Pennsylvania restaurants and bars see some COVID-19 restrictions lifted on Easter Sunday outside of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) – As of Easter Sunday, more business capacity and event limits have been expanded in Pennsylvania and long-standing coronavirus restrictions on bar service have been removed, except in Philadelphia.

Starting April 4, guests will be able to re-assemble at the bar and receive alcohol service without buying food in Pennsylvania.

The capacity of bars and restaurants rises to 75% from 50% in self-certified establishments, although guests will still have to be six feet apart. Restaurants that do not self-certify can increase capacity by up to 50 percent.

Gyms, malls and casinos will also be allowed to increase capacity by up to 75%.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel if we follow safety guidelines and get vaccinated,” Gov. Tom Wolf said Sunday.

An outdoor enclosure of 50% is allowed. Covered events, such as concerts and sporting events, will be restricted to 25% of capacity.

SEE ALSO: Philadelphia will not adopt relaxed Pennsylvania COVID-19 restrictions on April 4, according to health commissioner

Governor Wolf announced the list of changes on March 15th.

Days later, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said that due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the city will not follow the rest of the state by adopting relaxed restrictions on 4 of April.

“We believe these changes, if we adopt them here in the city of Philadelphia, could further increase the rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths,” Farley said.

Therefore, for Philadelphia restaurants, it remains that if they meet ventilation standards, they can eat indoors at 50% capacity. If they don’t, they can eat indoors with 25% capacity.

Farley said that as of April 4, the city will allow it to expand the maximum capacity of outdoor dining events to 250 people, with some restrictions. The Department of Public Health strongly encourages people over the age of 65 to get fully vaccinated before attending one of these events.

The city will also allow food to be served at business meetings.

Throughout April, Farley said he will review local trends in cases, hospitalizations and deaths to gauge whether it is safe to loosen restrictions further and move closer in line with state guidelines. If that happens, the city will announce the changes before April 30, so companies can plan the updated guide.

Meanwhile, attendance at Citizens Bank Park was allowed to increase Sunday for the Philadelphia Phillies ’third game of the season.

The Phillies are playing “in front of the biggest crowd of the season so far,” radio broadcaster Scott Franzke said.

Franzke said CBP was allowed to increase the occupancy limit from 20% to 25%.

This means that the maximum capacity is now up to 11,000.

“If you are familiar with the settings of Citizens Bank Park, if you think about the Hall of Fame level, level 200, level 300, all in the right corner of the field, both left and right of the stick , these sections have been emptied the first two games, but are now loaded, “Franzke said. “Viouslybviament, social distance seats.”

Phillies TV broadcaster Tom McCarthy would also confirm updated attendance later in the game.

Official attendance at Sunday’s game was 10,773.

The Phillies sent the following statement to Action News:
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania raised the maximum occupancy limits for outdoor events to 50% as of today. The city of Philadelphia does not match the state level, but it has allowed us to increase our maximum capacity from 20% to 25% (8,800 to 11,000).

The following is a list of changes in effect in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia:

RESTAURANTS:

-Restaurants can resume bar service;

-Alcohol service will be authorized without the purchase of food;

-The curfew will be lifted to remove alcoholic beverages from the tables;

-Interior dining capacity will rise to 75 percent for restaurants that are currently self-certified and those that undergo the self-certification process, which involves agreeing to strictly comply with all public safety guidelines and orders, including protocols. cleaning and mitigation. and other operational requirements included in the mitigation and enforcement orders of the governor and health secretary issued on November 23, 2020, as amended.

-Restaurants that do not self-certify can increase capacity by up to 50 percent.

– It is still recommended to eat outdoors, pick up on the sidewalk and take away food.

-Requirements such as the use of masks and social distancing, including 6 feet between diners, also still apply.

OTHER BUSINESS

-Capacity for other companies will also increase from April 4, including personal service facilities, gyms and entertainment facilities (casinos, theaters, shopping centers) up to 75% of occupation.

EVENTS:
-Maximum occupancy limits for indoor events to allow 25% of maximum occupancy, regardless of room size;

-Maximum occupancy limits for outdoor events to allow 50% of maximum occupancy, regardless of venue size.

-Maximum occupancy is only allowed if attendees and workers are able to meet the 6-foot physical distance requirement.

“Pennsylvanians have stepped up and helped curb the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Wolf said in a statement. “Our case counts continue to fall, hospitalizations decrease and the percentage of positivity decreases every week, all a very positive sign. The number of people vaccinated increases daily and we see light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time to allow our restaurants, bars and other service companies return to more normal operations “.

Wolf also urged everyone to continue wearing masks, to stay socially distant and to follow safety orders.

“We have come so far and now is not the time to stop the security measures we have in place to protect ourselves, our families and our communities,” Governor Wolf said. “Keep wearing a mask, social distancing, and please get vaccinated when it’s your turn.”

SEE ALSO: Pennsylvania will decide to relax COVID-19 restrictions on April 4

The Associated Press contributed to this report