March 15, 2020
All bars and restaurants in the four Philadelphia suburban counties should temporarily close to help limit coronavirus spread, Gov. Tom Wolf urged Saturday.
Wolf enacted mitigation efforts in Bucks and Chester counties – just as he previously has done in Montgomery and Delaware counties. Those efforts urge all non-essential businesses to close for a two-week period.
Wolf issued further guidance Saturday defining non-essential businesses after some initial confusion in Montgomery and Delaware counties. They include bars, recreation centers, golf courses, entertainment venues, hair salons, spas and shopping malls. Restaurants also should close except for take-out or delivery options.
Essential services, including pharmacies, grocery stores and gas stations, should remain open.
Additionally, all state liquor stores in those four counties will be closed by Tuesday. All 88 stores will remain open on Sunday. But they will phase out from there.
As of Saturday, Pennsylvania had 47 coronavirus cases, including 20 in Montgomery County. Delaware County had six COVID-19 cases while Bucks County had three and Chester County had two. Philadelphia had four.
The new social distancing efforts in Bucks and Chester counties take effect Sunday.
"We have initiated these actions in places where we have confirmed evidence of risk, like Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, and Chester counties, and we will continue to monitor this situation as it unfolds to determine if and when we will do this in other counties in Pennsylvania," Wolf said in a statement. "Individuals, businesses, and communities across Pennsylvania are already stepping up to the challenge. If we succeed in slowing the spread of COVID-19, it will be because we all do our part.”
Have a news tip? Let us know.
