The majority of counties in Pennsylvania are no longer experiencing high levels of COVID-19 in the community, according to an update from the Centers for Disease Control Thursday.
In central and northern Pennsylvania, Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Elk Counties have medium levels while most other counties are in the low level. The CDC determines these rankings using a combination of three metrics, which include new COVID-19 admissions, percentage of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the past 7 days.
The CDC says this means an ease to the masking guidelines for those counties. In counties where COVID-19 community levels are low or medium, people can choose whether to mask or not in public indoor spaces. But the agency says those with COVID-19 symptoms, a positive test, or who have been exposed should still wear a mask. At any level, it’s recommended that people should get tested if they have COVID symptoms.
With this change, Penn State announced Friday that beginning Monday, March 7, the university will no longer require face masks be worn in many indoor common spaces on all Penn State campuses except for the College of Medicine and the Schuylkill campus, which is still in a high transmission county.
“The masking requirement will remain in effect in classrooms, labs and other academic and creative spaces on all campuses, regardless of CDC COVID-19 Community Level designation, due to high-density congregation,” the announcement said. The university will reinstate indoor masking requirements if necessary.
COVID-19 positivity rate dropped dramatically from 13% during the week of December 27 to 1.1% so far in the week of February 28 on the University Park campus, according to Penn State’s COVID-19 dashboard. Nearly 92% of students and more than 86% of employees are vaccinated.
The step down in COVID-19 community level in Centre County also meant the repeal of the temporary emergency masking ordinance in the State College Borough, according to the borough. The ordinance has been in effect since January 10 and included a provision that it would end when the COVID transmission rate in Centre County drops below the “substantial” spread threshold.
Patton Township passed a similar ordinance on January 20 with the same provision and was the only other municipality in Centre County to do so. The township also announced Friday that its ordinance was no longer in effect.
Eight Pennsylvania counties including Mifflin and Huntingdon remain in the high COVID-19 community levels.
