Gov. Wolf: Less-impacted areas of Pa. may reopen soon
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Regions of Pennsylvania that have seen a relatively low number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus might be able to reopen “in a fairly robust” way on May 8, Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday.
Wolf, in a conference call with reporters, said he intends to loosen restrictions on people and businesses in much the same way he imposed them over the past month: Gradually, and county by county.
FULL COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS
“There is not one size that fits all. We can start to reopen the state in, I think, some areas a fairly robust way, in other areas less so,” Wolf said. “If I were in Philadelphia, I probably would not want my government to be saying, ’OK, everything seems to be just perfect right now.'”
More than half of all people who have tested positive for the virus statewide live in Philadelphia and its four suburban counties. Many rural counties, by contrast, have been minimally impacted. Five counties have reported just one or two cases.
Wolf has said the state has made sufficient progress in its fight against the virus to begin gradually reopening some businesses in early May, depending on the availability of widespread diagnostic testing and the capacity of the health care system. Republicans are pushing a more aggressive timetable.
His health secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, said last week that contact tracing — identifying people who have been exposed to an infected person so they can be quarantined — will be “really important” as Pennsylvania emerges from a pandemic that has killed more than 1,500 statewide. But Wolf said Tuesday there’s no budget for contact tracing.
“We don’t have a lot of good leads on that at this point and we certainly do not have a budget,” he said.
To view the full map from the Pennsylvania Department of Health website, click this link here.
RELATED COVERAGE:
Philadelphia Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie donate $1M to fight COVID-19
Pennsylvania publishes data, map on COVID-19 cases by ZIP code
Coronavirus cases reach 2.5 million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins
New Jersey to work with Pa, Del. and other states to reopen post-pandemic
New Jersey landlord praised for waiving 3 months of rent: 'He exemplifies the spirit we need to see'
Interactive map tracks spread of COVID-19 globally
For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP