CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County currently appears to be among the first Pennsylvania counties that could reopen May 8 and begin to feel some reprieve from coronavirus restrictions.
The novel coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, emerged in Wuhan, China and started to infect people in November of 2019. Since then, it’s spread worldwide, including the United States.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared a disaster emergency March 6 and the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the virus a pandemic March 11.
The Clearfield County Commissioners declared a disaster emergency March 16 and the governor mandated the closure of non-life-sustaining businesses March 21.
Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued a state-wide “stay-at-home” order April 1, which still remains in effect through May 8.
On April 22, Wolf released detailed plans to gradually reopen the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which consists of a color-coded, three-phased system.
Red designates the current situation, with a state-wide stay-at-home order and only life-sustaining businesses allowed to be open, according to previously-published reports.
Yellow means that the stay-at-home order is lifted, and counties whose COVID-19 cases fall under a certain level can begin to let businesses with in-person operations reopen.
Green means that nearly all restrictions are lifted, but businesses and individuals should still follow safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, like wearing a mask.
Wolf’s standard for a county to move from the red to yellow phase was that it reports an average of fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 individuals over a two-week period.
Wolf said his administration will first study COVID-19 in the north-central and northwest regions with a target for these counties to move from red to yellow May 8.
Under the yellow phase, telework must continue, if possible, and businesses with in-person operations must follow safety orders. Childcare centers may also reopen.
In-person retail will be allowed, though curbside and delivery alternatives are more preferable. Restaurants and bars will remain limited to carry-out and delivery.
Indoor recreation, like health and wellness facilities, gyms and spas, and all entertainment, like casinos, theaters, etc., must remain closed.
Restrictions will remain in place for prisons and congregate care facilities; schools will remain closed for in-person instruction through the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year.
Though stay-at-home orders will be lifted for counties in the yellow phase, the Wolf Administration is urging “aggressive mitigation” and prohibiting “large gatherings” over 25 people.
And the Clearfield County Commissioners concur.
“The governor is going to start to slowly reopen the state,” said Commissioner Chair Tony Scotto on Tuesday. “While we are currently looking forward to that, let’s be reminded we’re still in the red phase.
“We still have to follow the orders in place, and [non-life-sustaining] businesses still need to stay closed until the next phase starting May 8.
“As things start to reopen, we need to remember social distancing, to wash our hands and to do everything possible for our fellow citizens because this is going to be driven by data.”
Scotto said if the county’s cases would exceed an average of 50 per 100,000 individuals over two weeks, the restrictions will be put back in place.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that Clearfield County has 11 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and 399 negative test results as of 12 a.m. Tuesday.
“… This is something that we are taking very seriously,” Scotto said. “… We look forward to helping our citizens and having businesses open up. That way we can regain our livelihood.”
Commissioner Dave Glass said the virus will not go away when Clearfield County reopens. He said “that threat” will be out there, and doctors believe a second wave is pretty likely.
“We’ll have to stay on alert,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll never have to get to this point again, but that will be on all of us to take the proper precautions until we have a vaccine or treatment.”
The Wolf Administration will release more detailed plans Friday on which Pennsylvania counties or regions will begin to reopen, Levine said in a virtual press briefing Tuesday.
She said the governor has indicated they will not be beholden to any specific health map or schema. Levine also said a county’s phase will not necessarily be dependent upon its larger region.
PA Post contributed to this report.