Virginia State and Local Action on COVID-19

For a complete look at federal and state action related to the coronavirus, visit MWC’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts and Resources website.

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Updates from Gov. Northam’s Press Conference

August 5

On Thursday, August 5, Gov. Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID- 19 Delta variant response and vaccination efforts:

• Data: Gov. Northam reported that the number of cases has been going back up in the previous couple weeks, although thankfully we are nowhere near the amount of cases that we were at last winter. The governor also stated that the number of cases and hospitalizations are rising again, because the Delta variant is much more contagious and comes with a higher viral load. The governor also stated that all COVID-19 related deaths are being seen only amongst unvaccinated people. The governor stated that the only thing that can contain the virus is the vaccine.

• Vaccination Efforts: Almost 73% of all adults in VA have had 1 does of the vaccine, meanwhile 54.3% of adults in VA are fully vaccinated. Since January, 99% of COVID cases have been in people who are not fully vaccinated. Nearly every single person who has died from COVID has been unvaccinated. On average, 13,000 people are getting vaccinated within Virginia daily.
  
  If any person within the Commonwealth would like to be vaccinated they can call  877- VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4842) or go to https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/
  
  Gov. Northam also announced a vaccine requirement for state employees stating that all state employees must be vaccinated by September 1 and must be able to show proof of vaccination. For all employees who are choosing to not be vaccinated, they must be tested weekly and be able to show negative test results. The governor also encouraged private companies to follow the same protocol. Along with that Gov. Northam is strongly encouraging inside mask wearing but currently is not mandating that for the Commonwealth.
  
  Gov. Northam reiterated that it is currently the law of the Commonwealth of Virginia for schools to offer in-person instruction, 5 days a week and that all CDC regulations must be followed. The governor emphasized the fact that this was passed with a bipartisan vote. He also noted that although currently, the FDA has not approved vaccination for children under the age of 12, he did have a conversation with Dr. Fauci earlier this week and Dr. Fauci stated that the Pfizer vaccine may be able approved to be used for people of all ages by the end of this month.
  
  The governor was asked what number of state employees have currently been vaccinated. The answer being, 72-73% of state employees have been vaccinated which is right on par for the percentage of adults within the Commonwealth that have been vaccinated.
  
  There was a question posed on if the governor was going to be rolling out a mandate for the public to be vaccinated once the vaccines are FDA approved. The governor stated that at the moment he has control over about 120,000 employees and that is where he is starting the mandate, although he does strongly encourages that private business encourage their employees to also get vaccinated.
  
  The governor was asked to explain more about applying for a religious exception and what that process is going to look like, and how such exceptions will be verified. The governor and his team hope to have a policy out within in the next 15- 30 days, prior to September 1, stating that there will be a form that everyone will need to fill out and sign on their vaccination status or to state that they are religiously or medically except.

May 6

• Data: Governor Northam was happy to report on the ongoing drop in COVID-19 cases. For the past two weeks there have been fewer than 1000 new cases per day in Virginia. The current positivity rate has dropped to 4.4 percent.
   
• Vaccination Efforts: Almost 46 percent of Virginians have received that least their first dose of the vaccine and 33 percent are fully vaccinated. Of the population of individuals 16 and older who are now eligible to be vaccinated, 60 percent have received their first dose. This week Virginia met its goal to administer 300,000 shots. Governor Northam also announced that next week the Commonwealth will launch new mobile vaccine units, which will focus on underserved areas.
  
  When asked about the possibility of vaccinations being mandated, Governor Northam responded that he does not believe that they will be at this time.
   
• Vaccination Efforts for Children: Recently, the FDA has allowed 16 and 17 year olds to receive the Pfizer vaccine and currently 63,000 teenagers in that age range have been vaccinated. In addition, the federal government is expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 and over as early as next week.
   
