PA To Begin Lifting Stay-At-Home Orders By Region On May 8

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania will embark on small steps to normalcy amid the coronavirus pandemic starting May 8, including the reopening of construction projects and the lifting of the stay-at-home orders for some counties, Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Monday.

The stay-at-home orders will begin to be lifted on a regional basis. Restrictions in the areas hardest-hit by the virus, including the Philadelphia region, will remain longer than in rural areas, the governor said.

"Life is going to be different on the other side of this," Wolf said. "We're going to take the same measured approach to reopening as we did to closing."

Wolf said reopened construction projects will follow "strict" guidelines for social distancing.

Public and private residential and non-residential construction may resume statewide starting that day May 8, "in accordance with safety guidance that will be issued by the administration shortly." Construction projects already deemed life-sustaining may continue while adhering to social distancing, personnel limits and other guidance as announced by the administration.

Wolf announced in addition, auto sales will be permitted online.

The governor plans to sign Senate Bill 841 Monday, which will permit qualified Pennsylvania notaries public to perform remote online notarizations, allowing auto dealerships to conduct limited car sales and leasing operations through online sales. Auto dealerships may continue to remain open for certain activities, such as repairs to passenger and commercial vehicles and sales of auto parts, but in-person car sales or leases are still considered non-life sustaining and remain prohibited at this time, the governor said.

He also pointed to some Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits stores reopening for curbside pickup on Monday. He said state officials are watching the data to see if curbside transactions should be expanded to other industries and business sectors.

The curbside sales the state stores "will serve as a guide to determine whether certain other non-life-sustaining businesses may be able to resume limited operations through curbside pickup, which is currently only permitted for life-sustaining businesses that offer food and pharmaceuticals," the governor's office said in a statement issued Monday.

The measures are the first signs of a deliberate path to recovery. "We need to have the hope that Pennsylvania's economy will soon bounce back and be strong again," the governor said.

The governor's news conference coincided in timing with a Harrisburg demonstration against the statewide shutdowns. "If I could snap my fingers or wave a magic wand to get us back to the place we were in January, I'd do it," Wolf said in response to a question pertaining to the demonstration. "As much as we might dream of a magic wand, it doesn't exist."

The developments come as the state reported 948 new positive cases on Monday. A total of 33,232 coronavirus cases have been reported in the state.

“As we start to see the number of new COVID-19 cases decrease across the state that does not mean we can stop practicing social distancing,” Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine said in a statement. “We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families and our community. If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but others. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”

The governor's order mandating masks be worn by all employees at essential businesses is now enforceable. Customers who visit the stores must wear masks, and should be turned away if not wearing a face covering.

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