Pennsylvania Joins New York, New Jersey and Connecticut's Regional Coalition to Combat COVID-19

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New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont on Wednesday announced Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is joining their coalition to implement a regional approach to combatting COVID-19.

The four governors announced indoor portions of retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys in the four states will close by 8 PM Thursday - an expansion of the guidance that the three governors from the tri-state area issued Monday.

The guidance issued Monday - which Pennsylvania also adopted - limits crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people. The governors also announced restaurants and bars would close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. The governors also temporarily closed movie theaters, gyms and casinos.

"We are doing everything we can as states to reduce density and contain the spread of the virus," Governor Cuomo said. "It is critical that we remain on the same page as our neighboring states, and so far we are the only region in the country partnering to create uniform, regional density reduction policies that prevent 'state shopping.' We will continue working together to update our regulations and guidance as the situation evolves while keeping a consistent standard across the region."

Governor Murphy said, "Given the population density of the Northeast, a coordinated response effort to encourage social distancing benefits all of our residents and strengthens our greater regional preparedness. By working together to identify and enact these measures, we can potentially slow the spread of coronavirus and save thousands of lives."

Governor Lamont said, "This is a fast moving and quickly evolving public health emergency, and making these kinds of important decisions as a region makes more sense than a patchwork approach. We will combat this virus by working together and remaining consistent across our borders and I'm proud to work with my fellow governors in this effort."

Governor Wolf said, "Pennsylvania is working aggressively to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. A regional approach to this threat is smart, and I am grateful for all of the work by my colleagues in neighboring states. Joining these leaders will help Pennsylvania mitigate the spread of COVID-19 with a coordinated approach."

Businesses and individuals in Pennsylvania should continue to refer to the Wolf administration's existing guidance for detailed closure information and other recommendations.