• Mitigation Measures: Governor Northam stated that last week, mask guidance figures were updated to align with new CDC guidance. Currently, vaccinated people do not have to wear masks outside unless they are in a crowd. Other measures will also be relaxed starting May 15:
  • 100 people can attend a gathering in doors; 250 outdoors
  • 50 percent capacity at for indoor entertainment venues up to 1000 people; 50 percent capacity outdoor without a cap
  • Restaurants can return to selling alcohol after midnight and dining rooms can remain open later

Governor Northam stated that if Virginia's COVID-19 numbers continue to trend down and vaccination numbers continue to increase, mitigation measures, capacity restrictions, and social distancing requirements will be lifted on June 15. The current state of emergency is set to expire on June 30, and Governor Northam stated he hopes that he will not have to extend it past that date, but noted he may have to for the sole purpose of public masking.

April 19

On Monday, April 19, Governor Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts:

• Vaccine Eligibility: Governor Northam announced that as April 18, everyone aged 16 and older in the Commonwealth is eligible to be vaccinated. He noted that it may take a few weeks for everyone to get an appointment but believes everyone eligible will be able to get their first shot by the end of May. At least 3 million more Virginians are now eligible. Governor Northam encouraged everyone eligible to get vaccinated. Virginians can go to www.vaccine.virginia.gov or call the hotline (877-829-4682) to schedule an appointment.
   
• Data: Governor Northam said after a steep decline in cases, the average number of cases have plateaued over the last month. The percent positivity is 6.1 percent.
   
• Mitigation Measures: Governor Northam said there will be a few small tweaks to the mitigation measures. For example, cross country will be allowed to have 68 runners up from 50 at the starting line. Currently, performance events, such as drama and musicals, are considered social gatherings, but they will now be able to have up to 100 people indoors or 30 percent of the venue’s capacity. If the event is outdoors, it will be allowed to have 500 people or 30 percent of capacity. Governor Northam said he will have further updates in the coming days.
   
• Tysons Community Vaccination Center: The press conference took place at the new Tysons Community Vaccination Center, which will be able to do 3,000 vaccinations a day. The center opens on Tuesday, April 20. Senator Mark Warner and Representative Don Beyer were also present at the press conference and encouraged Virginians to get the vaccine.
   
• Federal Stimulus Funds: Both Senator Warner and Representative Beyer highlighted the federal stimulus funding coming to Virginia. They both expressed that the American Rescue Act would likely be the last COVID-19 stimulus bill.
   
• Vaccine Supply: Dr. Avula, who is leading Virginia’s vaccine efforts, noted that Virginia is receiving an additional 1,500 doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccine this week due to the halt in Johnson and Johnson. Dr. Avula does not expect there to be a significant increase in the Moderna or Pfizer supply moving forward, however.
   
• Variants: Dr. Avula said that the U.K. variant makes up over 40 percent of new cases in the U.S. He said about 15 percent of the cases that come into the state lab are being sequenced. DLS is working with partners around the state to help increase the capacity to sequence and new federal funding should also help with this effort.

March 23

On Tuesday, March 23, Governor Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution efforts:

• Data: Virginia is 8^th in country in terms of doses used. Almost 1 in 4 Virginians have received at least one dose of the vaccine. More than 1 million people are fully vaccinated in Virginia. Governor Northam noted that Virginia’s COVID-19 case numbers have improved dramatically since our peak in January. Currently, Virginia’s percent positivity is 5.7 percent.
   
• Federal Actions: The federal government is increasing the allocation of Johnson and Johnson vaccine to states. Virginia can expect to receive another 48,000 doses next week. The federal government is also launching an education campaign on the vaccines.
   
• Virginia’s Vaccine Distribution Efforts: Virginia is giving 50,000 doses a day on average and some days Virginia is administering 60K-70K vaccines a day. Last week, mass vaccination clinics opened in Danville and Petersburg. Today, a mass vaccination clinic opened in Prince William County. The clinic will be able to give 3,000 vaccinations a day and will run 6 days a week. Governor Northam said as more vaccines come to Virginia, he expects it will only be a matter of weeks before vaccines will be available to the entire population. He said Virginia is on track to have vaccine available to every adult by May 1.
   
