Six Northumberland County lawmakers recently sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf, requesting the county transition to the green phase of the governor’s three-phase re-opening plan.
Snyder and Montour counties began transitioning to the green phase on May 29. The re-opening of these counties will negatively impact businesses in Northumberland County because it will create movement between counties, the letter said.
“Northumberland County has met the requirement of your original stay-at-home order, which was to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak and allow hospitals the time to gear up for COVID-19 patients being admitted to the ICU and in need of ventilators,” the letter said. “The residents of Northumberland County have heeded your instructions to practice social distancing and other mitigation efforts, and as a result, our local healthcare facilities do not lack the
capacity to effectively treat these patients going forward. Both PPE supply and the availability of COVID-19 tests have increased since mid-March. These factors have provided our local healthcare facilities with the confidence to address any upcoming concerns as Northumberland County moves to the Green Phase.”
The letter was signed by Northumberland County Commissioners Samuel Schiccatano, Joseph Klebon, and Kymberly Best, state Reps. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Northumberland/Snyder) and Kurt Masser (R-Northumberland/Columbia/Montour); and Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia/Luzerne/Montour/Northumberland/Snyder).