PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Even as COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia and its suburbs are much lower than the surge seen in the spring, the number of new infections is ticking upward — and faster than in other parts of Pennsylvania.
But Gov. Tom Wolf said he has no plans to order a return to mask-wearing indoors across the commonwealth.
"I'm not considering any statewide mandate," Wolf said Tuesday on KYW Newsradio sister station KDKA in Pittsburgh. "We did a masking mandate back when we didn't have a vaccine, and back in the early days, but we're not there now."
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Wolf said the statewide push for vaccinations, rather than mask-wearing, has proven effective.
"The strategy in Pennsylvania has been the vaccine. If you want to protect yourself, get the vaccine," Wolf said. "The vaccine strategy has worked."
About 65% of people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That's higher than the national average and tied for 7th among all 50 states, according to the New York Times.
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Wolf spoke about the possibility of mandating that health care workers get the COVID-19 vaccine. At this point, he said providers can make their own decisions.
"I understand companies, especially health care institutions, are thinking about [a mask mandate]. They're free to do that," Wolf said.
"Each health care system has to make up their own mind, but I understand the concerns health care workers have. Those who have been vaccinated are concerned about those who haven't been. Those who haven't been vaccinated are probably concerned about having to get it."
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