Susquehanna County was among the 12 counties that Governor Tom Wolf announced last week that would move to the green phase of reopening on Friday, June 26.
“When these 12 counties move on June 26, we will have nearly every county in green,” Gov. Wolf said in a statement issued Friday. “It’s a testament to the many residents and businesses that have sacrificed over the past three months to stay home and adhere to the guidance the state has provided to protect lives and livelihoods. As we begin to reopen, I urge everyone to stay alert and continue to follow social distancing to maintain the momentum of mitigation we have in place.”
County Commissioner Elizabeth Arnold said, “The County Commissioners are very thankful that our county will be moving into the Green Phase next Friday, June 26. We know these last three months have been extremely stressful and hard on all of the residents of our beautiful county, especially our small business owners.”
“We’d like to thank everyone, for being responsible and doing their part in keeping their families, their neighbors, and their communities safe, by using common sense, and practicing the safety guidelines that the CDC put in place,” Arnold offered. “We hope that as we move into the Green Phase, people will continue to do their part to keep us moving forward. We wish our business owners, and everyone, the best of health and much success as they re-open.”
As of the report issued by the state Department of Health on Monday, June 22, there were 178 cases of COVID-19 in Susquehanna County, with 172 confirmed and 6 probable cases. Of those, 105 cases have been in residents and 25 staff members in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. There have been 18 deaths reported as of Monday, June 22, from those facilities; and a total of 20 deaths in the county.
According to the governor’s release, the green phase eases most restrictions by lifting the stay-at-home and business closure orders to allow the economy to strategically reopen while continuing to prioritize public health.
Some restrictions, such as mask-wearing, do remain in place.
According to peer-reviewed studies in the New England Journal of Medicine and a recent study from Cambridge and Greenwich universities, mask-wearing prevents people from unknowingly giving COVID-19 to others and can be critical as we prepare for a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall.
“By participating in small actions recommended by the CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can continue to break transmission links even while we resume our daily activities,” Gov. Wolf said. “Things like washing hands, bringing our own water to sports practice and, of course, wearing masks.”
The only county not slated to move to green on June 26 is Lebanon County. Against the advice of public health experts and against orders from Gov. Wolf and Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine aimed at keeping Pennsylvanians healthy, Lebanon County commissioners voted 2 to 1 along party lines to prematurely reopen in late May. Now, the county is facing an uptick in cases, and is unable to move to green.
The CDC’s analysis of propriety state case data puts Pennsylvania among only three states with a 42-day steady decline in cases. The other two states are Hawaii and Montana.
According to analysis by the New York Times, new COVID-19 cases are declining in less than half of all U.S. states and territories.
At the county-level, Arnold offered her thanks to county employees for stepping up to meet the challenges the pandemic created for the county government departments. She also extended the commissioners’ gratitude to first responders, hospital and nursing home staff members, and local stores and restaurants. “We thank you. We truly are all in this together,” Arnold said. She also offered her thanks to Commissioners Alan Hall and Judy Herschel for their work and dedication to the county.
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