Pennsylvania continued a gradual reopening last week with Gov. Wolf increasing the capacity limit for indoor dining from 25% to 50% beginning Sept. 21, schools launching various combinations of virtual and in-class instruction and some areas starting high school sports.

At the same time, Wolf tightened restrictions on alcohol sales, now requiring bars and restaurants to stop serving by 10 p.m., and stood firm on limiting total sports attendance to 25 indoors and 250 outdoors.

These seem reasonable measures, allowing for some loosening while minimizing risk.

But a majority in the General Assembly seems hell-bent on accelerating the process, giving schools greater leeway to admit spectators. And some restaurant and bar owners are chafing at the 10 p.m. last call, which the Wolf administration says is aimed at discouraging the types of outbreaks seen in other states and on the Commonwealth’s own college campuses.

We have lived with COVID-19 for more than six months now and we have seen how reopening too soon can lead to increased infections and deaths and the costly reimposition of business restrictions. We have also seen the success of other countries that have resisted the urge to relax the rules too soon.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington estimates that deaths from COVID-19 in Pennsylvania will more than double, from the current 7,800 to 16,732, by Jan. 1 if current mandates are kept in place. Easing those mandates could add nearly 6,000 additional deaths by year’s end, according to the institute.

That is too high a risk to take. Pennsylvania has made great progress in incrementally relaxing restrictions. We should take additional time to see how the reopening of schools and colleges and increased restaurant seating affect the spread of the virus before rushing ahead.

We are making progress, but we should proceed cautiously, not full-speed ahead.

— The Citizens’ Voice, Wilkes-Barre (TNS)