Updated Article 5/12020 2:15 PM
In today's Daily Health briefing, Governor Tom Wolf announced 24 PA counties will be switching to the Yellow phase of reopening next week. As of now, counties in Southwestern, PA will remain in the Red Phase. A few notes from the briefing are below. You can watch the full live stream below.
Gov Wolf
- Working together, we have flatted the curve.
- Starting next Friday, May 8th, at 12:01 am, 24 counties will have some mitigation restrictions lifted. The following will move from the Red to Yellow Phase:
- Bradford, Camron, Center, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawerence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren.
- These counties have been selected due to low per capita case counts, and a variety of other factors identified, including population density.
- The 24 counties moving from the Red to Yellow phase will allow more businesses to reopen with engineered business models.
- Businesses must proceed with caution and continue to adhere to social distancing measures.
- Outbreaks of COVID-19 are still possible.
- Businesses that can't adhere to social distancing must remain closed. This includes gyms, theaters, casinos, restaurant dining rooms, and school buildings.
- All businesses must continue with phase mitigation and cleaning guidelines.
- Residents are asked to please limit social gatherings.
- If an outbreak is seen in a Yellow Phase, that county will revert to the Red Phase.
- Other counties are being looked at to move from the red to yellow phase.
- We will only move forward based on smart, data-driven models and with guidance from our health professionals.
- Organized sports will not be allowed until the county moves into the Green Phase.
- Allegheny County including the Pittsburgh area has not moved into the Yellow phase due to population density and several other data driven factors.
“We’ve selected these counties in part because they have low per-capita case counts,” Gov. Wolf said. “They must continue to abide by the underlying message of yellow: proceed with caution. The yellow phase recognizes that outbreaks of COVID-19 are still possible."
Article Thumbnail via Gov Wolf Twitter.
Original Article 5/1/2020 10:40 AM
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine will provide an update on Coronavirus in the state at 2 pm. During this Daily Health Briefing, they will also announce the first group of counties that are expected to move into the Yellow phase of #COVID19 mitigation.
This page will be updated at that time. Details above.
You can see a layout of the phases below. As of this morning, all 67 counties are still in the Red phase.
The shift to the Yellow phase would allow more businesses to open while following social distancing guidelines. Restaurants will be limited to takeout. Child care will reopen with strict protections.
Thumbnail courtesy of Getty Images.