Stay-at-home order extended to May 8; some business to resume

After extending the state’s stay-at-home order through May 8, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced his first steps towards reopening Pennsylvania businesses.

Starting May 8, the governor said public and private construction projects in the state will resume using social distancing standards.

Online sales of vehicles will be allowed with the signing of Senate Bill 841, which allows for the state’s notaries to perform remote online notarizations to complete the auto sales.

The state has already started curbside pickup of wine and spirits at select Fine Wine & Good Spirits Shops.

The curbside sales at the state-run liquor stores will serve as a guide to determine whether other non-life-sustaining businesses may be able to resume limited operations through curbside pickup.

“I want to caution that we will not be resuming operations as they were in February,” Wolf said. “We’re going to continue to take precautions that limit our physical contact with others, and we will closely monitor this to see if it can be done safely.”

Wolf said the reopening industries will be closely observed to ensure that they do not result in a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.

If that happens he said would use his authority under the emergency disaster declaration to resume restrictions to protect public health and safety.