Tensions rose and protesters gathered in Harrisburg Friday, even as Governor Tom Wolf announced an additional 12 counties will see some restrictions lifted by May 22, easing from severe Red restrictions to lighter Yellow ones.

They will join other rural counties in the re-opening experiment, with monitoring of social distancing and contact tracing, and local officials’ and emergency responders’ reactions to further infections, to help determine how and when more populous counties should reopen.

Contact tracing is a method of interviewing and monitoring someone who has contracted a virus, retracing their steps, and immediately following up with everyone that person may have exposed.

As such, caution is still advised for the foreseeable future. Wolf explained in his press briefing; “This virus has not been eradicated from these counties. If we see signs of new outbreaks, we are going to need to act to prevent further transmission. But if we see a continued decline in case counts, we can lift more restrictions and bring our lives closer to normal. So it’s in every Pennsylvania citizen’s best interest to continue to take social distancing seriously.

“If you live in one of the 18 counties that remains in the Red zone, you may feel disappointed or frustrated right now. When we first started fighting COVID-19, the virus was ravaging Italy, and we heard tragic story after tragic story. We didn’t want that to be our parents, or our friends, or our neighbors. So we had to act decisively.”

Unlike other disasters, Wolf said, viruses can’t be seen, but the danger is real and has to be taken seriously.

“We all want our communities to succeed,” Wolf said, clarifying that he is following the advice of expert epidemiologists. “But we aren’t all trained to see the danger of the pandemic. We look out and see the clear skies in the first lasting warm days of spring – that’s what we see. An epidemiologist sees a single person in a store exhale a cloud of virus particles and seven other customers nearby inhaling them.”

After giving several other graphic examples, Wolf said, “As the leader of this commonwealth, I am responsible for the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians, and I can’t and I will not let this virus ravage our communities. So I’ve got to take seriously the advice of scientists and medical professionals.

“I understand all residents are eager to get back to regular business operations and I’m lifting restrictions and will continue to do so as quickly as I think is safe. But continued cooperation, a united front, against this virus, is going to allow us all to reduce those risk factors. Instead of feeling frustrated about living in a Red phase county or a Yellow phase county, consider this; we have saved live. Through our social distancing efforts, we’ve not only reversed the trajectory of exponential new case growth, we’ve cut it in half.

“So please keep up your efforts in the fight.”

As of Monday, the state has 62,234 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,418 deaths. 1,1881 are currently hospitalized. Lehigh County has 3,470 confirmed and 139 deaths; Northampton County has 2,703 confirmed and 199 deaths; the city of Bethlehem has 771 confirmed and 36 deaths.

Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and York counties will re-open to the Yellow phase Friday.