State officials are counting on Pennsylvania residents to “do the right thing” and wear masks in public and in businesses, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine reiterated in her daily briefing Tuesday.
“We strongly feel masks are an important part of social distancing,” Levine said.
She was asked about people who refuse to wear masks.
“The governor has said over and over again (that) we expect Pennsylvanians to do the right thing,” Levine said. “The right thing to do, if you are going to be in contact with other people, is wear a mask.”
Following the guidelines on the health department’s website, masks are suggested, but not required in public, but are required inside businesses by employees and members of the public.
Levine didn’t provide much clarity. When asked, she did not comment on whether people can be refused service in a business for not wearing a mask. However, the state’s guidelines to businesses, which are available on the health department’s website, indicate that masks are required by employees and members of the public, and enforcement information is given as well, indicating members of law enforcement could be asked to intervene if necessary.
She was asked, too, about businesses in counties that aren’t moving to the yellow phase on Friday, but still plan to open in defiance of the state’s order. Levine said law enforcement in those areas will be monitoring the situation.
Scientists say models show that opening counties now may cause a big jump in positive cases of the virus, a fact which Levine said is concerning.
“It shows the risk of going too fast in reopening,” she said. “That shows the benefit of moving in a careful fashion.”
As of Tuesday, the health department reported there were 865 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 50,957.
Cameron County is reporting an additional case, bringing the total to 2. McKean County has six cases, and Potter and Elk counties each have four.
The statewide total is 3,012 deaths in Pennsylvania.
Of the total number of cases, 3,204 were in health care workers; 2,032 in workers within the food industry in 120 processing facilities statewide; and 9,625 among residents of 495 long-term care facilities.
A total of 2,583 patients were hospitalized as of Tuesday, 542 of which required the use of a ventilator. Statewide, 46 percent of hospital beds, 40 percent of ICU beds and nearly 75 percent of the total number of ventilators were still available, Levine said.
