The Wolf administration on Monday relaxed some of its COVID-19 restrictions, eliminating limits on out-of-state travel and softening rules on the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings.

The change reflects a continuing decline in cases and the ongoing vaccinations, according to a Department of State news release.

“Pennsylvania is taking a measured approach to revising or lifting mitigation orders,” Gov. Tom Wolf stated in a news release.

Since November, the state has required anyone over the age of 11 coming into Pennsylvania to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or to quarantine for 14 days.

Interstate travel has become less of a “vector of disease transmission,” as cases fall nationwide and testing and the wearing of face masks, the news release said.

Since November, the state has limited indoor occupancy to 10 percent for venues with capacities of up to 2,000 and 5 percent for larger venues with a total maximum of 500 people.

That now gives way to 15 percent of capacity for indoor occupancy, no matter what size the venue, provided 6-feet of social distance can be maintained and mask-wearing and hand-washing are still required.

Likewise, since November, the state has limited outdoor occupancy to 15 percent for venues with capacities up to 2,000 people; 10 percent for larger venues, up to a capacity of 10,000; and 5 percent, up to a total of 2,500 people, for larger venues.

That now gives way to 20 percent of capacity, no matter what size the venue, provided social distance, mask wearing and hand-washing can be maintained.

“Along with these changes, there is caution,” the news release stated. “Reduced cases, hospitalizations and deaths, and the more than 2.3 million vaccinations are good signs, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that now is not the time to introduce expansive loosening of mitigation efforts known to put people at more risk.”

The department considered a variety of metrics in deciding to ease the restrictions, the news release stated.

They include the 14 percent share of the population that has received at least one dose of vaccine; the 6.3 percent test positivity rate; the 101 incidence rate — the number of new cases per 100,000 residents over the last week; and the 41 percent share of available hospital beds.

The positivity rate and the incidence rate are still above the thresholds of concern, which are 5 percent and 50, respectively, but they’re vastly improved.

On Dec. 11, for example, they were 16.2 percent and 471, respectively.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.