Gov. Wolf, health officials want Pennsylvanians to stay home for the holidays

Dr. Carol Fox is worried about the holidays.

She watches the rising coronavirus caseload in Westmoreland County and keeps daily tabs on the numbers that are impacting Excela Health, where she is chief medical officer. As the toll from family visits over Thanksgiving becomes more clear, she said she is expecting Christmas to be “Thanksgiving on steroids.”

“It’s just important that we stand our ground and remain at home,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dave Peach is encouraging people to visit their families for Christmas through a sign in front of Peaches ’N Cream, his Hempfield ice cream stand on Route 30 — despite state and federal health officials recommending the opposite.

“It seems like we’re being told to isolate completely, and I don’t agree with that,” he said. “I don’t like this lack of social interaction. They can tell us how to be safe, but they can’t tell us how to live.”

Gov. Tom Wolf enacted several measures Dec. 10 meant to slow the virus’ spread — restrictions that will encompass the entire holiday season. His announcement came as the number of cases had increased steadily since mid-October, putting a strain on health care systems across Pennsylvania. Both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties have been setting new records with the number of cases in recent weeks since the pandemic hit locally in March.

In Allegheny, the overall positivity rate was 6.37% Nov. 1 compared to 10.37% Thursday, according to state health statistics. In Westmoreland, the rate was 7.02% Nov. 1 and 12.86% Thursday.

Allegheny remains under a stay-at-home advisory issued Nov. 18. Health department director Dr. Debra Bogen asked then that residents cancel travel plans ahead of Thanksgiving and refrain from gathering and having house guests or parties. Her recommendations remain the same.

On Nov. 17, state health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine instituted a requirement that anyone traveling into or returning to Pennsylvania must have a negative test within 72 hours. If not, a 14-day quarantine period must follow.

State officials are again asking citizens to find alternate ways to celebrate the holidays, said Nate Wardle, department of health spokesman.

“We know that one of the best parts of the holiday season is spending time with those we love, but this year, we must rethink what that looks like,” he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that holiday celebrations are restricted to those in the same household. If members of more than one household do gather, the agency suggests limiting time together, requiring the wearing of masks and spending time outside, if possible, among other recommendations. Avoiding travel and opting for virtual gatherings is a good way to steer clear of the virus, according to the CDC.

Hanukkah started Thursday and ends Dec. 18. Kwanzaa starts Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 1.

Fox said with Christmas falling on a Friday this year, it could be more appealing for family visits because of the longer weekend. Wanting to be together is understandable, but it also has the potential to send more sick patients to the area’s hospitals, further straining the health care system.

“The more that happens, the more difficult it is for us to get everything turned around,” she said.

Opting for a video visit or some other type of virtual gathering is much safer.

“It’s a very fickle disease,” Fox said of covid-19. “It’s very difficult to predict who’se going to have a very serious course and who’s going to do relatively well.”

State House Majority Leader Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin, asked Wolf in a statement to not “cancel Christmas.” Instead, let Pennsylvanians decide how to safely celebrate the holiday, he said.

“I appeal to each person in this commonwealth to follow common sense and listen to the advice of health care professionals to protect friends, loved ones, those in our communities who are most vulnerable, and those on the front line of this pandemic,” he said.