Pennsylvania Undergoes a Statewide Business Shutdown
Written by Audrey Frazier 12/20/20
Pennsylvania Undergoes a Statewide Business Shutdown
On December 10, 2020, Governor Wolf stated that Pennsylvania will be under restricted, safety measures due to the fast spread of coronavirus. The order began December 12th and will remain in action until January 4th.
The first order that Gov. Wolf placed will prohibit indoor dining. This includes but is not limited to bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events. While you cannot dine indoors, take-out and outdoor dining are still allowed.
The second order placed by Wolf prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people. While churches. synagogues, temples, and places of worship are excluded from the order during religious services, they are encouraged to find an alternative method that limits contact between people. Although indoor gathers are limited to 10 people, outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people.
If businesses are serving the public, they are allowed to remain open at 50% of their maximum capacity as stated on their certificate of occupancy.
All indoor entertainment including but not limited to arcades, concerts, museums, movie theaters, arcades, casinos, and bowling alleys must remain closed.
Extracurricular activities including but not limited to musicals, plays, student council, clubs, and dances are not permitted to be held in person. Although these activities cannot continue in-person, they are permitted to be held virtually to allow students to remain involved.
K-12 and youth sports are currently paused as well causing a delay in winter sports.
Professional and collegiate sports on the other hand are permitted to continue as long as CDC guidelines are being followed. As stated in these guidelines, spectators are not permitted to attend.
Indoor gyms and fitness centers must remain closed, but outdoor classes may continue, but all participants must wear a face covering and remain 6 feet apart.
With these guidelines in place, Gov. Wolf hopes to slow the spread of coronavirus during the holiday season. Wolf also hopes that taking these weeks apart will allow us to come closer to a widely available vaccine while keeping everyone safe.