Dauphin County will not yet enter the yellow phase of Governor Tom Wolf’s coronavirus reopening plan, even though neighboring counties like Cumberland and York are among the 12 new that are allowed to do so next Friday.
Dauphin County Commissioners Jeff Haste and Mike Pries responded to the news in frustration, with Haste calling it “political payback.”
Here’s everything we know about why Dauphin is stuck in the red phase, otherwise known as the full stay-at-home order.
Who turns yellow next week?
The twelve counties are: Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne and York.
Why is Dauphin County not one of them?
According to Department of Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine, the county has yet to meet the state’s criteria to do so.
For reference, Levine had said earlier in a Friday afternoon press conference that Beaver County had been selected for progress because it has seen a drop in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 14 days. .
“The same metrics we looked at in terms of Beaver County, which had declining infection rates, did not show positive results in terms of Dauphin County,” Levine said. “Dauphin County still has significant infection rates, as well as evidence of community transmission and spread of COVID-19.
“In fact, over the past week the numbers have increased somewhat, so Dauphin County was not in a position, in terms of the spread of this dangerous virus, to turn from red to yellow.”
What did the Dauphin County Commissioners say, and what about the numbers?
As explained above, two of them disagreed with the decision, even after having decided not to move their county to the yellow phase without Wolf’s permission earlier this week.
“The governor’s decision today to keep Dauphin, Lebanon and Lancaster counties closed while neighboring counties begin to reopen is nothing more than a return on political investment,” Haste said in a statement Friday.
“Rather than listening to the people of Pennsylvania, he pits groups of people against each other and publishes misleading data to support his cause. Hundreds of residents and business owners have told us the time to reopen is now. “
Wolf was actually asked on Friday whether or not politics played a role in his decisions to reopen Beaver County.
“These are not political decisions,” he said. “Again, I’m trying, we’re all trying to protect people, and like Dr. Levine just said, we’re looking at the data, and Beaver County is doing a lot better, which means we think it’s doing it. virus is less likely this week than last week to actually infect people.
“That’s what drives these decisions all over Pennsylvania. Politics has nothing to do with this. “
The Commissioners also provided the following information to support their argument in a press release:
Cumberland tested 3,094. Of that total, 477, or 15 percent, tested positive. A total of 2,617, or 85 percent, tested negative.
Dauphin County has tested 7,594. Of that total, 895, or 12 percent, tested positive. A total of 6,699, 88%, tested negative – three points better than Cumberland County.
“Based on these numbers, Dauphin County has performed two and a half times more testing than Cumberland County and, it seems, is being punished for it,” Haste said.
Here’s a breakdown of the fans available, according to the DOH:
- Cumberland County total of 80.
- 7 or 9 percent of them are used for COVID-19.
- 21, or 26%, for non-COVID-19. 52, or 64 percent, are available.
- Total Dauphin County of 140.
- 3, or 2% of them, are used for COVID-19.
- 53, or 38%, are not COVID-19.
- 84, or 60 percent, are available. “
The priests said:
“Looking at these numbers, it is obvious that our health care system is not overwhelmed. “Why keep local businesses closed when thousands of people a day cram into big box stores? We have flattened the curve and want to reopen our county in a gradual and safe way that balances public health with the economy.”
The Wolf administration said a number of criteria go into its reopening decisions, including having fewer than 50 confirmed cases per 100,000 population over a 14-day period, availability of testing and a multitude of hospital resources.
Although Commissioners’ figures suggest that parts of the criteria may have been met, Dauphin County is currently not close to reaching the threshold for the number of cases; As of Friday, it averaged 111.8 cases per 100,000 population, according to PennLive calculations.
By comparison, two of the approved counties, Beaver (54.9 per 100,000) and Cumberland (56.4), don’t quite hit the number of cases either, but are much closer. You can see the full county breakdown as of Friday May 15 below. Can’t see the integration? Click here.
So, could Dauphin County leave the next time Wolf announces a wave of counties that will turn yellow? There are only 18 to do
“It’s hard for me to predict when a county will be ready,” Levine said. “I think what the public can do is follow all the guidelines the governor outlined today. Please stay home unless you have to go out for essential business, if you have to go to the grocery store. , sure, and get food or the pharmacy and get medicine, but if not, please stay home.If you go out, then please practice social distancing, please wear a mask. As we have always said, my mask protects you, your mask protects me, and if we all wear masks and the community itself is protected.
“The weather has been much better. If you are going out and going to see other people, or there is even the possibility that you will see other people, please wear a mask, and therefore we must all do everything we can to prevent the spread of this. virus in all of our regions and in Dauphin County. “
What if businesses in Dauphin County reopen anyway?
Well it depends.
District Attorney Fran Chardo and Sheriff Nick Chimienti have publicly stated that they will not enforce Wolf’s non-vital business closure order, but the government has repeatedly stated that businesses that open without his permission could risk fines, loss of business licenses and insurance issues.
And now?
The stay-at-home order remains in effect for another week in Dauphin County, and, of course, keeps most businesses closed and only allows vital travel.
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