When can Pa. reopen from the coronavirus? Gov. Wolf joins 6-state task force to figure it out

President Trump is eager to reopen the economy as soon as possible, raising the stakes in what amounts to be an intense race against time: Can the deadly coronavirus be contained fast enough to spare businesses and workers irreparable financial damage?

As Pennsylvania approaches its peak of the coronavirus pandemic, it's hard to see a scenario anytime soon in which stay-at-home orders are relaxed and commerce comes roaring back. Trump said he wants to see the country opened by May 1, but with the virus yet to show signs of subsiding, it is hard to pinpoint a date on the calendar. 

It's clear, though, some regional coordination will be necessary.  

On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, along with governors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island, said they will form a joint task force to plan for reopening the economy and allow society to slowly return to normal.

"We all know that we can do anything better when we work together in this region, and we have done good things by working together," Wolf said. "This partnership, this council that we’re forming here recognizes that simple fact."

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The task force will begin work immediately with no date set to reopen non-essential businesses, which have been closed in Pennsylvania since Wolf's announcement that they must close March 16. Pennsylvania is under a stay-at-home order through at least April 30. 

Earlier, Trump claimed he had power over the nation’s governors in setting the terms of any reopening in individual states.

"Seeing how we had the responsibility for closing the states down, I think we have the responsibility to open the state up," Wolf said when asked about Trump's remarks. "I don’t think we’re trying to say anything negative about anybody. We’re saying that it was our responsibility to steer our way through these uncharted waters, and it’s our responsibility to steer our way back."

Each state on the task force will name a public health official, economic development official, and chief of staff to serve on a working group, which will start work Tuesday to begin designing a reopening plan. 

For Pennsylvania, that team would include Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin, and Wolf's chief of staff, Mike Brunelle.

"As we figure out how we're going to reopen our schools, reopen our businesses, our homes," Wolf said, "we are going to recognize that we are also trying to figure out how we will restore that sense of hope this pandemic has taken from us."

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Wolf had previously swarmed off questions about when to restart the state's economy, which has suffered record job losses, and insists his focus is on managing an unprecedented health crisis that has sickened more than 24,000 people statewide, taken at least 524 lives, and is expected to get worse before it gets better.

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Opening up the economy too soon, when consumers and companies don't feel comfortable, makes little financial sense and could lead to a resurgence of the virus.

"We have been successful in flattening the curve, but we still have significant new numbers of COVID-19 and we have to protect the public's health and save lives," Wolf said. "We need to do this right."