Masks no longer required for vaccinated staff, visitors at Westmoreland courthouse

Westmoreland officials on Friday said anyone who is fully vaccinated against coronavirus will no longer be required to wear masks at the courthouse and in most other government buildings.

“We are all looking forward to getting back to normal,” county Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher said.

According to a memo released by the county’s human resources department, the updated policy mirrors guidelines announced Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and adopted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Mask-wearing at the courthouse has been in place since last spring following the mandate issued by Gov. Tom Wolf as virus cases continued to surge in Pennsylvania.

Masks, even for those vaccinated, still will be required at Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home, and the county jail, both in Hempfield.

County human resources director Alexis Bevan said court officials will determine their own guidelines with regards to mask-wearing and social distancing in courtrooms. Court administrator Amy DeMatt could not be reached for comment.

The county on Friday recorded 40 additional covid cases — more than Thursday’s 36 — but still few enough to drop the seven-day average to 53. That’s the lowest since Oct. 9.

There have been 33,547 covid cases reported in the county since the start of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, courthouse employees and officials who work there have struggled with the illness. All three county commissioners contracted the virus, and vote counting was slowed last November when the virus spread among staff and volunteers in the elections office.

At various times during the past year, county offices were closed to help combat outbreaks. The controller’s office was closed for several days in early March because of a wave of virus cases.

For months, the county required temperature screenings upon entering to the courthouse. Those were halted earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the number of county residents who received vaccinations continues to grow. According to the state health department, 160,765 people (44%) in the county have received at least one dose of covid-19 vaccine while 123,905 (33.9%) are completely vaccinated.