PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- The Wolf administration released new guidelines on Tuesday for indoor and outdoor gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The new limits are based on a percentage of capacity, rather than the flat 250-person outdoor limit and 25-person indoor limits that had been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge.
While a temporary stay was put in place, the governor has said the administration would work on some new guidance.
Indoors, for groups up to 2,000 people, the limit is 20%. For groups from 2,001 to 10,000 people, the limit is 15%. And for groups over 10,000, the limit is 10%, capped at 3,750 people.
For outdoor groups, there is a limit of 500 people allowed a space with a maximum capacity of 2,000 people; a limit of 2,000 people in a space with a maximum capacity of 10,000; and a cap of 7,500 people in a space that can accommodate 50,000 or more.
The governor’s office says these new limits are mandatory. Venues must still require 6-foot spacing, face coverings and hygiene stations, as well as traffic-control measures like timed entry, and multiple entry and exit points. And officials specify any gathering restrictions established by local authorities, such as in Philadelphia and State College, remain in effect.
This guidance does not apply to restaurants and bars. And churches and polling places are exempt.
It does apply to professional sports, except Philadelphia's limits on stadiums do remain in effect.
The administration says they’ll keep a close eye on coronavirus case counts and other data and, if necessary, they could roll back the limits.
Mike Reese, the Republican state representative who was sponsor of a House bill that would have allowed adjusted attendance numbers for school sports, which was eventually vetoed by the governor, said if the administration been more responsive, these rules could have and should have been addressed in August.