Gov. Wolf to work quickly to reopen southwestern Pa. during COVID-19 pandemic
Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday he will work as quickly as possible to take steps to reopen the economy in Southwestern Pennsylvania on a day when the state surpassed 3,000 deaths from the virus.
There was no timetable for Wolf to make his decision to slowly reopen businesses in that region, which includes Washington and Greene counties.
“Southwestern Pennsylvania is doing a really good job, Wolf said during a morning teleconference with members of the media. “We’re all at the mercy of this virus.”
He said the Pittsburgh region would move “fairly quickly” from a red zone to a yellow zone under his color-coded plan to reopen the state. Twenty-four counties in north-central and northwestern Pennsylvania were scheduled to move into the yellow zone Friday, meaning retail can resume operations with stipulations.
After reconciling data reports, Pennsylvania on Tuesday added 554 new COVID-19 deaths to its total that reached 3,204. After going two consecutive days without a death from the virus, Allegheny County announced seven new deaths Tuesday, taking its total to 109.
State records showed that Washington and Greene counties added no new positive cases of the virus Tuesday, when their totals held at 120 and 27, respectively. Two people have died from the virus in Washington County and one death in Greene was reported Sunday.
There have been 50,957 positive COVID-19 cases statewide since March 6, and most of the patients recovered from the disease, state health Secretary Rachel Levine said Tuesday.
Levine said there is a “risk of going too fast” in easing mitigation orders that have also resulted in the closings of public school buildings and nonessential businesses.
“We’re trying to make this reopening measured, logical and as reasonable as we can,” Wolf said.
He said Pennsylvanians should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing as “we lead our lives as we move forward. That’s just the way it’s going to be.”
Wolf said he wants to make sure there is adequate tracing of those who have come into contact with someone with the virus before reopening Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“That’s what we’re working on right now,” Wolf said.
He also said he would like to make sure that anyone can get tested for the virus, even if they don’t have symptoms.
“We’re not there yet,” he said.