Wolf sets May 8 to start reopening Pa.

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Gov. Tom Wolf has extended the stay-at-home order until May 8 and said that date will mark the beginning of Pennsylvania’s gradual reopening.

Wolf said the state will have resources in place to do the testing that will be needed to begin opening businesses region by region.

“The goal is to say we are going to do this right,” Wolf said. “If we see evidence that we’re doing this too fast, we can retreat. We want to start this process back as fast as we can.”

The plan has been bolstered by a flattening or leveling off of new cases over the past week or so, but Wolf and Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine have cautioned that there is no magic wand to make everything go back to normal immediately.

“If we could snap our fingers and get back to normal, I would do it,” Wolf said. “Everybody wants to get through this phase as soon as possible.”

Wolf said there are concerns that if it’s done too quickly there may be too many people who are scared to return to work, to eating in restaurants and using the reopened businesses again.

Wolf said the process will be done by region, so stay-at-home restrictions may be lifted in rural areas but remain in heavily populated cities.

He said residents everywhere should continue to take precautions until there is a cure or a vaccine.

Pennsylvania will also ease some restrictions on building construction and vehicle sales, Wolf said, calling it a small step toward normalcy.

Levine urged residents to buy masks from small businesses, leaving medical-grade masks for those who work in health care. 

Levine also said it’s important for state residents to wash their hands before putting on the masks, after each time they touch the masks and after they take them off. If it’s a washable mask, it should be washed after each use.

“My mask protects you and your mask protects me,” Levine said.

Now that people are required to wear masks to enter businesses, Levine said she strongly feels that Pennsylvanians will do the right thing and wear a mask.

As Wolf spoke, flag-waving protesters — some with masks and some without — ignored social distancing guidelines to call on him to end the shutdown of businesses deemed nonessential and to get 1.5 million unemployed Pennsylvanians back to work. Other protesters drove around the block, blaring their horns. 

“This is a democracy; everyone has a right to their opinions,” Wolf said. “But, I hope they realize that we’re just trying to keep everyone safe.”

He said he hoped the protesters would practice social distancing while they were gathered.

“Please stay safe, that’s what we’re trying to do here and that includes you,” Wolf said as a message to the protesters. He also said protesters would not be cited for violating the stay-at-home order.