Local leaders offer guidance as Allegheny moves to reopen
Local leaders stressed individual and corporate responsibility as Allegheny County gears up for a partial reopening Friday following weeks of economic shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staggering shifts, limiting meeting sizes and continuing telework where possible were among the state guidelines that local congressional representatives, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Mayor Bill Peduto and local business leaders emphasized Tuesday during a virtual news conference.
As the county enters the yellow phase, the stay-athome order for residents will be lifted, although they must still follow federal and state guidelines for social distancing and limit gatherings to fewer than 25 people.
Gyms, spas, hair and nail salons, casinos, and theaters must remain closed, while restaurants can still only offer carry-out and delivery. Other businesses can resume in-person services, though companies that can telework must continue to do so.
Businesses that cannot telework must adhere to state Department of Health guidelines, including increased cleaning and disinfecting, establishing a plan in the case of a COVID-19 case among employees, limiting meetings to 10 or fewer employees and enforcing social distancing, among other criteria.
“We’re calling on employers to have their policies ready, get their workplaces ready,” said Darrin Kelly, president of the Allegheny/ Fayette Central Labor
Council, AFL-CIO. “I’m proud to say we’ve had very few complaints about some of our offices that have opened, or some of our construction sites.”
Business leaders touted the website ReadyPittsburgh.com launched by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development as a comprehensive resource about reopening “responsibly.”
Wearing masks and social distancing are signs of “strength and collaboration,” said Matt Smith, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the
Allegheny Conference. “Taking those individual actions you are actually helping your neighbors, you’re helping the most vulnerable among us, and you’re also helping the region maintain the economy move from this phase to being fully open.”
County officials “expect to see an increase in cases as people come together,” said Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen, “but we really want to keep that to a bare minimum.”
Dr. Bogen urged employers “to please tell your employees to stay home if they are sick,” continued to remind the public to call the county’s COVID-19 hotline at 888-856-2774 to find out about testing if they are experiencing symptoms.
“More testing is more business, and it’s going to mean a quicker economic recovery,” said Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon.
As for whether people are following the rules, the county is “really taking the approach that people are doing what they’re supposed to,” and limiting our “enforcement is really not where we want to put our focus,” Dr. Bogen said.
“A lot of this is going to be social pressure,” Mr. Fitzgerald said, comparing the rules to no-smoking ordinances that rarely involve law enforcement action.
Mr. Peduto said the city has given warnings and “we have been able to utilize different methods in order to be able to deter those that would go against the orders.” He warned that business licenses are issued by the state and could be in jeopardy if guidelines are not followed.
More changes to city operations are expected to be announced this week, including resuming trash collection of bulky items such as sofas and mattresses.
“[Refuse collectors] are human beings,” Mr. Peduto said. “... Even though you had the time to clean out the attic or the basement doesn’t mean it all has to go out on the sidewalk. Please be considerate and spread it out.”
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved the city’s emergency status for seven more days.