Coronavirus Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf Unveils 'Regional Approach' To Reopening Commonwealth; 'We Cannot Flip A Switch'
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS/AP) -- Pennsylvania will gradually reopen its economy using a "regional, sector-based approach" and a modeling tool that will help public officials decide when it's safe, Gov. Tom Wolf said during a press conference on Friday. The six-stage plan offered few details.
It did not include a timetable or spell out the metrics that Wolf and his administration will use to decide that Pennsylvania can begin emerging from the coronavirus pandemic after weeks of social distancing.
"Unfortunately, we cannot flip a switch and reopen the commonwealth. There isn't going to be one big day, we need to make smart, data-driven decisions," Wolf said.
Wolf called Friday's release a "framework" and said he would lay out more concrete steps next week. The state needs to be careful and deliberate in reopening the economy, the governor said, with the flexibility to respond to new outbreaks. Doing otherwise, he contended, would prolong the crisis.
"There is no magic wand to wave to get us back to where we want to be," said Wolf, unveiling his "Relief, Reopening, Recovery" plan at a video news conference Friday afternoon.
Wolf says they will take a regional approach in reopening Pennsylvania.
"Our approach will be data driven. We will rely upon quantifiable criteria to drive a targeted, evidence-based, regional approach to reopening in Pennsylvania," Wolf said.
Under Wolf's plan, employers and other organizations that are permitted to reopen will be required to follow guidance from the state Department of Health and other state agencies, and will have to close again if there's a "significant" COVID-19 outbreak.
Limitations on mass gatherings will remain in place for the duration of the reopening process, according to plan documents. And a "strong testing regime" must be in place in areas that are permitted to reopen, along with a monitoring and surveillance program.
Wolf could not say Friday how much testing is enough, although he pointed to a "national shortage" of testing materials as a significant problem.
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The governor also added in his plan that protections must be in place for the most vulnerable populations, including visitation limits at nursing homes and prisons.
Wolf's plan comes a day after President Donald Trump, pressing to restart the ravaged U.S. economy, gave governors a road map for economic recovery.
The White House guidance said that states should see a "downward trajectory" of documented cases over a 14-day period, although Wolf's plan does not mention the two-week metric.
Wolf acknowledged Trump's guidance to the states, but said he wanted to have a plan that "respects the reality" on the ground in Pennsylvania.
The Democratic governor has imposed a series of progressively tougher measures in the face of a pandemic state officials say threatened to swamp hospitals and spike the death toll. COVID-19 has sickened nearly 30,000 Pennsylvania residents and killed nearly 900.
Wolf shut down businesses deemed "non-life-sustaining," closed schools through the end of the academic year and ordered all 12.8 million Pennsylvania residents to stay at home unless absolutely necessary. Just this week, the Wolf administration ordered people to wear masks inside supermarkets, pharmacies and other stores.
State health officials have said the restrictions have worked to slow the rate of infections and prevent hospitals from running out of bed space, ventilators and other supplies.
But the pandemic and Wolf's business shutdown order have caused economic devastation, throwing at least 1.4 million Pennsylvania residents out of work. Wolf has been under increasing pressure from Republicans, small business owners and others to relax the restrictions. Protesters plan to gather Monday in Harrisburg to demonstrate against the shutdown.
Click here for more information on the governor's plan.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
