Gov. Wolf, Sec. of Health Extend Stay-at-Home Orders to Seven Additional Counties, 33 Counties Now Ordered to Stay Home

March 31, 2020

Counties Added: Cameron, Crawford, Forest, Franklin, Lawrence, Lebanon, Somerset

Governor Wolf’s Amended Order

Secretary of Health’s Amended Order

Stay at Home Guidance

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 Cameron, Crawford, Forest, Franklin, Lawrence, Lebanon and Somerset counties, bringing the state total to 33 counties under a stay-at-home order. This order takes effect at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 31, 2020, and will continue until April 30. Yesterday, all stay-at-home orders were 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 33 counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Forest, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Somerset, 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.

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/.

View this information in Spanish here.