May 29, 2021
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Philadelphia officials announced all COVID-19 restrictions, excluding the indoor mask mandate, will be lifted on June 2 after case numbers and percent positivity declined to 3% in the city.
Philadelphia will lift its COVID-19 restrictions on June 2 — one week earlier than the city planned.
Starting next Wednesday, all "Safer at Home" restrictions, like maximum capacity limits, density limits and distancing rules will be lifted, officials announced Friday night.
Masks will still be required indoors, and restaurant dining past 11 p.m. will remain prohibited.
On June 11, the Health Department will review the state of the pandemic and could drop the remaining restrictions.
Officials said the restrictions were lifted earlier than planned because COVID cases in the city fell to the lowest point since September 2020 and the percent positive rates are below 3%.
"We’d like to thank our front line and essential workers who risked their own well-being to care for COVID-19 patients, kept our city running, and administered more than 1.3 million doses of vaccine so far," the city said in a press release.
In response to the lowest number of new cases since Sept. 2020 and percent positive rates below 3%, we will be lifting nearly all Safer-at-Home restrictions on June 2. The indoor mask mandate and 11 p.m. last call for dining will continue for now.https://t.co/fPg4SofQgl
— Jim #VaxUpPhilly Kenney (@PhillyMayor) May 28, 2021
This announcement follows Pennsylvania and New Jersey's move to lift its restrictions on Memorial Day. Pennsylvania announced earlier this week that it will lift its indoor mask requirement on June 28 or once 70% of the population is vaccinated, whichever comes first.
City officials encourage residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they haven't yet. As of Thursday, 47.5% of Philadelphia's population over 10 years old have received at least one shot, while 36.5% have been fully vaccinated, according to health department data.
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