• Mitigation Measures: Governor Northam said the decline in cases combined with the increase in vaccinations will allow us to ease mitigation measures. He said the focus will be on areas that allow for the least amount of spread, such as outdoor entertainment venues. He noted the preliminary guidance for graduation and commencement events released last week. Governor Northam announced that beginning next week, there will “limited and targeted changes to our Forward Virginia guidelines.” Beginning April 1, the following changes will occur:
  • Social gatherings may have up to 50 people indoors and up to 100 people outdoors. Governor Northam noted that these guidelines apply to the wedding industry.
  • Entertainment venues may operate at 30 percent capacity up to 500 people indoors. Outdoor venues may operate at 30 percent capacity, but will not have cap on the number of people.
  • Recreational sports will be limited to 30 percent capacity with up to 100 spectators indoors and up to 500 spectators outdoors.
  • Outdoor graduation events will be capped at 5,000 people or 30 percent capacity. Events indoors can have up to 500 people or 30 percent capacity.

Governor Northam emphasized that these are measured changes and Virginia still has a strict gathering limit, mask mandate, and capacity restrictions.

• Schools: When asked about the new CDC guidelines for schools, Governor Northam emphasized that everyone wants children back in the classroom. He said he has been pleased with the measures schools are taking and are encouraging school districts to add extra days to the school year for those students that need it. Governor Northam also noted that 80 percent of teachers have been vaccinated.

March 9

On Tuesday, March 9, Governor Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution efforts:

• Vaccine Distribution: Virginia is now averaging 51,000 shots per day, which is slightly higher than the long-term goal of 50,000 shots per day to ensure Virginians are vaccinated by summer. Virginia is 6^th in the country in percent of doses uses and 11^th in doses given. Over 18 percent of Virginians have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Governor Northam said that some health districts have done so well getting shots into arms that they are now vaccinating all of Group 1b.
   
• Community Vaccine Clinics: Governor Northam announced that Virginia will begin phasing in community vaccine clinics with the help of FEMA. Governor Northam said Virginia is starting with clinics in Danville, Portsmouth, and Petersburg. Curtis Brown of Emergency Management said the sites were selected based on how close the sites are to vulnerable populations and how accessible they are to the public. Brown noted that these are just the first 3 and there could potentially be up to 13 sites set up in the next 3 months.
   
• Schools: Governor Northam announced that all of the school divisions in the state have submitted plans for in person learning options and most have started in-person learning options. Dr. Lane noted that the VDOE website has a map of how each school district is operating. School districts have reported that two-thirds of staff have received at least one does and more than 40 percent of staff are fully vaccinated.
   
• COVID-19 Restrictions: A reporter asked about the restrictions around weddings, Governor Northam said that if the trends in case numbers continue, his team will look at easing some of the measures. Governor Northam noted that he eased several restrictions in February for the month of March and if trends continue, he will ease more restrictions for the month of April.
   
• Nursing Homes and Long-term Care Facilities: In response to a question about guidance for long-term care facilities to allow visitors, Dr. Norm Oliver said VDH has been working closing with long-term care facilities throughout the pandemic. He noted that long-term care facilities have a high turnover rate, so ensuring new residents are vaccinated is important. He said other factors, such as testing and isolation, will be important to ensure safety as well. He said once these issues are addressed, VDH will look at easing the guidance to allow visitors.

February 24

On Wednesday, February 24, Governor Northam made the following announcements on Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts:

• Data: The average daily case count is 1,708. This is the lowest it has been since before Thanksgiving. Virginia has administered 1.7 million doses of the vaccine. Over 1.1 million Virginians have received the first dose of the vaccine, which is about 13.5 percent of the population. Daily vaccine numbers are down temporarily due to winter weather, but before the weather delays, Virginia was administering about 36,000 shots per day. Last week, Virginia launched a new preregistration system for the vaccine. Since the launch, almost 500,000 Virginians have registered. This is on top of 1.2 million Virginians that had previously signed up with their health department, so a total of 1.7 million Virginians are currently preregistered.
   
