'Just Wear A Mask:' Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Pleads With Pennsylvanians To Be Safe Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Put on a mask!
That is the emphatic plea from Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman.
Fetterman says the rush of cases in recent days, "is heartbreaking because I know there is a percentage of those that are going to end up on the intensive care unit. And then there's a percentage of those that are going to end up on a ventilator. And then a percentage of those that are going to be lead to an empty chair, whether it's Thanksgiving or Christmas and it's doesn't have to go that way it doesn't have to go that way. I don't say this as a Democrat I say this as a Pennsylvania and I say this as someone who's got someone in my life that is particularly vulnerable to this virus. I say this as someone who's had family members die from COVID. We just need to remember this is the enemy and we need to mask up. We need to avoid these gatherings and we have to practice social distancing."
The Lt. Governor says no one can afford to still view the virus as anything other than life-threatening.
"Just wear a mask or mask I don't care who you vote for, You know I just, I want you around," he said. "If you're not afraid of it that doesn't mean that there isn't someone that you can get it to that that could turn into a really bad outcome."
The new guidelines from Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachael Levine make it clear she does not want to see anyone traveling or gathering in large groups for Thanksgiving.
"No one can stop what you do on Thanksgiving, I would just urge you to say that, you know, my family is staying put and Thanksgiving with my immediate family," he said. "And the more we can just decide that we got to take care of this virus before it takes care of more of us. You know, I think that's the right thing to do."
Dr. Levine also called on everyone to wear a mask indoors and outdoors when you leave your home.
WATCH: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Says It's On Us To Be Responsible
She also said police and businesses should see that the mask rule is enforced.
Fetterman doesn't completely agree.
"I don't think they should be handing out tickets because they shouldn't have to everyone should wear a mask regardless," he said. "You shouldn't put somebody working at a grocery store in a position of a goal, please sir, or please Ma'am, put, put a mask on, it's just, it's just courtesy at this point. It's just courtesy. And it's like, you shouldn't be allowed in a store if you refuse to wear a mask you should be denied service if you don't wear a mask."
The new state mandate puts into effect on Friday a requirement that anyone coming into Pennsylvania needs to have a negative COVID test 72-hours before entering the state or quarantine for 14 days. But Dr. Levine adds no one is going to be meeting airplanes at the airport or stopping people coming across the borders.
"Obviously that's the honor system, and of course that's not it's not ideal but the fact of the matter is this, if you're out there, pro-business, if you're out there listening or watching this, you want to make sure that you wear a mask," Fetterman said. "If you are pro-free movement you are pro-free, all of these things. Of course, we all are, then you have to embrace your responsibility to one not spread it, or to not yourself get sick. And, you know, care, and that's, it's just so basic."
Fetterman says there is no desire in Harrisburg to return to the lockdown days of March, April, and May but Dr. Levine is not ruling out anything if the numbers don't turn around.