Westmoreland County under stay-at-home order as confirmed coronavirus cases grow

Westmoreland County residents have been ordered to stay at home.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced an additional nine Pennsylvania counties will be under restrictions as part of the state’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The new order, which is in effect from 8 p.m. Friday through April 6, also applies to Berks, Butler, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne and York counties. In all, 19 of the state’s 67 counties have now been placed on lockdown by the governor, who previously announced stay-at-home orders for Allegheny and Erie counties in the western part of the state as well as eastern counties, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia.

The state Department of Health reported on Friday that Westmoreland County has 30 positive tests for coronavirus, up six in a day. The first two positive coronavirus cases were reported in the county on March 19.

“We’re just following what the governor says. It’s really essential employees they want going out. Unless you have to be out, they do not want you outside,” said Westmoreland Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes, who said the decision to impose the order came from the governor’s office and was not requested by local officials.

Westmoreland County government will continue to operate with a reduced staff. Commissioners announced about 450 government employees would be furloughed starting April 4.

Kertes said county parks will remain open for walking, but playground equipment will be cordoned off during the ordered lockdown.

Roland “Bud” Mertz, the Westmoreland’s public safety director, said he welcomes Wolf’s decision.

“It’s part of the process of mitigating the spread of disease and it will help me,” Mertz said. “The biggest problem is, people don’t obey these orders — and that puts the ambulance systems and the hospitals at risk of being incapable to keep up with this.

“Look at Europe, look at New York, and look at southeastern Pennsylvania. Let’s use some common sense. The fact is social distancing works.”

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Friday that the stay-at-home decision is made based on tracking the number of cases across the state.

“We know which counties those increases are in, and as those numbers increase to significant levels and we have evidence of community spread, then we discuss that with (the governor),” she said. “In those new counties, we were seeing those trends.”

The order mandated that people may leave their residence only to perform any of the following allowable activities and allowable essential travel:

• Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, or the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets) such as obtaining medicine or medical supplies, visiting a health care professional or obtaining supplies they need to work from home.

• Getting necessary services of supplies for themselves, for their family or household members, or as part of volunteer efforts, or to deliver those services or supplies to others to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences.

• Engaging in outdoor activity such as walking, hiking or running if they maintain social distancing.

• To perform work providing essential products and services at a life-sustaining business

• To care for a family member or pet in another household

• Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities or other vulnerable persons

• Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services

• Travel to return to a place or residence from an outside jurisdiction

• Travel required by law enforcement or court order

• Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the commonwealth.