HARRISBURG-About 1.5million Pennsylvania residents will be able to freely leave their homes next week, and retail shops and other businesses will be able to reopen, as Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday lifted some pandemic restrictions on 24 largely rural counties.

All of the counties moving from “red” to “yellow” in Wolf’s color-coded reopening plan are in the northwest and north-central regions of Pennsylvania, which have seen far fewer coronavirus infections and deaths than most of the rest of the state. The most heavily populated areas, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, will remain locked down, Wolf said.

The changes are to take effect next Friday, May 8. Stay-at-home orders will be lifted, gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed, and retail shops can start to reopen, although gyms, barbershops, nail salons, casinos, theaters, and other such venues will remain closed and other restrictions will remain in place, including a ban on youth sports.

The counties where pandemic restrictions will be eased are: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield,

Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga,Union, Venango and Warren.