Gov. Wolf announces new mitigation efforts targeting restaurants, bars and gatherings due to rising COVID-19 cases

Gov. Tom Wolf has announced more mitigation efforts for the state of Pennsylvania targeting restaurants, bars and gatherings as a result of rising COVID-19 cases.

Wolf said the increase in cases come from people ignoring mask wearing requirements when visiting bars and restaurants, out-of-state travel and a lack of national coordination.

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“We’re already at a tipping point where we really have to act,” Wolf said.

Wolf is signing an executive order that will implement the following mitigation efforts:

• 25% percent occupancy at restaurants; outdoor dining rules remain in effect
• Alcohol sales only allowed during sit down meals; to-go-cocktails will still be allowed.
• Teleworking when possible.
• Indoor events and gatherings will be 25 or less
• Outdoor events and gatherings is 250 or less

The state health department released the full list of measures. You can read that below:

Bars and Restaurants

All businesses in the retail food services industry, including restaurants, wineries, breweries, private clubs, and bars, are permitted to provide take-out and delivery sales of food, as well as dine-in service in both indoor and outdoor seating areas so long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance, as required by the order, including:

• Prohibition from conducting operations unless the facility offers sit-down, dine-in meals or is serving take-out sales of alcoholic beverages. All service must be at a table or booth; bar service is prohibited.
• Alcohol only can be served for on-premises consumption when in the same transaction as a meal.
• Take-out sales of alcohol for the purposes of off-site consumption are permitted subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law.
• Non-bar seating in outdoor areas (i.e. tables or counter seats that do not line up to a bar or food service area) may be used for customer seating.
• Social distancing, masking, and other mitigation measures must be employed to protect workers and patrons.
• Occupancy is limited to 25 percent of stated fire-code maximum occupancy for indoor dining, or 25 persons for a discrete indoor event or gathering in a restaurant. The maximum occupancy limit includes staff.

Nightclubs

• All nightclubs, as defined by the Clean Indoor Air Act, 35 P.S. § 637.2, are prohibited from conducting operations.

Other events and gatherings

Events and gatherings must adhere to these gathering limitations:

• Indoor events and gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited.
• Outdoor events and gatherings of more than 250 persons are prohibited.
• The maximum occupancy limit includes staff.

Teleworking

• Unless not possible, all businesses are required to conduct their operations in whole or in part remotely through individual teleworking of their employees in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which they do business.
• Where telework is not possible, employees may conduct in-person business operations, provided that the businesses fully comply with all substantive aspects of the business safety order, the worker safety order, and the masking order.

Gyms and fitness facilities

• All gyms and fitness facilities, while permitted to continue indoor operations, are directed to prioritize outdoor physical fitness activities. All activities must follow masking requirements as provided by the July 1 order, and must provide for social distancing requirements of persons being at least 6 feet apart, as well as being limited by any limitations related to gatherings.

Enforcement

Businesses and individuals in violation of these orders, issued pursuant to the authority granted to the Governor and the Secretary of Health under the law, including the Pennsylvania Disease Control and Prevention Law, could be subject to fines, business closure or other applicable enforcement measures.

Beginning with a spike in cases in Allegheny County in late June, Pennsylvania has seen cases continue to rise there and in other southwest counties, along with additional select counties in the state.

The state has identified three catalysts for case increases:

• First, some Pennsylvanians have been ignoring mask-wearing requirements and social distancing when they are visiting Pennsylvania bars and restaurants. There they are unknowingly spreading or picking up the virus.
• Second is out-of-state travel. Both by Pennsylvanians returning from travel to hotspot states, and travelers visiting our commonwealth from those hotspots.
• And third, a lack of national coordination has resulted in states in the south and west not committing to social distancing.

“The actions the governor and I are taking today are designed to be surgical and thus precise to prevent from repeating the cycle we saw in the spring,” said Dr. Levine. “We have gained a great deal of experience since the start of this outbreak and have learned from best practices from other states as well as counties right here in Pennsylvania.”

Gov. Wolf and Dr. Levine were joined via Skype by Dr. David Rubin, a general pediatrician and director of PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Rubin and his colleagues developed a unique model, which tracks and projects COVID-19 transmission in real-time across more than 500 U.S. counties with active outbreaks. The model was built to observe how social distancing, population density, daily temperatures and humidity affect the number and spread of COVID-19 infections over time across a given county.

“Over the last few weeks, public health reporting and our team’s modeling work have uncovered incontrovertible evidence that the virus is sweeping quickly into the northeast region of the United States from the west and south—where there has been a failure in some states to practice vigilance in masking and social distancing—and that it has already begun its resurgence in Pennsylvania,” said Dr. David Rubin, a general pediatrician and director of PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We can halt this momentum in its tracks. Governor Wolf’s measures will help stop the continued spread of the virus into Pennsylvania and its surrounding states, which would threaten the reopening of schools and our economy in the coming months.”

Pennsylvanians should consider that even with indoor dining limited and bars closed for on-premises alcohol consumption, cocktails to-go are still permitted and there is no shortage of outdoor dining options.

Small gatherings of friends in the backyard or at a local park are permitted and children and families are encouraged to responsibility take advantage of one or more of Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks or other local outdoor fitness options, including at local gyms that are following social distancing protocols.

“Children can visit local playgrounds, community pools, and enjoy outdoor activities with family,” Gov. Wolf said. “We want people to spend time together, but to do so while practicing social distancing and wearing masks when required, such as any time you leave your home and are not participating in outdoor fitness.

“We have seen these efforts work during the first wave in the spring, and they will work again if we all do our part. Thank you to every Pennsylvanian for your continued patience and support. I know you are eager for life to get back to normal, and I am, too.”

Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, gave the following statement concerning Wolf’s announcement:

“Today Pennsylvania pumped the breaks on reopening of taverns and restaurants. The revised statewide mitigation order in part now limits the industry to 25% indoor occupancy, and requires all patrons seated indoors to be at a booth or table, and ordering food.

At a time when the industry is already struggling, this makes matters worse.

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association calls upon the state to develop a bailout package, specific for the industry.

Our Members are paying their yearly licensing fees to the state, but not being allowed to operate fully. In addition, business loans, rent, utilities, and industry vendors still must be paid out of reduced revenue.

For starters, Pennsylvania should immediately eliminate all state fees associated with running a tavern or restaurant. In addition, higher discounts should be provided to licensed establishments purchasing liquor from the state. Furthermore, additional financial assistance should be included.

In today’s news conference, Governor Wolf said that the state is at a tipping point which forced it to act to prevent COVID-19 spread. Let’s not forget that the tavern and restaurant industry also is at a tipping point. Without help, we will see more small business restaurants and taverns not survive.”

Some customers and restaurant owners in western Pa. shared their frustrations with the new mandates, fearing many of their favorite local spots won’t be able to survive.

Allegheny County businesses have had stricter orders since last week, but those in Butler, Beaver and Westmoreland have stayed fairly consistently in the original “green phase.”

Gov. Wolf announces new efforts targeting restaurants, bars and gatherings due to rising COVID-19 cases Gov. Wolf announces new efforts targeting restaurants, bars and gatherings due to rising COVID-19 cases

Cox Media Group