Pennsylvania sees loosening of some pandemic restrictions

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf rescinded some of his social distancing orders Monday, including rules about out-of-state travel and capacity limits for public events.

Citing a downward trend in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the administration said residents leaving the state no longer are required to provide proof of a negative test upon return or quarantine for 14 days.

Indoor and outdoor event capacity limits have been raised to 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively. The lifted orders do not change rules for restaurants, bars, alcohol sales, wearing masks or other social distancing mandates put into place over the past year.

"Pennsylvania is taking a measured approach to revising or lifting mitigation orders," Wolf said. "The reason we are seeing cases drop can be attributed, in part, to people following the mitigation efforts we have in place. Mask-wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene are making a difference and need to continue even as we see more and more people fully vaccinated."

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 fell to just below 1,900 over the weekend as the positivity rate for tests for the week ending Feb. 18 stood at 6.5 percent — less than half of the rate measured during the virus' second peak in December.

"We need to balance protecting public health with leading the state to a robust economic recovery," Wolf said. "We are lifting mitigation efforts only when we believe it is safe to do so."

— Story courtesy of The Center Square.

This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Pennsylvania sees loosening of some pandemic restrictions."