• Vaccine Availability: Last week, President Biden announced an increase in vaccine allocations to states. The Administration also increased doses going to pharmacies in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership. Therefore, more pharmacies are coming online this week, including Walgreens. In addition, Walmart, Safeway, Giant, and other pharmacies are coming online. Governor Northam emphasized that not every location of these pharmacies will have vaccines. Walmart will vaccinate at offsite locations, allowing them to vaccinate a couple hundred people per day. All of these pharmacies will prioritize those 65 and older, according to Governor Northam. Governor Northam said the partnerships are expanding quickly and they are working with the VDH system. He noted that the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership puts an additional 52,000 shots in arms per week in Virginia. Governor Northam also mentioned that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is likely to be approved by the FDA this week and Virginia is set to receive doses starting next week, which will increase vaccine supply.
   
• Mitigation Measures: Starting Monday, March 1, Governor Northam will ease mitigation measures as cases of COVID-19 are dropping. Virginia will expand alcohol sales until midnight and the curfew will be eliminated. Outdoor social gatherings will be able to have up to 25 people, but the 10 person restriction will remain for indoor gatherings. For entertainment venues, the cap will increase from 250 people to 30% capacity with a cap of 1,000 people. Governor Northam said if cases continue to decrease, he expects that the 1,000 person cap for outdoor venues will be lifted (the 30% cap will remain). Governor Northam emphasized that it is critical that Virginia lift restrictions slowly and responsibly. See the press release on easing the mitigation measures here.
   
• Mass Vaccination Sites: Governor Northam said Virginia has planned for the mass vaccination sites and the sites will be ready when enough vaccine becomes available. He said Virginia is being as nimble as we can so when the vaccines arrive, the sites will be ready to go. Dr. Oliver said Virginia is first increasing the capacity of existing sites, but has identified 12 or so other sites for mass vaccinations. Dr. Oliver said the state plans to staff those sites around mid-March in anticipation of an increased supply.  

February 17

On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, Governor Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution efforts:

• Vaccine Data: Virginia has administered 1.4 million doses, and 12.4% of Virginians have received at least one dose. This puts Virginia at twelfth in the nation for administering doses. On average, Virginia is administering 34,000 shots a day. Governor Northam noted that our goal is 50,000 shots a day, and while we have the infrastructure to obtain that goal, we do not have the supply. Governor Northam said he signed emergency legislation this week to allow more people (dentist, medical students, and others) to give the vaccine. Governor Northam said these people will be able to administer the vaccine via volunteering with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps.
   
• State Pre-Registration System: Governor Northam announced that the new state-wide pre-registration site launched yesterday. More than 240,000 Virginians have signed up since its launch. Governor Northam announced that a call center to pre-register for the vaccine will launch today. The website is www.vaccinate.virginia.gov. The number to the call center is 877-829-4682. It is open 7 days a week between the hours of 8AM and 8PM. Virginia has hired 750 call center workers to staff the call center; 10 percent of the workers speak Spanish. See the press release here.
   
• COVID-19 Data and Mitigation Measures: Case numbers and hospitalizations continue to trend downward. Governor Northam announced that starting Monday, February 22, up to 250 spectators can attend outdoor sporting events. Governor Northam also announced that children will be able to attend overnight summer camps this summer. Governor Northam said he plans to work with stakeholder on opening up other outdoor events. He urged Virginians to continue to wear a mask, wash hands, and maintain distance, even if they have been vaccinated. Governor Northam said his administration will take a “deliberate, cautious, step-by-step approach; we will move thoughtfully and safely over time.”
   
• Schools: A few weeks ago, Governor Northam directed school divisions to offer in-person learning option plans by March 15. At that time, about one-third of the school divisions lacked plans for in-person learning. Today, Governor Northam said that number is down to 3-4 school divisions and the Department of Education is working with them.
   
• Health Equity Working Group: Dr. Janice Underwood gave an update on the Health Equity Working Group. She said the group has turned its attention to the vaccine. She said they are using a data driven approach to determine those who are most vulnerable for COVID-19 to determine where the vaccination sites should be located.

