A coronavirus task force made up of Schuylkill County’s top elected officials has asked Governor Wolf to consider lifting some restrictions on the county’s residents and businesses.

The Schuylkill County Response, Recovery and Renewal Task Force sent a letter to Wolf on Friday requesting that the county be moved into the “yellow” reopening phase from the current “red” status.

Among the signees on the letter are Congressman Dan Meuser, State Sen. David Argall, three state representatives, all three county commissioners, and the heads of the county’s three hospitals.

“Due in part to our low population density, Schuylkill County has fortunately never seen a large spike in Covid-19 cases,” the letter reads. “Weeks ago saw the county-wide adoption of Secretary Levine’s guidelines so our nursing homes, personal care and assisted living facilities have had few cases of the virus and there have been absolutely zero positive cases in our two state and one county correctional facilities. We are taking responsibility for our own safety each and every day.”

On Friday, 24 counties in the Northwest and Northcentral regions of the state were the first to move to the yellow phase. Wolf also announced that 15 more counties in the western part of the state would reopen May 15.

He also announced an executive order stating that the 30 counties still in the “red” phase will remain under stay at home orders until June 4.

Under the yellow phase, the stay at home order is lifted, gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed and child care centers can open if they comply with guidance from the state. Restaurants and bars would still be limited to carry out only.

Schools remain closed and visits to prisons and senior centers are still in place.

In response to the governor’s announcement, Republican legislative leaders urged him to let counties in the “red” phase reopen sooner than later.

“The counties fortunate enough to be deemed ‘yellow’ today, despite meeting the newly formed guidelines weeks ago, will only now start the pathway to recovering from an economic disaster they could have avoided if given the opportunity sooner. Meanwhile, residents in ‘red’ counties continue to suffer under the plague of not just a pandemic, but a state unemployment system that is cracking under immense pressure,” the House Republican Caucus said in a statement.

As of Friday, the Department of Health reported that Schuylkill County had eight new coronavirus cases and a total of 430. Four deaths were reported, bringing the county’s total to 13.

The RRR task force’s letter says that the three healthy systems serving the county have the resources in place including PPE, hospital beds and ventilators. Schuylkill County is served by Geisinger, Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke’s University Health Network,They add that all those health systems are beginning elective procedures this week, with testing required before treatment.

In addition to the commissioners, legislators, and health networks, task force members include representatives from Schuylkill County’s Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation, IU 29, Emergency Management Agency, Association of Townships, Borough Association, the City of Pottsville, United Way, and Office of Senior Services.

The task force said that by bringing together business, government and nonprofits, they are set up to provide guidance for reopening the county and providing PPE to those who need it.

George Halcovage, chairman of the Schuylkill County Commissioners, said the county is and has been ready to get back to business.

“Our leadership and task force representing all sectors of our county have a plan in place to open back up safely, utilizing all of the CDC and Department of Health guidelines. We owe this to our citizens,” he said.

The County’s Chamber of Commerce said its members are frustrated.

“The businesses and nonprofits have been patient and cooperative with the Commonwealth of PA guidelines and have followed all the CDC and State Department of Health directives. But to continue in this manner, with no stated logic and methodology of what more can be done, no targets set to reopen, and the continued call for patience, simply is untenable to the broader business community.”

Wolf did not publicly respond to the task force’s letter Friday night. Earlier Friday afternoon, he said he understood the frustration of counties and businesses under stay at home orders that want to be moved to the yellow phase.

Wolf said that frustration should be directed at the virus, not the regulations, and that his administration’s decisions are designed with the goal of keeping residents safe.

“I would like to be open all across Pennsylvania. I would like to go back to where we were in January, but we can’t. We have this virus that’s standing between us and that preferred outcome,” he said.