Governor Tom Wolf announced last week a tightening of certain restrictions due to a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases. Pennsylvania was down to around 600 cases daily in June, but has since increased to nearly 1,000. While that’s a far cry from April’s high of 2,000 in one day, the administration is concerned about travelers from out of state, large indoor gatherings and people not wearing masks.

Wolf said in a press conference July 15 that he blames overall carelessness and a lack of national coordination for the climbing COVID-19 cases.

“This virus does not respect state boundaries,” he said. “We are paying for things states and other places have not done. We’ve seen that sometimes it takes as much as 10 days to get results of testing back. That’s not because of anything we’ve done, it’s because national test places are being overwhelmed by the cases they’ve seen in these other states. We’re paying the price. We did everything we should have done. We were responsible, and yet we’re paying the price right now.”

He said the state is at a point where we must act so that we don’t become like Florida or Texas or Arizona, where hospitals are overwhelmed. And the only way to do so is to make difficult, unpopular decisions with some businesses. “The virus is making the rules here,” he said.

• Restaurants are now to operate at 25 percent capacity.

• Current outdoor dining rules remain in effect.

• On-premises alcohol consumption is limited with meals only; cocktails to go and carry-out beverages are allowed.

• Telework should continue.

• Indoor gatherings are limited to 25 people; outdoor gatherings are limited to 250 people.

Though exact data has not been compiled to compellingly determine bars and restaurants largely have contributed to the outbreak – holidays and mass-protests in current weeks may be responsible. Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine supported the governor, saying these actions are meant to be surgical in nature, harming the fewest people possible while mitigating virus spread.

As of Monday, the state has 98,872 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7,018 deaths. Lehigh County has 4,564 confirmed and 332 deaths; Northampton County has 3,649 confirmed and 282 deaths; the city of Bethlehem has 1,121confirmed and 82 deaths.