By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
After more than three months of COVID-19 shutdown, Chester County is largely opening up today.
While virtually no businesses will reopen at full capacity, everything beyond those that require large public gatherings (concerts, sporting events, etc) are allowed to resume operation as of today.
Still, there are limits — COVID-19 is raging through many southern states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona which opened much more aggressively.
Telework remains recommended. Business that were operating at 50% occupancy in the Yellow Phase, may increase to 75%. Restaurants and bars may allow indoor seating at 50% capacity. Gatherings of more than 250 are prohibited, still (an increase from 25). Personal care shops — hair care and so on — may reopen, but only at 50% and by appointment only. Indoor recreation — gyms — may reopen at 50% capacity. Casinos, theaters, and shopping malls may reopen at 50% capacity.
Caution remains in order, health officials stressed: wearing masks, washing hands frequently and observing social distancing (staying six feet away) are the best way to fight COVID-19 and keep the economy open.
Wolf tweeted Friday a reminder of the need to wear masks — and that battling COVID-19 will reopen the economy quicker.
“As pointed out by @Surgeon_General, face masks aren’t meant to infringe on your freedom,” he wrote. “Face masks mean less asymptomatic viral spread — which means more places open (and sooner). If more people wear face masks when out in public, we’ll all have more freedom to go out.”
