Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Commissioners urge patience with new restrictions
WEST CHESTER » With the state imposing broad new statewide restrictions on bars and restaurants and larger indoor gatherings, Chester County leaders urged residents to take “careful steps toward protecting (their) health,” in following the new rules, even they acknowledged the “mounting challenges” business owners face in order to adhere to the new requirements.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced the steps Wednesday, citing an “alarming escalation” in new coronavirus infections and heavily criticizing people who he said had ignored public health orders.
Nightclubs will be shut down, bars will be closed unless they also offer dine-in meals, and bars and restaurants will be limited to 25 percent capacity under Wolf’s order, which took effect Thursday and also requires companies to have their employees telework to the extent possible.
“We must be prepared to resist the potential wave of COVID-19 coming from other regions of the U.S.,” county Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell, and Michelle Kichline said in a joint statement Wednesday. “While it is challenging – and yes, frustrating – to implement an increase in restrictions, we believe that this is the right step to take, to avoid the move back to shutting down that other states have had to do.”
On Thursday, Chester County reported 22 new cases of COVID-19. There were 50 on Wednes
day.The county has a positive test rate of 4.3 percent which has been fairly consistent since going green. But one out of three positive cases recently are of individuals between the ages of 15 to 25.
“It’s in our best interest for everyone to wear a mask and practice socially distancing,” said Josh Maxwell, county commissioner. “We still have work to do before we are out of the woods.”
The new restrictions, coming more than two months after Pennsylvania began reopening its virusbattered economy, risked major backlash in large swaths of the state where COVID-19 has largely been kept at bay.
Republican lawmakers have staunchly opposed most of Wolf’s restrictions since mid-April and accused him of behaving like a dictator, abusing his power and failing to consult lawmakers on his plans.
“The irreversible impact of his countless, confusing orders cannot be overstated,” House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, of Centre County, said in a written statement. “Gov. Wolf’s decision today will close the doors of some small businesses forever and devastate the livelihoods of so many Pennsylvanians who were just beginning to feel hopeful for the future.”
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the National Federation of Independent Business questioned why the order couldn’t be tailored to areas seeing an outbreak, or why stronger enforcement couldn’t be wielded against rule-breakers.
But Wolf warned that a “new surge is in the offing” that could eclipse what happened in the spring, when the virus killed thousands and sickened tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians.
The Democratic governor said people who refused to wear a mask or abide by social distancing requirements while patronizing bars and restaurants are responsible in part for the virus’s resurgence in the state.
“This carelessness has resulted in pockets of superspreading,” Wolf said.
He also cited out-of-state travel to virus hot spots, and blamed states in the South and West for “not committing to the things they should’ve done to keep this virus from spreading.”
“We did everything we should’ve done, we were responsible, and yet we’re paying the price right now,” he said.
In Chester County, the pace of new infections from the virus has slowed to a crawl. On Tuesday, the county’s website showed 4,153 positive COVID-19 cases, with 34,29 negative tests since the first infection appeared in the county on March 13. The month started with 3,939 positive cases, meaning that there had been 214 new cases of the disease, or about 15 a day.
In Florida’s Miami-Dade County for contrast, there were about 10,000 new cases on Wednesday.
Under Wolf’s order, indoor events and gatherings of more than 25 people are prohibited, though administration officials said places of worship are exempt. Gyms are allowed to remain open but are supposed to “prioritize outdoor physical fitness activities.” The new restrictions on bars and restaurants say alcohol may only be served on site with a meal.
A group representing liquor licensees asked for financial relief, including the elimination of state fees and deeper discounts on liquor sold to bars and restaurants by the state.
“People have paid their license fees and are unable to use them. People have brought staff back and will probably have to lay them off again. It’s not a good situation if you’re a licensed tavern or restaurant,” said Chuck Moran of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association.
The state Health Department reported 994 new positive virus cases Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to more than 97,000. The department reported the results of nearly 29,000 virus tests, the highest oneday total since the beginning of the pandemic, and 26 new deaths, raising the statewide toll to 6,957.
Pennsylvania’s recently elevated statewide virus numbers have been driven in large part by increased spread in the Pittsburgh area, where officials attribute the spike to people congregating in bars and restaurants.
Allegheny County, which had already imposed temporary restrictions on restaurants and bars, on Wednesday reported 246 additional infections from tests performed between June 30 and July 14. Infection numbers are also up in neighboring counties.
There’s evidence the virus is likewise resurgent in south-central Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area, according to Dr. David Rubin, director of PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which developed a virus tracking model.
Rubin, who took part in the governor’s news conference, said that school reopenings will be in jeopardy unless the state acts decisively while case numbers are still manageable.
The commissioners, in their statement, urged residents to continue to socially distance themselves, wear protective face masks, and practice preventative hygiene.
“These practices help to contain outbreaks, minimize community spread of coronavirus, and break the cycle of transmission,” they said.
“We continue to conduct investigations of those who have a confirmed-positive COVID-19 test. We have expanded our contact tracing to more quickly and thoroughly notify everyone who is in close contact with those who have tested positive for COVID-19. And we have increased access to diagnostic swab testing for anyone who is high risk for COVID as well as for anyone who may be asymptomatic.
No cost testing is available throughout the County and is open to all residents and individuals who work in Chester County. County sponsored locations, times and registration can be found on www.chesco.org/ coronavirus.