(Image: Office of the Governor)
Sources tell The Canary today that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will close all bars at midnight Thursday, July 15. Restaurants in the Commonwealth must limit occupancy to 25% at that same time.
This comes as the state reports a reported “spike” in COVID-19 cases, mostly in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties.
Pennsylvania Bars Closing Again
Restaurants Limited to 25% Capacity Starting Midnight Thursday, July 15
Restaurants and bars were finally allowed to open after 3 months closed to customers inside their doors only back on June 19 in Schuylkill County. That’s when Schuylkill County entered Wolf’s green phase of the state’s coronavirus reopening plan.
Wolf is mimicking the ways of other states who’ve allegedly experienced coronavirus case spikes. These states, according to Eater.com, have shut down bars and restaurants, at least partially, after allowing them to reopen in reaction to the coronavirus pandemic:
- Idaho
- Florida
- Arizona
- Texas
- Colorado
- Michigan
- Tennessee
- Nevada
- California
- Louisiana
No Advanced Warning
Just like when Wolf shut down businesses across Pennsylvania back in March, practically no advanced warning is being given here.
As far as we’re hearing, today’s expected announcement will only impact restaurants and bars. No salons or fitness centers are impacted.
We’re working to find out how long this reported shutdown order will last.
Back on July 3, Allegheny County closed in-person dining at restaurants and closed bars for 1 week amid renewed coronavirus fears.
New Rules for Bars, Restaurants, Gatherings in Pennsylvania starting July 16
Here are the new rules for bars and restaurants, verbatim from the Governor’s press release, that take effect on July 16 at midnight:
Bars and Restaurants
All businesses in the retail food services industry, including restaurants, wineries, breweries, private clubs, and bars, are permitted to provide take-out and delivery sales of food, as well as dine-in service in both indoor and outdoor seating areas so long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance, as required by the order, including:
- Prohibition from conducting operations unless the facility offers sit-down, dine-in meals or is serving take-out sales of alcoholic beverages. All service must be at a table or booth; bar service is prohibited.
- Alcohol only can be served for on-premises consumption when in the same transaction as a meal.
- Take-out sales of alcohol for the purposes of off-site consumption are permitted subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law.
- Non-bar seating in outdoor areas (i.e. tables or counter seats that do not line up to a bar or food service area) may be used for customer seating.
- Social distancing, masking, and other mitigation measures must be employed to protect workers and patrons.
- Occupancy is limited to 25 percent of stated fire-code maximum occupancy for indoor dining, or 25 persons for a discrete indoor event or gathering in a restaurant.
- The maximum occupancy limit includes staff.
Nightclubs
- All nightclubs, as defined by the Clean Indoor Air Act, 35 P.S. § 637.2, are prohibited from conducting operations.
- Other events and gatherings
Events and gatherings must adhere to these gathering limitations:
- Indoor events and gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited.
- Outdoor events and gatherings of more than 250 persons are prohibited.
- The maximum occupancy limit includes staff.
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Coalregion12
July 15, 2020 at 2:06 pm
Well, the restaurant and bar business will be going under. Probably about fifty percent in this county.
So by the time 2021 comes around say goodbye to your favorite watering hole.
Again an increase in Philly and Pittsburgh means more restrictions for the entire state?
So closing at midnite will stop the virus how? Does the little virus just get up at midnight??
Call Rep. Goodman and ask him about if he is willing to vote for HR836 to terminate Gov. Wolf’s powers during this emergency. If the PA House gets two thirds they can override Wolf. This way Wolf would have to work with the Legislature
Ell
July 15, 2020 at 5:31 pm
So, you can catch the virus at a bar or restaurant but not at Walmart or Lowes? That’s weird. Does the virus know?
Canary Commenter
July 15, 2020 at 5:42 pm
The virus knows no borders except those that exist outside of big box stores. It’s the damnedest thing, really. Very smart virus. That’s why it waited until Back to School shopping season started to begin infecting the young folks. This virus has eyes, I tell ya.
JULIE JOHNSON
July 17, 2020 at 5:08 pm
Amen
LizBeth
July 15, 2020 at 6:03 pm
So true…he is trying to avoid the inevitable…..I think he is mentally ill.
James
July 16, 2020 at 12:56 am
Oh gawd, easily complaining about a governor but the president has done basically less than nothing during this whole pandemic and half of you are going to give HIM a pass. Hell, I keep seeing stupid “Keep america great” bumper stickers. What’s so great about a looming recession? Hypocrites all of you.
Vicki Sailer
July 16, 2020 at 9:01 am
Every state has different circumstances.
