not required, resulting in a mishmash across counties.

“And although we do have a high vaccination rate across Delaware county, there are pockets where they aren’t as good.”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner said Delaware county has a high overall vaccination rate but there are pockets where rates are lower.

“Creating a new department was very challenging, and we’re a very odd state in this regard,”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner said creating a new health department was very challenging and described Pennsylvania as an odd state in this regard.

“We’re deeply integrated into the social networks.”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner said the new health department is deeply integrated into social networks in the community.

“We are the newest health department on the block, and we’re so passionate about the fact that we’re now here and can serve our residents,”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner said the newly established local health department has been a gamechanger for promoting public health initiatives.

“They were a huge provider of pediatric care,”

Lora Werner · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-04

Werner said Crozer Health, which collapsed due to bankruptcy, was a huge provider of pediatric care in Delaware county.