Governor Tom Wolf has announced that 12 more counties will move to the Green phase of reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic Friday – and they include Lehigh and Northampton.

Wolf said, “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.”

The other counties are Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Susquehanna. The only county not slated to move to Green yet is Lebanon County. Against the advice of public health experts and against orders from Wolf and Health Secretary 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.

“Lebanon County’s partisan, politically driven decision to ignore public health experts and reopen prematurely is having severe consequences for the health and safety of county residents,” Levine said. “Case counts have escalated and the county is not yet ready to be reopened. Lebanon County has hindered its progress by reopening too early. Because of this irresponsible decision, Lebanon County residents are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.”

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.

“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,” Wolf said. “Things like washing hands, bringing our own water to sports practice and, of course, wearing masks.”

Green Phase Details

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.

It is important to continue to monitor public health indicators and adjust orders and restrictions as necessary to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum.

Work and Congregate Settings Restrictions

• Continued Telework Strongly Encouraged

• Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Updated Business and Building Safety Requirements

• All Businesses Operating at 50 percent Occupancy in the Yellow Phase May Increase to 75 percent 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 percent Occupancy

• Personal Care Services (including hair salons and barbershops) Open at 50 percent Occupancy and by Appointment Only

• Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities, and Personal Care Services (such as gyms and spas) Open at 50 percent Occupancy with Appointments Strongly Encouraged

• All Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) Open at 50 percent Occupancy

• Construction Activity May Return to Full Capacity with Continued Implementation of Protocols

The state continues to increase testing and ramp up contact-tracing efforts. As of June 18, there are a total of 518 contact tracers, and a total of 4,161 contacts being monitored.

The Department of Health received a total of 89,350 test results in the past seven days, an average of 12,764 a day. The 30-day average of test results received is more than 13,934.

There were 2,763 total cases added to investigations for the week of June 12 through 18.

As of Monday, the state has 81,266 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 6,423 deaths. Lehigh County has 3,890 confirmed and 253 deaths; Northampton County has 3,175 confirmed and 236 deaths; the city of Bethlehem has 1,015 confirmed and 71 deaths.