In two weeks, Pennsylvania’s economy will see a gradual reopening. Gov. Tom Wolf set May 8 as the target date for certain regions of the commonwealth to begin easing social distancing measures.
There will be three phases in the reopening process: red, yellow and green. Currently the state is operating in red phase, with only life-sustaining businesses operating. The administration says it will focus on north-central and north-west regions of the state where case counts of COVID-19 have been lower.
The yellow phase allows childcare facilities and some retailers to reopen in those areas, but K-12 schools and entertainment spaces will remain closed.
Under the green phase, most businesses will be open, but large gatherings will still be prohibited.
Helping explain the headlines this week:
- Bill O'Driscoll, arts and culture reporter
- Laura Benshoff, reporter for WHYY
- Chris Potter, government and accountability editor
As social distancing continues into the foreseeable future for the residents of southwestern Pennsylvania, one possible glimmer of hope emerged this week: The City of Pittsburgh is now accepting applications for lifeguards. There is no set date for pools to open, but the city wants to be ready if they're allowed to open this summer.
Pittsburgh Explainer is hosted by Liz Reid and produced by Katie Blackley. New episodes come out every Friday. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify.
