Getting ‘ready to rock’ as Pa. announces end to restrictions

For Will Beekman, General Manager for ASM Global at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Tuesday felt like Christmas morning.

That’s because Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration, in coordination with the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, announced Tuesday that virus mitigation orders — except masking — will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, at 12:01 a.m.

“This is the news that we have been waiting for, and we are ready to finally put this mess behind us,” Beekman said. Our calendar for the second half of the year is full of potential shows that can now hopefully come to fruition.”

The move promises to restore something approaching normalcy to the state more than a year into the pandemic and just in time for summer.

Capacity restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses, as well as indoor and outdoor event gathering limits, will go away on May 31, meaning concert halls, sports stadiums and wedding venues could soon be packed for the first time since early 2020.

The state’s mask mandate will remain in place, but even that could be dropped — if enough people get vaccinated, Health Department officials said.

‘Significant progress’

The announcement arrived with little fanfare, via news release, even as Gov. Tom Wolf planned to sweep aside pandemic measures he imposed last year to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 1.2 million and killed more than 26,000 statewide.

Officials said the time was right to lift nearly all restrictions. The latest wave of infections and hospitalizations has started to ebb, and more than 50% of the state’s population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

“We continue to make significant progress in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 and as more Pennsylvania adults get vaccinated and guidance from the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) evolves, we can continue to move forward with our reopening efforts,” Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said in the statement.

The Health Department said an order requiring people to wear masks in public will be lifted once 70% of Pennsylvanians aged 18 and older are fully vaccinated. That percentage stood at nearly 42% on Tuesday, according to federal data, while 63% of those 18 and older had at least one dose.

Pennsylvania revised its masking order last week to bring it in line with new federal recommendations that say fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear them outside anymore unless they’re at a crowded event.

The Health Department said that municipalities and school districts can continue to impose their own restrictions.

Hospitality, sports

Tuesday’s announcement promised relief for the state’s beleaguered restaurant industry, which has complained for months about capacity restrictions.

“The definitive timeline will allow owners and operators time to plan, but for far too many businesses who shuttered over the last few months, this announcement is too late,” said John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association.

The Flyers and Sixers said in a joint statement that even though they are subject to the city restrictions, they expect to have a “full arena later this year for … games, concerts, and events, and we’re extremely confident in the health and safety measures we’ve put in place.”

Elsewhere, Pocono Raceway immediately invited fans to fill the stands at its NASCAR doubleheader next month, while Pittsburgh Pirates President Travis Williams lauded the “existing and welcomed news” and said the team would have more to say in coming days.

Likewise, the entertainment sector is gearing up for a return to activity.

As Beekman so adeptly put it, “It’s been a long intermission, but we are once again ready to rock!”

Beekman said not only is this a great thing for Mohegan Sun Arena, but it’s a great thing for the community, restaurants and hotels, and for all businesses.

“I think the concert floodgates are about to burst open, and I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

Lawmakers react

State Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, said as Gov. Tom Wolf moves to lift the Department of Health’s COVID-19 mitigation orders, he applauds the toughness of our health care heroes who worked to keep the public safe.

“And I salute the resilience of our essential workers who worked to keep food on our tables throughout the pandemic,” Yudichak said. “I am proud of every Pennsylvanian who stepped up to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus on our community and our most vulnerable citizens. I look forward to getting Pennsylvanians safely back to work, our children back in the classroom, and getting our economy growing again.”

Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township, said he was extremely pleased to see the restrictions rolled back.

“This would not have been possible without millions of our neighbors getting vaccinated,” Mullery said. “But, we have not reached the finish line and will not truly return to normal until all those eligible are vaccinated.”

Mullery said the sooner those remaining are vaccinated, the sooner the last of the restrictions will be lifted.

“I strongly urge all those eligible to get vaccinated,” he said.

Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, said the lifting of restrictions will certainly be good news for workers and employers who have been struggling under the restrictions, as well as for families who have had difficulty in juggling work and child raising responsibilities.

“But it does not negate the fact that we need to continue to look for ways that the state can help our communities recover from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Baker said. “We must work together to safeguard the health of our residents, while also restoring economic stability to our region.”

Baker cautioned that a lot of effort and key decisions must be made before the economy approaches any level of normalcy.

“Reports are coming from across Pennsylvania of operations slowing or closing because employers are unable to find enough workers willing or able to fill necessary positions,” Baker said. “We need to continue efforts toward widespread vaccination for those who want it, so that variants of COVID do not produce a surge.”

Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, said she is constantly communicating and touching base with constituents throughout her district.

“With the weather becoming more conducive for outdoor activities, and the amount of vaccines that are now available and being distributed across the Commonwealth, people feel more comfortable with certain restrictions being lifted,” Boback said. “I have also spoken to individuals who are anxious about proceeding too quickly while trying to get everything ‘back to normal.’ This directive allows us to progressively move forward and plan accordingly.”

Michael Rubinkam, of The Associated Press, contributed to this report.