NEWS

Bucks, Montgomery counties are moving to yellow. Could green be far behind?

Chris Ullery
cullery@theintell.com
The Intelligencer

After more than three months of business closures and stay-at-home orders, Bucks, Montgomery and other southeastern Pennsylvania counties are moving into the yellow on Friday.

Officials in both counties welcomed the relaxed restrictions, but cautioned that the reopening of retail businesses, child care centers and, starting July 1, schools does not mean that the coronavirus is gone.

“We still have virus in the community,” Montgomery County Commissioners Chair Val Arkoosh said Wednesday during a town hall meeting hosted by Montgomery Township. “We are not out of the woods on this. People have to be very cautious, very careful. It's yellow for a reason. Even when we get to green, green does not mean go. Green means a little more relaxed, but it doesn't mean normal like it was three months ago.”

Green may not be far behind.

If Bucks and Montgomery County can prevent a spike in new cases that could threaten the capacity of the area’s health care system, the green phase could be coming in as little as two weeks, state officials said Thursday.

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-31, of Lower Makefield, said that’s the basic guideline the state will follow, explained to him by Gov. Tom Wolf’s office. Some areas of the state have already moved to green.

“Hopefully, within two weeks we’ll be in green if the numbers continue to improve in Bucks County, and then we can really start to open things up again,” said Santarsiero during a Thursday meeting with the Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce.

Wolf said Wednesday he would allow the stay-at-home orders keeping much of Southeastern Pennsylvania in the red phase, which required the most aggressive social distancing efforts, to expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

The governor renewed the 90-day disaster declaration he signed in early March, which provides for increased support to state agencies involved in the continued response to the virus and recovery for the state during reopening.

“Pennsylvanians have done a tremendous job flattening the curve and case numbers continue to decrease,” Wolf said in a statement. “Renewing the disaster declaration helps state agencies with resources and supports as we continue mitigation and recovery.”

Bucks County is approaching 5,000 confirmed cases, with about a third of those patients making a full recovery. Montgomery County was approaching 7,300 positive cases Thursday afternoon.

Bucks Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said the new daily cases have been hovering between 20 to 25 infections reported each day, numbers closer to when the virus first began spreading in the county in March.

While the county’s cases of community spread are few, Damsker echoed past clarifications that the likely number of true infections and recoveries are much higher than the cases confirmed.

As many businesses reopen and more people likely to come into contact with each other in the coming weeks, Damsker said observing social distancing rules and wearing masks in public is paramount to preventing a surge in community spread.

In the yellow phase, retail stores can reopen, but curbside pick up or delivery still is recommended. Restaurants and bars now are allowed outdoor seating, but indoor sit-down service remains prohibited.

Child care and summer camps can reopen. Social gatherings remain limited to 25 people. Visits to nursing homes still are not allowed. Salons, movie theaters and gyms remain closed. They can reopen, with restrictions, in the green phase.

During a virtual State of the State address hosted by the Upper Bucks chamber, Santarsiero was joined by state Reps. Craig Staats, R-145, of Richland, and Wendy Ullman, D-143, of Plumstead.

Ullman said that schools in her district appeared to be planning to reopen in the fall for in-person lessons. The state this week announced in-person instruction can resume July 1 for most districts, with precautions.

Ullman said she had spoken to representatives of the Central Bucks School District and planned to meet with other districts soon, as well as the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Doylestown.

Staats also highlighted the need to prepare for a mental health crisis “on the horizon” as counties move through the reopening phases.

Commissioner Vice Chairman Bob Harvie credited Commissioner Chairwoman Diane Ellis Marseglia, a licensed social worker, with making mental health resources available online a priority.

Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo also directed residents without health insurance to the Bucks County Assistance Office at 1214 Veterans Highway in Bristol Township.

DiGirolamo said programs like Medicaid and other assistance will likely be needed now more than ever by many out of work due to the pandemic.

Ullman and Staats also recommended any unemployed residents to call their district offices if they are still having trouble receiving unemployment benefits.

Staats’ Quakertown office number is 215-536-1434 and Ullman’s Plumstead office number is 267-768-3670.

Nearly 74,000 estimated cases of coronavirus have been logged by the state’s Department of Health as of Thursday, with approximately 66% of people recovering from the virus.

What’s allowed in the yellow phase

In the yellow phase, some businesses may reopen, but customers should expect social distancing restrictions.

– Workplace restrictions: Telework must continue when feasible, and businesses must follow safety guidelines including social distancing and increased cleaning standards.

– Child care centers may reopen, complying with safety guidelines.

– Visitation remains restricted at nursing homes and correctional facilities.

– In-person instruction in schools may resume, following safety guidelines.

– Stay at home order lifted for aggressive mitigation.

– Large gatherings of more than 25 prohibited.

– In-person retail allowable, curbside and delivery preferable.

– Indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities and personal care services (such as gyms, spas, hair salons, nail salons and other entities that provide massage therapy), and all entertainment (such as casinos, theaters) remain closed.

– Restaurants and bars limited to carry-out and delivery only, or outdoor dining with certain restrictions.