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DALLAS &mdash; Citing fewer COVID-19 cases and demographics, Sen. Lisa Baker and Rep. Karen Boback Thursday teamed with other elected officials to ask Gov. Tom Wolf to reclassify Susquehanna and Wyoming counties under his plan to reopen the state.
				Baker, R-Lehman Township, and Boback, R-Harveys Lake, joined Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), Rep. Jonathan Fritz (R-111), and Rep. Tina Pickett (R-110) to sign a letter to the governor requesting that Susquehanna and Wyoming counties be moved to the north-central region, rather than their current designation within the northeast region.
				&ldquo;Science and common sense are critical in the decision making,&rdquo; the legislators said in their letter to Wolf. &ldquo;If counties such as Susquehanna and Wyoming, which have a relatively low number of coronavirus cases and few concentrations of population, are judged simply in terms of proximity to more populous counties, it will be a matter of injustice.
				&ldquo;Longstanding partnerships and collaborations established as a result of numerous demographic similarities would prove useful during various stages of recovery and for multiple community sectors. Health care systems in both counties also bolster hospital capacity in the northern tier.&rdquo;
				Last week, the Wolf Administration announced that it will utilize a three-phase matrix to determine when counties or regions are ready to begin easing some restrictions on work, congregate settings, and social interactions. It cited &ldquo;case density&rdquo; and hospital capacity as the easing of restrictions begin.
				In the plan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties are grouped with Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Northampton and other northeastern counties where the case density is much greater.
				In their letter the legislators added, &ldquo;a signal accomplishment of your administration was development and implementation of the rural health initiative to save small community hospitals and health centers, something each of us strongly advocated. People sincerely hope that the recognition and resolve state officials invested in that plan will be applied during the decisions made about reopening the economy.&rdquo;
				Baker said, &ldquo;Counties should be judged by their individual circumstances and health care capabilities, rather than a broader geographical basis. This is the view of many of the workers and families I&rsquo;ve been hearing from, whose livelihoods are at stake as much as the merchants and entrepreneurs who provide the economic lifeline of our small communities.&rdquo;
				Pickett said it is important that Susquehanna and Wyoming counties be included with their neighbors in the north central region, since they share the same circumstances with COVID-19.
				&ldquo;The north central counties also have similar populations and work collaboratively in governmental compacts and agency program agreements,&rdquo; Pickett said.
				Yaw added that he hopes the administration takes into account the case density in these counties as it evaluates reopening in the coming days or weeks.
				&ldquo;There is no question that people want to get back to work,&rdquo; Yaw said. &ldquo;This can be done safely, while mitigating the threat of exposure.&rdquo;

Baker, Boback urge Wolf to reclassify Susquehanna, Wyoming counties