Bucks County Commissioners (L to R): Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, Chair; Robert J. Harvie Jr., Vice Chair; Gene DiGirolamo
Gov. Tom Wolf’s office on Wednesday signaled that Bucks County is “rapidly moving” toward reopening, and pledged to provide more information within a week, the county commissioners said in a statement.
The governor did not grant the commissioners’ request, made Saturday, that the county be given a certain date for moving from shutdown “red” mode into partially reopened “yellow” status. Twenty-four less-populated counties entered yellow status on Friday, and 13 others in western Pennsylvania are set to join them this Friday.
Instead, a Wolf representative spoke Wednesday afternoon with Commissioners’ Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia and reached “consensus that we are rapidly moving toward the `yellow phase’ of reopening and there should be more information within the next week,” the commissioners’ statement said.
In a conference call Saturday that included Levine, members of Wolf’s staff, the county commissioners and Damsker, Bucks officials sought consideration of different metrics for allowing the county to reopen than what Wolf has proposed, as well as more frequent communication and a date certain for moving into “yellow” status.
The commissioners acknowledged the hardships being endured in the meantime by small business owners whose enterprises remain shuttered. But they advised businesses against defying Wolf’s order by opening prematurely, as doing so could cost them their business licenses, occupancy permits and insurance – effectively their ability to operate.
“We appreciate the frustration, fear, and anxiety that many small business owners are feeling right now,” the commissioners’ statement said. “While it may be extremely difficult to remain closed now, the alternative of potentially never being able to open again because you’ve lost your business license or insurance is far worse.”
The county health department on Wednesday announced 63 new positive cases of COVID-19, as well as seven deaths of residents who had tested positive for the virus.
Thirty-five of the new cases are in long-term care facilities, as well as three among staff. Twelve people were infected within their households, two are healthcare workers, one caught the virus at a non-medical workplace, and seven were unable to be reached today by contact tracers.
Three of the infections were the result of pure community spread, meaning the infected person had no indication of where or from whom he or she acquired the virus.
The seven decedents, ranging in age from 105 to 59, all had underlying health conditions. Six were residents of long-term care facilities.
A total of 180 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in Bucks, including 24 in critical condition and on ventilators. Of the county’s 4,133 positive cases during the pandemic, 1,140 patients are confirmed to have recovered.
Have you noticed how controlling Gov. Wolf’s’s press conferences are? The media is NOT allowed to ask questions. I really don’t know whose questions they are considering the fact that just one person reads all the questions to Wolf or that medical doctor who keeps telling you to wash your hands for 20 seconds. In addition there is NO ENGAGEMENT, a back and forth regarding the questions and hence no challenging of Wolf’s replies. Imagine if Trump ran his press conferences this way..
Yes that’s right, Grammy needs to die for your haircut and night at a restaurant. Let’s kill her already and move on. /s
Never mind Mike just ask Governor Wolf to sending her to a Nursing Home that will do the trick.What a ass you are.
Sandra says to defy Gov. Wolf. Here’s how to do it in a 100% legal way. Every small business owner along with their laid off workers and their families who are $uffering because of Wolf, must get out and vote straight down the line for the Republican Party whether you are a Democrat or not. Let Wolf feel the heat from his own people. Remember Pa. is a swing state with Bucks County a swing county They must start an online petition. And vote in person this November if you can.
Agree Melvin get rid of the large OBSTRUCTION that starts with a D.Bring back sanity.
Let’s make Bucks County a sanctuary county for small business owners. Defy Wolf, just as he defies the federal government with his sanctuary policies.
That’s the ticket Sandra Like California defy and see if Wolfman sends in the Corona Police to PUNISH us.How did Pennsylvania ever get stuck with this dumb as a post Wolf.I am sure the PC correct group is rethinking their thoughts if they are a small business owners.Look how the Libs now think WALLS ARE GOOD NOW TO KEEP US IN.Who is Wolfman giving waivers to is also a question.
Well mr Milktoast aka gov Wolf will decide on yellow counties based on his guidance from Gov Cuomo. I hope he will remind Andrew that he needs to carry PA when he runs for president in 2024. FREE PA! We are not mindless children, we can make adult decisions about personal risk!
Where is the outrage! We’re still following these tyrants and news anchors like sheep. STAY HOME if you believe the hype on TV and let the rest of us live. And by the way, Fauci is not the President, nor is he a governor. He and “the scientists” are there to advise the policy makers who then are supposed to make wise, albeit difficult, decisions. Doctors are focused on “do know harm”…they actually take an oath. So of course any opening before a cure or vaccine is going to do some medical harm and they would keep us locked up for another year.
A staggering 68 percent of Pennsylvania COVID-19 deaths have occurred in nursing homes. That shocking statistic bears repeating. More than two out of three coronavirus deaths in the Keystone State had absolutely nothing to do with social distancing, business closures, travel restrictions, wearing masks, or any of the other measures “heroic” governors have demanded. Those have a single, common cause: the rapid spread of the virus among the elderly and other vulnerable populations in nursing homes.
Gov. Wolf’s administration failed to implement a plan to protect nursing home residents that his own experts developed, but the ineptitude goes much deeper. Wolf also — in defiance of all sound science and basic common sense — ordered nursing homes to admit patients who had already tested positive for the virus, putting them in close contact with the very people most at risk of experiencing serious complications and death from COVID-19.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, another Democrat who likes to lecture citizens about the importance of following his orders, is embroiled in a similar scandal.
And of the other 32% how many were over 85 or were residing in a nursing home before being transferred to a hospital? Here’s a crazy idea, can we segment our closure (I.e., “killing”) of the PA economy to the demographics that are most at risk?