HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Wolf administration says it has no plans to pursue another COVID-19 emergency declaration, or attempt new statewide mitigation measures or vaccine mandates in response to the omicron variant.
The highly contagious strain of the coronavirus is spreading quickly and overloading Pennsylvania hospitals. Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter says the state is “not considering further mitigation at this time,” but is moving to support hospitals hit by staffing shortages and a wave of COVID-19 patients.
Gov. Tom Wolf told KDKA-AM radio in Pittsburgh vaccines are his administration’s primary strategy for fighting COVID-19.
“We can can live lives a lot more freely than we could before and we don’t have to make the same harsh decisions we did two years ago. So we’re in a different place,” Wolf said.
She said the administration is working to boost hospital staffing and beds in time for an expected February peak in hospitalizations.