HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Facing a growing number of new COVID-19 cases, on July 15 Gov. Tom Wolf announced more restrictions on Pennsylvania businesses.
The new restrictions include:
All nightclubs or bars that don’t serve food must close
Restaurants will be limited to 25 percent capacity inside
Alcohol will only be served with meals, at tables (meaning no bar service)
All indoor events will be limited to 25 people
Outdoor events remain limited to 250 people
The reimposition of statewide restrictions comes about two weeks after the last Pennsylvania county entered green phase.
Officials said the latest scientific evidence shows the best way to slow the spread of the coronavirus is by targeting restaurants, bars and other indoor spaces.
“The actions that the governor and I are taking today are designed to be surgical and precise,” said Penn. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine at a press briefing.
The new restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 16.
“It may feel like a step backward, but it isn’t,” Gov. Wolf said.
Case counts increased in 43 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties last week.
Pennsylvania reported 994 cases on July 15, nearly three times the average daily new cases reported during some weeks in spring and summer. For example, there were 391 average daily new cases between June 12 and 18.
The main factors driving the increase, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, are people choosing to not wear masks or socially distance in restaurants and bars, out-of-state travel and a lack of national coordination.
Many states in the south, west and southwestern parts of the country that previously had enacted fewer restrictions than Pennsylvania have seen huge surges of COVID-19 in recent weeks.
“Unfortunately this virus doesn’t respect state boundaries,” Gov. Wolf said. “So we are paying the price in different ways for what states in other places have not done.”
For example, test results processed by national companies like LabCorp are being delayed by a huge influx of tests from hard-hit states.
Officials said they wanted to avoid the situations happening in those states, including Florida, which hit record numbers of new cases this week.
“In Florida you can see what happens when you don’t do any mitigation efforts and you basically let the virus burn,” Dr. Levine said.
Florida reported a total of more than 300,000 positive cases on Wednesday, and 54 hospitals have run out of ICU beds.
Multiple Republican lawmakers released statements condemning the new restrictions.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Beaver/Greene/Washington) wrote,
"These new restrictions will only lead to more businesses closing and more employees being laid off at a time when we can afford neither."
State Sen. David G. Argall (R-Berks/Schuylkill) wrote,
“This further ruling by the Governor—who continues to act like King Tom the first, without the approval of the House, the Senate, our local governments, or the public could be the final stake in the heart for many small business employers and thousands of employees in the small towns which I represent.”
State Sen. Mike Regan (R-Cumberland/York) wrote,
“These operators would be required to reduce occupancy to 25% capacity. I’m not sure how these establishments are expected to survive under this direct assault. Unfortunately, what Governor Wolf and the Secretary of Health don’t understand is that this will put many restaurants out of business for good. Rather than the Governor looking at this on a county by county basis - his blanket policy is based on case counts in large cities and actions of other states, all the while allowing big box stores to continue operating with no capacity restrictions.”
State Rep. Fred Keller (R-Kreamer) wrote,
“Further restrictions will mean the permanent loss of family-owned businesses and the thousands of jobs they support. Governor Wolf is punishing hardworking Pennsylvanians who have done everything right.”
State Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) and State Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) wrote,
“...We believe the appropriate response would be to empower local leaders in those municipalities to explore mitigation measures that work best in those communities. Creating blanket mandates for communities that are winning the fight against COVID-19 does nothing to make us safer or healthier, and it certainly does not help our economy.”