by PublicSource reporters
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said Wednesday he anticipates new, “obviously” needed COVID-19 mitigation efforts to be announced by the state Thursday.
He said he had expected to be discussing those efforts during the county’s Wednesday press briefing. When asked by reporters if residents should expect a full shutdown, Fitzgerald said that won’t happen, saying residents should expect a series of specific, carefully chosen restrictions.
He commented on Gov. Tom Wolf’s positive test result for COVID-19 and wished him a speedy recovery. He reiterated Wolf’s message that this news shows how even the most careful among us can still contract this virus.
“I know this governor. One thing about this governor is he’s a stickler for rules and following protocols and listening to medical advice,” Fitzgerald said. “But this virus can spread so easily that we all need to continue to do all of our best efforts to do everything we can to prevent the spread.”
Wolf tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday during a routine test, according to a state press release. He has no symptoms and continues to work from home. On Thursday, his wife Frances announced that she has tested negative and continues to quarantine at home.
“As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no one is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease,” Wolf said in a Wednesday press release, “and so I ask all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, socially distance yourself from those not in your household, and, most of all, take care of each other and stay safe.”
Earlier in the week, when reporters asked about the “red, yellow, green” system the state used toward the beginning of the pandemic, Wolf noted that such a system would not be appropriate at this stage in the pandemic.
“What I’ve been saying all along is, we are doing everything in our power to avoid going back to where we were in March and April,” Wolf said. “I think the ‘red, yellow, green’ was a blunt instrument, and it was something we had to do back then because we needed to buy time to make sure the healthcare system is not overwhelmed. There was no vaccine on the horizon at that point. We didn’t know much at all about COVID-19.”
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