Bucks Co. Officials Meet With PA Leaders On Coronavirus Reopening

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County officials met with state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and staff from Gov. Tom Wolf's office over the weekend, pushing to have coronavirus-related social distancing measured relaxed soon.

The online meeting happened Saturday afternoon. During it, Bucks commissioners, along with health and safety officials, argued that Bucks County should be moved into the yellow reopening phase of Wolf's statewide plan before his most recent stay-at-home order expires on June 4.

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Bucks County officials said they've asked for an answer from state officials by Wednesday.

"The citizens of Bucks have been patient and committed to the requirements of a stay-at-home order and use of PPE," said Bucks County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Diane Ellis-Marseglia. "Now, they need to be given the final date so they can prepare for the change, which will involve extensive social distancing requirements."

Marseglia and others said Levine and Wolf's staff listened to their concerns and understood the need for a timely answer.

Key to Bucks County's argument for a quicker move to reopen has been that a large percentage of the county's COVID-19 cases have been in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Meanwhile, they say, spread of the virus in the community at large has been limited.

On Sunday, of the 81 new cases of the coronavirus reported in Bucks County, none were due to community spread, according to health officials. There was only one new death reported from the virus on Sunday — a 98-year-old woman who lived at a long-term care facility and had underlying health conditions.

Bucks commissioners said the need for direction on reopening includes planning for the June 2 primary election. If Bucks remains under stay-at-home orders, some voters may not feel safe enough to cast their ballot, Marseglia said.

"Voting in person is as social an activity as it gets," she said.

On Friday, Wolf said that 13 counties in western Pennsylvania would be allowed to move to the yellow phase on Friday, May 15. They'll join 24 other counties that were allowed to move Friday from red to yellow.

"The overwhelming majority of Bucks County has understood and agreed with the unprecedented steps which needed to be taken to contain this virus," said Bucks Commissioner Bob Harvie. "I’m confident that the governor will allow Bucks to move into the yellow phase before June 4. But even in the yellow phase there will be restrictions we must abide by, and not every business will be allowed to open. Still, it will be a step forward, and a step closer to normalcy."

Statistics, charts and other coronavirus-related information for Bucks County can be found on the county's coronavirus data portal.

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