Gov. Tom Wolf is set to announce on Friday, June 5, the following counties that will be entering the Green Phase of reopening. In his pandemic reopening plan, the green phase is the least-restrictive phase compared to yellow and red.
Wolf previously noted that restrictions will still remain even if counties are now in the green phase. All PA citizens would have to embrace and adapt to the “new normal.”
Those counties are in addition to the 16 counties that were previously announced. A record of 3.8 million people lives in the 34 counties that will be heading to the green phase on Friday.
Six million people in Philadelphia and nine counties southeastern Pennsylvania will be the last ones in the state on Friday to shed the tightest restrictions of the reopening plan—this includes the stay-at-home order, which is part of the Red Phase.
In a recent report by the Pennsylvania Health Department, new 537 cases were recorded, including 75 deaths. But the department stated that positive COVID-19 cases in the state continued to decline. In the last three months, Pennsylvania reached a record of nearly 74,000 cases and 5,817 deaths. The number of infections appeared to be higher than the confirmed count because many people have not taken the COVID-19 tests, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick or having any symptoms.
About 69% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state have recovered, the state health department said.
In Tom Wolf’s green phase of reopening, outdoor dining is now allowed. He announced last week that under the new guidelines, bars and restaurants are now allowed to serve customers outside under these following conditions:
- Customers are seated at tables only
- Customers wear masks unless seated
- Tables are placed at least six feet apart
- The establish should limit occupancy
