Local counties get green light to reopen

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf puts his mask on after meeting with the media at The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) headquarters, Friday, May 29, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pa. (Joe Hermitt/The Patriot-News via AP)

By KRISTIE LINDEN

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The four counties that make up the Mon Valley will enter the green phase of reopening next Friday.

Allegheny, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties will join a dozen others entering the green phase next week — Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer and Somerset.

There were 18 counties that moved into the green phase yesterday, mostly in the northwestern and north central parts of the state, and eight more counties moved to yellow. There are 10 remaining counties that are expected to move to the yellow phase of reopening next Friday, which will bring the entire state to some level of reopening.

With more than half the state poised to be in the green phase on June 5, Gov. Tom Wolf provided an updated order for counties moving to green to give businesses and residents a clearer picture of what is and isn’t allowed.

• Large gatherings of more than 250 people will be prohibited.

• Restaurants and bars can open at 50% occupancy.

• Personal care services, including hair salons and barber shops, can open at 50% occupancy, but by appointment only.

• Indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities, along with personal care services (such as gyms and spas) can open at 50% occupancy with appointments strongly encouraged.

• All entertainment — such as casinos, theaters and shopping malls — can open at 50% occupancy.

• Construction activity may return to full capacity with continued implementation of protocols.

• Visitation to prisons and hospitals may resume, subject to the discretion of the facility. 

• Given the critical importance of limiting COVID-19 exposure in nursing homes, personal care home and long-term care facilities, visitation restrictions will initially remain in place.

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