Dauphin, Perry, and 6 other Pa. counties enter the green phase of Wolf’s reopening plan today; what changes?

Bars and restaurants can now offer indoor seating, albeit under the same 50 percent rule.

• By Greg Pickel/PennLive

(Harrisburg) — Eight more Pa. counties, including Dauphin and Perry, moved to the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s coronavirus reopening plan at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

What changes for residents either living in or traveling to Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Perry, Pike, and Schuylkill counties?

First, if you’re just passing through, more traffic might be evident as residents get out and about to some businesses that have not been open in months, but otherwise, things will look relatively normal, as gas stations and grocery stores will be open, as will beer distributors and liquor stores, as they’ve been for weeks or even months depending on where they fell on Wolf’s list of essential and non-essential buisnisses.

Where one really notices a difference, however, is with personal care and entertainment locations, and at eateries, among other things.

Residents in the 12 counties listed above plus those who live in a green county elsewhere can now go to get a haircut and visit a massage therapist or nail salon. Most of those places are operating strictly on an appointment basis and must only have 50 percent of their allowed occupancy inside at a time.

Meanwhile, bars and restaurants can now offer indoor seating, albeit under the same 50 percent rule. Expect to see plenty of spacing between barstools and tables, as well.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course can operate again, too, and it will statting at 9:30 a.m. today before its hours move to 7 a.m. – 3 a.m. daily starting on Saturday. It, too, can only let so many people in at a time.

Elsewhere, indoor entertainment venues like malls and movie theatres can also welcome guests again, as can gyms and other personal fitness locations, though rules might vary in terms of how many people can work out at once from location to location. It’s best to check with your favorite spot before heading out.

For a full rundown of what is and isn’t allowed in green compared to yellow, see Wolf’s posted guidelines for green-phase counties below:

Work & Congregate Setting Restrictions

• Continued Telework Strongly Encouraged
• Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Updated Business and Building Safety Requirements
• All Businesses Operating at 50% Occupancy in the Yellow Phase May Increase to 75% Occupancy
• Child Care May Open Complying with Guidance
• Congregate Care Restrictions in Place
• Prison and Hospital Restrictions Determined by Individual Facilities
• Schools Subject to CDC and Commonwealth Guidance

Social Restrictions

• Large Gatherings of More Than 250 Prohibited
• Masks Are Required When Entering a Business
• Restaurants and Bars Open at 50% Occupancy
• Personal Care Services (including hair salons and barbershops) Open at 50% Occupancy and by Appointment Only
• Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities, and Personal Care Services (such as gyms and spas) Open at 50% Occupancy with Appointments Strongly Encouraged
• All Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) Open at 50% Occupancy
• Construction Activity May Return to Full Capacity with Continued Implementation of Protocols

 

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