Gov. Wolf: New Pa. covid restrictions to end Monday

Come Monday, it won’t just be a new year. It may be a new start for the beleaguered restaurant and bar industries that have borne the brunt of coronavirus restrictions in 2020.

“It will be good to get people back to work,” Bill Fuller, corporate chef and president of Big Burrito Restaurant Group said after state officials announced they will be lifting expanded covid-19 restrictions put into place Dec. 12. Those restrictions will end at 8 a.m. Monday.

Big Burrito includes nine Mad Mex locations in the region, Soba, Umi and Casba in Shadyside, Downtown’s Eleven and Alta Via in Fox Chapel Plaza.

Lifting the restrictions doesn’t mean a return to business-as-usual just yet, but Fuller said he’ll take it.

“A lot of people haven’t been able to work for three weeks,” Fuller said. “We already have people booking next weekend.”

The news, combined with progress being made on distribution of covid vaccines have Fuller feeling hopeful.

“I feel like we’re almost out of the woods,” he said. “Hopefully this is the last of the shutdowns. We can get back to paying the bills and putting people to work.”

Gov. Tom Wolf cautioned the pandemic and its restrictions are far from ending.

“This does not mean we’re out of the woods,” Wolf said during a virtual news conference Wednesday.

The orders that will expire were a targeted effort to gain control of the coronavirus pandemic as cases and deaths across the commonwealth surged beyond those reported in the spring.

Others saw it differently.

“This is the most frustrating 10 months of my life,” Joe Kolek, a manager at the family-owned Anchor Inn in Harrison said. “If I made decisions like this, we’d have been out of business 65 years ago.”

The restrictions and how they’ve been implemented have been frustrating, Kolek said.

“We’re like a yo-yo,” he said. “You can’t plan for anything. It’s tough. It borders on ridiculous.”

The restrictions that are set to expire suspended all indoor dining, capped indoor gatherings at 10 people, outdoor gatherings at 50 people and all other in-person businesses at 50% of normal capacity.

Theaters, casinos and other entertainment venues that were shut down will be allowed to reopen. Indoor gyms and fitness centers also will reopen.

Live! Casino Pittsburgh at Westmoreland Mall is set to reopen Monday at 8:01 a.m. — one minute after Wolf’s emergency order expires.

That means a lot of people will be getting back to work, said general manager Sean Sullivan. The casino opened Nov. 24 and had 570 workers before it had to temporarily close. A few employees stayed on as essential workers during the shutdown.

“It’s great for our team members who have been out of work for awhile,” he said. “The lion’s share was furloughed.”

Guests will be limited to 1,900 at a time in the 100,000-square-foot facility. The importance of maintaining cleanliness and following the guidelines will be paramount, Sullivan said. He doesn’t want to risk another potential closure if case numbers again rise.

“It’s as important as ever,” Sullivan said.

Shortly after Wolf spoke Wednesday, a Commonwealth Court judge denied a request for an emergency injunction to end the order filed by 15 restaurant and bar owners in the state.

“I think we have seen flattening of the curve,” Wolf said of the reasoning behind the decision to let the increased mitigation efforts expire.

On Wednesday, 8,984 new covid cases and 319 deaths were reported across the state. They included 525 new cases and 47 deaths in Allegheny County, and 215 new cases and 15 deaths in Westmoreland County.

What happens next will depend on what people do between now and Monday, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said.

She said future increases in cases can be stopped if people follow the advice that has been given by health officials all year: wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home.

“Go out as little as possible,” Levine said.

Levine signed an order that requires at least 10 percent of all vaccine shipments to be reserved for health care workers who are not affiliated with a hospital or health system. The order, which applies to emergency medical workers and others, is effective Jan. 6. It is intended to ensure the vaccine is spread evenly among the nearly 1 million health care workers in the state, she said.

In advance of a 1 p.m. briefing, @SecretaryLevine announced an order directing a percentage of all vaccine distributions be designated for health care personnel. pic.twitter.com/Igyiy4pRu5

— Tom Davidson (@TribDavidson) December 30, 2020

The vaccination process will take months, Wolf said. He said the state’s weekly vaccine allocations vary and states haven’t received enough federal financial support to aid in the process. About 142 health care sites, including hospitals, have received vaccine shipments.

The state launched a new online dashboard so people can track the vaccine’s distribution. It includes the number of vaccinations administered in each county and provides demographic information about the people who receive the vaccines.

It is too soon to know if a restaurant or bar should make plans for crowds on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, or Valentine’s Day, typically days where people enjoy going out.

“We can’t let our guard down,” Levine said.

What people do between now and when the orders are relaxed on Monday — namely celebrate the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 — can make a big difference in whether new restrictions are needed, she said.

“We’re all tired. We all feel run down by the demands of this year,” Wolf said. “We’ve come a long way since March when I announced (the first case).”

Heinz Field fans

A Steelers spokesman said the team is reviewing its options and consulting public health officials before deciding on attendance limits for its first home playoff game Jan. 9 or 10. Before the latest round of restrictions, attendance was capped at 2,500 at Heinz Field and the team allowed only family and friends in the stands.

These restrictions will remain in place

• Business, work, school, child care and congregate settings

• 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.

• Telework must continue unless impossible

• Businesses with in-person operations must follow updated business and building safety requirements

• Masks are required in businesses

• All in-person businesses may operate at 75% occupancy, except where noted

• Self-certified restaurants may open at 50% capacity for indoor dining; restaurants that have not self-certified are at 25% capacity for indoor dining,

• On-premises alcohol consumption prohibited unless part of a meal; cocktails-to-go and carryout beverages are allowed

• Serving alcohol for on-site consumption must end at 11 p.m., and all alcoholic beverages must be removed from patrons by midnight

• Personal care services (including hair salons and barbershops) open at 50% occupancy and by appointment only

• Indoor recreation and health facilities (such as gyms and spas) open at 50% occupancy with appointments strongly encouraged; fitness facilities directed to prioritize outdoor activities.

• All entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and museums) open at 50% occupancy.

• Construction at full capacity with continued implementation of protocol.

• Hospitals are still being monitored to determine if elective procedure reductions should be ordered regionally.

• The out-of-state testing requirement is still in place.

• Local governments may still have more strict guidance in place.

Social Restrictions

• Gatherings limits determined using maximum occupancy calculator.

• Face coverings are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home.

• Unnecessary travel should be limited.

Source: Pa. Department of Health