February 5

On Friday, February 5, Governor Northam made the following announcements regarding Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution efforts:

• COVID-19 Case Data: Governor Northam said January was a difficult month for Virginia, where we saw a record number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths; however, all of these numbers are now decreasing. He cautioned that new variants are more contagious and encouraged Virginians to not let down the guard.
   
• Vaccine Distribution: Governor Northam reviewed the changes the state made last week in shifting doses of the vaccines, updating the distribution guidance, and updating the online vaccine dashboard. Virginia has administered 86.6% of first doses and 67% of total doses. This puts us 12^th among other states. Over 9 percent of Virginia’s population has received at least the first dose of the vaccine.
   
• Vaccine Call Center: Virginia is significantly expanding its call center to help Virginians register for the vaccine. Governor Northam assured Virginians that if you have signed up via your health district, you do not need to register with the state’s system.
   
• Federal Pharmacy Partnership: The Biden Administration announced it will distribute additional doses of the vaccines to pharmacies. In Virginia, CVS will receive the doses, because it has the most locations in the Commonwealth. CVS is starting with 36 locations late next week. Virginia is working with CVS and the CDC on how the registration process will work. Governor Northam emphasized that this is just the first phase of the federal pharmacy partnership. Dr. Avula, who is leading Virginia’s vaccine efforts, said Virginia is working with CVS to integrate into the state’s system.
   
• Schools: Governor Northam announced that school divisions need to make in person learning options available by March 15 in accordance with the health guidance the Northam Administration issued in January. He is also encouraging school divisions to offer summer school options. When asked if this is mandate, Governor Northam said this is a “direction from the Governor.” Governor Northam said funding to help schools open will come from several sources, including the CARES Act and the state. Dr. James Lane said VDH plans to convene a workgroup that will address learning loss. The workgroup will put together guidance on learning loss, flexible calendars, and planning for the next school year. See the full press release on the announcement here.
   
• Unemployment Benefits: The federal government extended unemployment benefits at the end of December. Governor Northam said this came with new eligibility rules that the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) had to work through. The VEC will have the last piece of this program running by next week. Governor Northam said more than 1 million Virginians have received unemployment in the last 10 months. The VEC has served more people in the last 10 months than the previous 10 years combined.

January 27

On Wednesday, January 27, Governor Northam made the following announcements on Virginia’s COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution efforts:

• Federal Actions: Governor Northam spoke with the White House twice in the last week to discuss vaccine supply and distribution. States will receive about 16 percent more doses of vaccine immediately and this increase will be locked in, so Virginia will be able to plan out a month.
   
• State Actions: Virginia has given almost 595,000 shots. Virginia has given more shots than 39 other states. Virginia’s vaccination rate is better than 24 other states; on par with neighboring states. Virginia is now exceeding its initial goal of 25,000 shots per day.
   
• Long-term Care Facilities: Governor Northam asked Walgreens and CVS to vaccinate people in long-term care facilities faster than they originally planned, which was by the end of February. A representative of Walgreens gave an update on their vaccine distribution efforts. Since the end of December, Walgreens has vaccinated 92 skilled nursing facilities and are in the process of completing assisted living facilities. 94% of the facilities will be completed by the end of the month. A representative of CVS said that CVS has vaccinated 195 skilled nursing facilities and will complete the second dose by February 8. CVS plans to vaccinate 611 assisted living facilities by mid-February. CVS said they having conversations with the Governor to see how CVS can help vaccinate the general population as well.
   
• Hospitals: Governor Northam told hospitals to get first doses into arms. He said health districts are working with hospitals to shift excess supplies to others to get first shots in arms. By shifting excess doses, Governor Northam said the number of shots will increase by 20% this week. Governor Northam thanked hospitals for their work. Mike McDermott, President and CEO of Mary Washington Hospital, said that Virginia hospitals have administered over 318K vaccine doses since mid-December.
   
• Eligibility: The Virginia Department of Health issue guidance to local health districts on how to allocate their limited supply. