Pennsylvania’s universal face coverings mandate lifted statewide on Monday at 12:01 a.m. — ending a requirement that lasted 439 days.
The state Department of Health confirmed Friday that the mandate was set to end.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s goal of having 70% of Pennsylvanians fully vaccinated by the time the mandate ends didn’t go exactly as planned, with the numbers falling just short of the mark.
As of Friday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine tracker, 74.9% of Pennsylvanians 18 and older have received a first dose, and 59.4% are fully vaccinated.
The dramatic rise and subsequent fall in demand for masks can be tracked by business shifts at places like Gerbe’s Glass in Lawrenceville.
Bernadette Gerbe, the owner of Gerbe’s Glass, was one of many small business operators to switch over to mask making at the beginning of the pandemic. She recalls seeing people without face coverings walking along Butler Street from her windowside workspace in the early months of the pandemic when masks were hard to come by. She began making and handing out homemade masks to Doordashers and pedestrians for free.
“What I decided to do was move out my glass-making equipment and move in my sewing machines, which I had to clear a good bit of dust off,” Ms. Gerbe said. It wasn’t a money-making venture, but she felt a need to give back to her community and she wanted to stay busy.
After being featured in a 2020 Post-Gazette article, requests for her masks skyrocketed. She continued to give them out for almost three months during the height of the pandemic.
Now, Ms. Gerbe’s excited to get back in business — with or without masks, whichever her customers prefer.
“When people come in, I will say, ‘I’m vaccinated, but if you’re more comfortable with me wearing a mask, I’m happy to put one on.’ ”
Business operators can make their own policies on face covering requirements, but the Pennsylvania Department of Health continues to urge Pennsylvanians to schedule vaccination appointments.
“As we shift to wearing masks less often, it is important to remain resilient in the fight against COVID-19, just as we have done together over the last year and a half,” acting Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson said in the official announcement.
“The COVID-19 vaccines are the best tools we have to defeat COVID-19. Pennsylvanians are aware of this and have been getting vaccinated. If you have not already been vaccinated, there are plenty of options available near you. Getting as many Pennsylvanians vaccinated as possible will offer more protection against the virus for everyone and is the fastest and safest way for us to return to our normal activities.”
The CDC requires individuals to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within or out of the United States, as well as in U.S. transportation hubs, such as airports and stations. Those not vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask when in public.
All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to receive a vaccine and are encouraged to do so, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Those exposed to COVID-19 should still follow isolation procedures and other public health measures.
First Published: June 25, 2021, 7:19 p.m.
Updated: June 28, 2021, 9:28 a.m.
