When is the Lehigh Valley going green? Lawmaker reveals anticipated date.

UPDATE: Pa. coronavirus reopening: Lehigh Valley will enter green phase June 26. What that means (and why it’s not a full reopening).

State Sen. Lisa Boscola said Thursday she anticipates an announcement Friday from Gov. Tom Wolf about when the Lehigh Valley will enter the least-restrictive green phase of his three-tiered economic reopening plan.

“It is anticipated the the Lehigh Valley is slated to go GREEN next Friday, June 26,” Boscola, D-Lehigh/Northampton, posted to Twitter.

“In the green phase, restaurants can again offer indoor dining, with limits on occupancy -- as well as casinos, hair salons and gyms,” Boscola tweeted.

Wolf has typically announced on Fridays counties moving from the most-restrictive red phase to yellow, and from yellow to green, as cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus illness trend downward.

As of midnight Thursday, eight more counties, including two adjacent to the Lehigh Valley, will enter the green phase of reopening. They are: Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Perry, Pike, and Schuylkill.

That leaves Lehigh and Northampton counties among 13 Pennsylvania counties in the yellow phase for at least 14 days, making them eligible for going green.

Lehigh has one of the best arguments yet to go green, according to a report from pennlive.com, a sister site of lehighvalleylive.com, citing a sustained case count drop and other factors. Northampton, too, has all the metrics needed for a move to green.

As of Thursday, the Lehigh Valley totaled 7,267 cases of COVID-19 and 525 deaths, an increase of 34 cases and five deaths in the last day, according to the state’s figures.

Boscola argued a week ago against keeping the Lehigh Valley in yellow.

"The Lehigh Valley flattened the curve weeks ago," she said in a statement June 12. "Our peak cases were in mid-April. Since that time, we have offered to help with contact tracing, performed more testing and our numbers have continued to go down.

"I feel bad for the small businesses that will not be able to open again because of the unnecessarily slow pace of opening in the Lehigh Valley."

The green phase allows some businesses to restart, but it is not a complete reopening and life will not be what it was before the pandemic. Masks and social distancing are still required, and places like bars and restaurants must still make adjustments to keep patrons separated and safe.

Wolf’s green-phase guidelines are as follows:

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
  • All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning
  • Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.

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