Governor Wolf has extended the stay-at-home order to June 4 for areas in the red phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Delaware County and the surrounding counties.

The extension continues the same order and conditions announced April 1.

Only essential businesses can operate and residents are asked to stay home unless travel is essential.

Details on the extended order can be found here.

Delaware County officials are continuing to look for ways to meet the state criteria so the county can safely reopen more quickly.

Delaware County Council has asked the governor’s office to measure progress using separate metrics for new cases in nursing homes vs. new cases in the rest of the community.

This would make it easier to understand where progress is being made and where precise and effective responses need to happen.

So far, the state has refused that request, arguing that nursing home staff also contribute to community statistics since they come and go from the nursing homes.

There’s also been requests to the state for more testing in the region.

According to local and national public health experts, higher levels of community testing, including those without symptoms who are unknowingly spreading the virus combined with a more robust contact tracing system would make it easier to identify where the virus exists and to isolate it.

That could help prevent returning to a state of shutdown.

The County has also been working to support the local business community with an investment of $1.75 million in the Delco Strong Small Business Support Program. A second round of business support is being planned.