What type of plan could he implement, the one size fits all. Then you will have the opposition claiming how much better they would of handled things. No this is an issue for each state to deal with. We will see who does a good job and who doesn’t We the people need to stand up for our rights and stop letting government officials run our lives.We should be calling Harrisburg and telling our elected officials enough already.
JULIE JOHNSON
July 17, 2020 at 5:11 pm
Snowflake… Is all his fault? U called him racist for stopping flights and now he didn’t act fast enough? Cud u do better? Talk about hypocrites…. Look at the left.
tom
July 15, 2020 at 5:55 pm
but wait Gov Wolfe. You were just out protesting a few weeks ago. Now your telling bars to shutdown, restrictions on restaurants.
Joy Hunter
July 15, 2020 at 7:21 pm
this is beyond ridiculousness if ya gonna get sick ya gonna get sick. I am tired of living life in fear of dying it prevents you from living just like coin shortages what kind of government do we have. are we really free nope freedom is something thousands have died for yet now in 2020 we have very little. the virus is not worse than swine flu or the bird flu its not
PTFloridians
July 15, 2020 at 7:58 pm
The virus is/was real…
…everything else is the biggest shell game hoax, coup against the President, EVER…EVER.
JKB1
July 15, 2020 at 8:06 pm
From very beginning Gov Wolf and his sidekick Dr Levine looked like deer in the headlights. Not a clue! Now they’re experts, with power! They love it! In my opinion everything they have done is unconstitutional to the Pa constitution. He has to be stopped. Mark my words schools will not be opening until after the election maybe, it depends who wins. Maybe I’ll check in at a hotel with Dr Levine’s mother, NOT! Open the state!
Craig Durst
July 15, 2020 at 8:11 pm
Check out The United Spot. Video title …It’s Just A Mask. You Tube or Facebook. Says it all . What a damn shame this country came to this. REFUSE…RESIST
PTFloridians
July 15, 2020 at 8:59 pm
“We don’t want to become Florida, [don’t] want to become Texas, we don’t want to become Arizona. We have got to act now.”
…Fact-those 3 states combined have just over 10000 deaths, PA ALONE has over 7000
…Fact-those 3 states combined population is 59 million, PA ALONE has 13 million.
Allow those numbers to sink in.
…all Republican led…NO murderous nursing home disasters…low death/population rates.
…Wolf is a naked Communist political tool.
Michelle Sensenich
July 15, 2020 at 9:07 pm
This is so ridiculous
Roxanne Dombrosky
July 15, 2020 at 9:10 pm
So ask yourself, why can we sit for a meal, but not at the bar for a beer with our friends and have conversation?! Yep, wolf is afraid we’ll discuss the real reason hes made us prisoners.
PTFloridians
July 16, 2020 at 8:42 am
All this stuff by the Dem Guvs seem to indicate an orchestrated attack on the President’s “business friendly” economy and all the booming numbers associated with it. They had to put something together to crush the economy and unemployment numbers, to create a narrative for the public to ingest. They did it in grand fashion, and most folks fell for it.
PTFloridians
July 15, 2020 at 9:17 pm
Oh…i forgot…Schuylkill County has 48 deaths from Wuhan virus.
…that number is about equal to the amount of Opiate deaths in 2018 (49), and within a couple of the last flu death numbers in 2017 (45)
…what’s the big news?
Mark
July 15, 2020 at 9:39 pm
Maybe if all the idiots across the commonwealth did their part and wore masks and practiced social distancing we wouldn’t be in this mess again. Keep crying about being prisoners or tyranny when all you had to do was not be an idiot. Maybe if our president wasn’t such a child and actually try setting a positive example we would be done with this already.
Pa_Server
July 15, 2020 at 10:15 pm
This.^ And also the reason you cant sit at bars is because the bar is not 6 feet wide.
Frank
July 16, 2020 at 8:41 am
Maybe if Obama was still President, the virus would be over and done with by now.
Do you realize how ridiculous your logic is?
Wear your mask, stay 6 feet away, or just stay home, and pat yourself on the back.
The virus ain’t going away depending on who is in the White House. In PA, Wolf is just trying to prolong it so people like you stay angry and dependent on government.
PTFloridians
July 16, 2020 at 8:52 am
Stay home and stay pale, crybaby…people like yourself simply hate the President and pass blame for everything onto his lap.
The very terms that your ilk call others, are the very terms used to describe yourself, in most cases…example above (idiot, child)
Truthteller
July 16, 2020 at 12:54 am
Check out Infowars.com and Banned.video if you want to know the TRUTH about Covid-19!!!!
Independent Voter
July 16, 2020 at 6:41 am
Bars are not essential as grocery stores. And if people cannot be at bars past 12 they’ll likely sober up sooner and go home thereby preventing some of the viruses spread. Sure it is bad for business but the virus is obviously killing people. Or maybe the 130k dead are just fake? How many died in 9/11?
