Message from the Pennsylvania Municipal League

Gov. Wolf and Sec. of Health Expand ‘Stay at Home’ Order to Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin and Schuylkill Counties, Extend School Closures Indefinitely

Governor Wolf’s Amended Order
Secretary of Health’s Amended Order
Stay at Home Guidance

Harrisburg, PA - As COVID-19 cases continue to grow and the state continues to seek relief to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19, today Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine revised their “Stay at Home” orders to include Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin and Schuylkill counties, bringing the state total to 26 counties under a stay-at-home order. This order takes effect at 8 p.m., Monday, March 30, 2020, and will continue until April 30. All stay-at-home orders are now extended through April 30. All Pennsylvania schools will remain closed until further notice. Non-life-sustaining business closures remain in effect.

The order now includes these 26 counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland and York counties.

Individuals may leave their residence only to perform any of the following allowable individual activities and allowable essential travel:

• Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, or the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets), such as obtaining medicine or medical supplies, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home
• Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves, for their family or household members, or as part of volunteer efforts, or to deliver those services or supplies to others to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences
• Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running if they maintain social distancing
• To perform work providing essential products and services at a life-sustaining business
• To care for a family member or pet in another household
• Any travel related to the provision of or access to the above-mentioned individual activities or life-sustaining business activities
• Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons
• Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services
• Travel to return to a place of residence from an outside jurisdiction
• Travel required by law enforcement or court order
• Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the commonwealth
• Anyone performing life-sustaining travel does not need paperwork to prove the reason for travel.

The following operations are exempt:

• Life-sustaining business activities
• Health care or medical services providers
• Access to life-sustaining services for low-income residents, including food banks
• Access to child care services for employees of life-sustaining businesses that remain open as follows: child care facilities operating under the Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning waiver process; group and family child care operating in a residence; and part-day school age programs operating under an exemption from the March 19, 2020 business closure Orders
• News media
• Law enforcement, emergency medical services personnel, firefighters
• The federal government
• Religious institutions

Individuals experiencing homelessness are not subject to this order but are strongly urged to find shelter and government agencies are urged to take steps needed to provide shelter for those individuals.

International students, foster youth, and any other students who would otherwise experience displacement or homelessness as a result of campus closures are exempt and may remain in campus housing.

The Department of Education will be providing updated guidance and resources on the continuity of education for students to schools in the coming days.

At this time, law enforcement will be focused on ensuring that residents are aware of the order and informing the public of social distancing practices rather than enforcement. To report a noncompliant business, contact your local law enforcement agency’s non-emergency number or the nearest Pennsylvania State Police station. Please do not call 911 or the Department of Community and Economic Development to file reports. Law enforcement officers should refer to Business Closure Order Enforcement Guidance available online.

Read Governor Wolf’s original order here or view on Scribd. Read Governor Wolf’s amended order here or view on Scribd.

Read Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine’s original order here or view on Scribd. Read Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine’s amended order here or view on Scribd.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should visit: https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.