Carbon County will officially take the first step toward reopening following coronavirus restrictions on May 22.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Friday that Carbon would be among 12 new counties moving into the yellow reopening phase from red.

Local elected officials once again gave credit to county residents, as they did in a letter to the governor earlier this week encouraging him to reopen the county.

“Carbon County residents have done an extraordinary job of adhering to the governor’s stay-at-home order and social distancing protocols and not overwhelming our health systems. As we transition to the ‘yellow’ phase, Carbon County residents have proved that they will continue to act responsibly to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus in their communities,” said State Sen. John Yudichak, I-Luzerne/Carbon.

Under the yellow phase, stay at home orders are lifted, and gatherings of up to 25 people can take place. Child care centers and some nonessential businesses can reopen, as long as they continue to observe social distancing.

Restaurant dining rooms and bars are still closed, as well as barber shops and salons.

All surrounding counties, including Schuylkill, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton, remain under the red phase.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley said Carbon County has reached this point because residents have done an amazing job following social distancing guidelines. But he said those efforts have to continue in order so the state will lift more restrictions.

“Moving to the ‘yellow’ phase is just the next step in the process and does not mean we are returning to the way it was in March. We need to keep working together and respecting each other as we proceed to the ultimate goal of reaching the ‘green’ phase.”

The Carbon County Commissioners said they were pleased the governor agreed with the points they raised in their letter earlier this week.

The letter signed by the commissioners as well as Heffley, Yudichak and State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill/Carbon, pointed out that Carbon County met the state’s bench mark of fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 residents in the previous 14 days. They also expressed confidence that the county has sufficient protective equipment, medical resources and testing capacity.

The commissioners’ statement Friday said that Wolf’s decision recognizes “the many weeks that our citizens and businesses sacrificed personal freedom for the greater good, endured financial hardship, and firmly adhered to recommended protocols.”

The commissioners said they’ll coordinate meetings with the business, tourism and local government leaders to help restart the local economy and make sure that Carbon doesn’t fall from yellow back to red.

“With the transition comes increased responsibility to ensure Carbon does not backslide, and the county implements a locally planned and guided strategy to safely and responsibly reopen Carbon and importantly reboot our local economy.”

The Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation said it’s good news for many businesses in the county, while others await their turn to reopen.

“It shows we are moving forward. We knew that Carbon County, our numbers were good,” said Kathy Henderson, economic development director for CCEDC.

CCEDC continues to work with businesses who have been affected by the shutdown.

Henderson said she thinks that the county’s reopening will lead to more visitors returning from out of the area, underscoring the need to continue social distancing efforts.

“You just have to stay cautious, stay vigilant,” she said.

State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill, had a mixed reaction to the news. The governor did not move Schuylkill County to yellow, despite a coordinated effort from local officials and health networks. But he was happy for his constituents in Summit Hill, Carbon County.

This week on the house floor Knowles said Schuylkill County residents want to reopen.

“We are hearing from them, we want to open up, we want to open up safely,” he said.