Local senior centers will continue to provide hot meals to seniors, despite having to close their doors to the public.

As per Monday’s announcement by state officials, all senior centers will close to the public for two weeks starting today.

Bill Orzechowski, executive director of the Office of Human Services, explained that while the centers will continue to provide hot meals, they will be to-go only rather than served as congregate meals.

The office covers McKean, Elk and Cameron counties.

Orzechowski said the current plan is to distribute meals at the senior centers through using a drive-thru set up. It will be up to individual senior centers to determine what time meals will be ready and to let its patrons know.

Eligible participants can call their local centers to make plans for the following day’s meal.

Senior centers are important because they provide not only meals, but also a chance for seniors to socialize and check on each other.

To maintain that social connection, people from the center can also receive telephone reassurance: They can opt to have volunteers call them at chosen intervals, such as daily or weekly, to keep in touch and see how they are doing.

If anyone has an issue finding a ride to pick up their hot meal, Orzechowski is hopeful the centers will be able to arrange for a volunteer to deliver meals on an as-needed basis.

Orzechowski was glad to see the state take actions to protect the senior population from the spreading COVD-19. He said that slowing the disease’s spread will not only increase the outlook for sick people, but also make the work of medical providers easier.