HARRISBURG – Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Wolf’s announcement that Beaver, Greene and Washington counties would remain under the COVID-19 stay-at-home order while other communities plan to reopen on May 8:
“The governor’s announcement today only highlights the glaring inconsistencies of his delayed reopening plan. Greene and Washington counties have some of the lowest infection rates in the state, but still remain closed. In fact, some of the counties set to open next week actually have far more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than our local communities. There is no good reason why our counties should suffer just because the Department of Health arbitrarily decided to lump us in with larger counties with more confirmed cases.
“What is even more frustrating is the fact that Beaver County’s numbers are inflated only because of how certain nursing home data was reported and compiled by the Department of Health. Businesses could reopen throughout the region tomorrow without creating new risks to the community, but they will remain closed because the Governor is sticking to his convoluted and deeply flawed logic that picks winners and losers based on zip codes – not science.
“So many of our local employees and small businesses are eager to get back to work with the proper safety measures in place to protect employees and customers. Every day that we wait pushes more families and businesses closer to the edge of the financial cliff. I strongly urge Governor Wolf and the Department of Health to begin considering reopening on a county-by-county basis instead of the flawed regional plan that will only leave counties like ours behind.”
CONTACT: Katrina Hanna (717) 787-1463