Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine has issued updated orders regarding mask wearing and travel.

Levine's new order requires more use of masks when indoors and outdoors, even in a situation in which social distancing is in place.

“Wearing a mask is really one of the simplest steps we all can take to slow the spread of COVID-19,” she said.

The new travel order states that any nonresident of the state should have a negative test result within 72 hours of entering the state with the exception of those who commute for work over state lines.

“If you don't have a test result, you need to quarantine until you get a negative test,” she said.

Levine linked the updated orders to a weekly report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force, which she read aloud during an afternoon news conference.

“Current mitigation efforts are inadequate and must be increased to flatten the curve to sustain the health system for COVID and non-COVID emergencies,” she said, citing a quote from the report.

In a news release Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf supported Levine's decision.

“These targeted mitigation efforts, combined with existing ones, are paramount to saving lives and protecting our economy,” Wolf said. “The administration will continue to monitor the risks posed by COVID-19 across the commonwealth and will reinstate or institute new targeted mitigation tactics as necessary.”

In regard to the two orders, Levine said she will rely on residents and businesses to regulate themselves.

She said businesses should work with law enforcement officials to maintain proper masking practices, and travelers should be aware of the new rule and follow it.

“We anticipate the public will come together and we will stand united to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Levine said.

Despite the reluctance to devote specific attention to enforcement, Levine also talked around the possibility of further shutdowns, as nonessential businesses were shuttered in the spring.

In recent weeks, Levine said the state would not resort to those tactics again.

“I cannot predict the future,” said Levine in response to questions from the media on the issue.

Also as part of her memorandum Tuesday, Levine issued a call to action for health systems, colleges and universities across the state.

Levine said health systems should begin preparing for events of overflow.

She said the systems should also prepare to help out neighboring systems, and to reexamine the need for elective procedures in the coming days.

“We don't want to take that measure from the state as we did in the spring; we want to empower them to do it,” Levine said.

Levine said some predictions estimate the state's intensive care beds could be completely filled by the end of December.

“There's no place in Pa. right now where we're in danger of running out of hospital beds, ICU beds, any staffing or PPE,” she said. “We don't want to get to that point, which is why I'm sending out my memorandum and articulating that today.”

The call to state universities and colleges also revolved around planning.

Levine asked for those schools to plan for routine and universal testing of students as they return from their fall breaks and into the spring semester.

As for other schools, the Department of Health is not changing any recommendations at this point. Levine said her department had already worked with the Department of Education on the current guidance, which offers contingencies for the current situation.

“Right now, we are sticking with our previous recommendations to school boards and superintendents,” she said.