Pennsylvania lifts capacity restrictions on businesses, events on Monday
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania lifted all capacity restrictions on businesses, events and venues on Monday as the state begins to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, announced in early May that Pennsylvania would fully reopen on Memorial Day. Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam cited the "significant progress" made in the state's vaccine push.
"We have made great strides throughout the commonwealth to stop the spread of COVID-19," Wolf said in a statement Sunday.
"As we lift mitigation orders, it is important for eligible Pennsylvanians to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting vaccinated is our best defense against this virus and ensuring individuals and their loved ones remain safe as we reopen Pennsylvania."
NAPA, CA - MAY 5: Fume Bistro owner Terry Letson enters his restaurant in Napa, Calif. Tuesday, May 5, 2020. A handful of businesses in Napa have made the decision to begin reopening their dining rooms at a limited scale ahead of shelter-in-place ord
Capacity restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses, as well as indoor and outdoor event gathering limits, will go away on Monday, meaning concert halls, stadiums and wedding venues can be packed for the first time since early 2020.
People who are fully vaccinated in Pennsylvania can forgo masks and social distancing in most indoor and outdoor settings. Masks are still required in places like healthcare centers, public transportation, prisons and nursing homes.
Last week, Pennsylvania health officials said the state would fully repeal its mask mandate on June 28 or when 70% of adult residents are vaccinated.
Philadelphia to drop most 'Safer at Home' measures on June 2, indoor mask mandate will remain
Officials originally scheduled the Safer at Home restrictions, which have been in place for most of the pandemic, to drop on June 11 but now said most restriction will be lifted on June 2 after the city logged its lowest number of new cases since September 2020.
"Pennsylvanians are realizing that they have the power to stop COVID-19 and they are stepping up to get vaccinated," Beam said. "Folks are taking the critical steps needed to put this pandemic behind us and lifting the mitigation measures should allow people to enjoy some of the activities they missed last year."
To date, more than 4 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and nearly 6 million have had at least one dose, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Philadelphia will continue to follow its own reopening plans, but won't be far behind the rest of Pennsylvania. Officials on Friday said the city will drop most of its ‘Safer-at-Home’ restrictions, including capacity limits, on Wednesday.
The indoor mask mandate will continue to be enforced in Philadelphia, but officials said that too could lift on June 11.
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