Canary Commenter
July 16, 2020 at 8:42 am
wtf are you talking about? Bars have to close. Period. No open.
PTFloridians
July 16, 2020 at 10:26 am
48 people died, here in Sch County.
…where’s all your righteous BS about heroin overdoses, flu and respiratory death (annually)…brainwashed fool.
Sister whistle blower
July 16, 2020 at 7:02 am
Wolf let’s talk about the laid off rns from all The pa hospitals. Yup it’s true.
There are more patients coming in for suicide risk and harm to self and others for drugs and mental health than COVID. Come into the hospitals and see for yourself. Been working on them myself for 24 years.
How about you?
Why aren’t our lay offs in the news?
Why don’t we get tested?
Why don’t we have to socially distance as rns?
Why don’t we get paid well?
I think it’s time for US to go to the media.
I’m not a happy lady this year.
Unmask the corruption 2020!
PTFloridians
July 16, 2020 at 8:47 am
Get busy Sister…it’s us vs. them…they must be exposed and crushed. That’s the only thing they understand, lawsuits and crushing defeat. I worked for the state of PA and witnessed it firsthand too, in other areas.
Pat
July 16, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Gov wolf hurting All businesses he doesn’t care about nothing or people wants too punish everyone he gets paid has people waiting on him etc doesn’t care about PA.or people or if we have too work to feed our families pay to live keep kids safe
Keywasted
July 17, 2020 at 7:34 am
Please explain to me how four people sitting at a 36″ x 36″ table, directly across from each other is safer than the same four people sitting at a bar 6 feet apart facing away from each other in one direction. ???
PTFloridians
July 18, 2020 at 8:51 am
They’re sooo smart…such “science”, huh…
…they just HOPE that we all ingest their BS and swallow willingly…
nadia khan
July 17, 2020 at 9:28 pm
He is amazing . Look at PA numbers drop. We should make him the president
PTFloridians
July 18, 2020 at 8:48 am
Take a peek at the PA deaths…Mr and Mr Amazing are quite the killing machines, through their policies.
…or maybe you were just trollin’…
Roxanne Dombrosky
July 18, 2020 at 7:12 am
Sister whistle blower, I’m with you. I’m a retired RN and have friends still working who say the same thing about the hospitals in my part of PA. The ERs are quiet. They’re not seeing covid. They’re seeing suicide attempts, increased drug overdoses and severe depression. Gov Wolf and Levine are succeeding in reaching THEIR goal!
Jason Bourne
July 18, 2020 at 5:54 pm
This is the RIGHT move by Wolf. We wouldn’t wanna be like STUPID red states with the virus trend on an uptick because of a lack of public safety measures. You Trumpians are a bunch of morons. Here’s your brilliant strategy to combat the virus. First, let’s not wear masks. Second, let’s open up the entire economy. And finally, let’s not get tested. Wow, what a brilliant strategy by our very stable genius of a President. Have a bucket ready November 3rd, you’re going to need it.
Canary Commenter
July 18, 2020 at 6:16 pm
You can get tested all you want. A test isn’t going to treat a virus. Who let you in here anyway?
Roxanne Dombrosky
July 18, 2020 at 6:19 pm
Ha!Jason Bourne 1.) is an “uptick” cases requiring hospitalization/ vents, deaths or a positive result, perhaps asymptomatic or because of antibodies?! 2.)masks(scarves) are proven to cause more harm than good 3.) Are you getting an income cuz many ARE NOT and are suffering financially and emotionally. 4.)more ppl are getting tested so OF COURSE there are more cases. And we can do without the NAMECALLING. Act like an adult.
PTFloridians
July 19, 2020 at 8:49 pm
You’ll have 4 more more years of screaming at the sky in your Parents’ basement, playing Roblox and Fortnite…
Brian Yedlosky
July 19, 2020 at 9:38 am
That’s exactly what wolf wants we need rid of him
Raptor
July 20, 2020 at 9:23 pm
A question for mr. Wolfe and ms Levine; where was it published in the New England Journal of Medicine that having a glass of beer without food leads to more deaths than a glass with food. I must have missed that issue.
Jason Bourne
July 26, 2020 at 9:24 pm
Open SmartNews to read ‘The CDC Predicts Deaths Will Soar in These 9 States’ here: https://smartnews.link/a/3bRw or you can directly access the content using this link here: https://smartnews.link/w/6rdQ
Common Denominator: They are all STUPID RED STATES
Canary Commenter
July 26, 2020 at 11:14 pm
Stop spamming the site with your garbage. Final warning. You only have to post it once. We’ll approve your nonsense when we’re good and ready. Until then, keep your pants on.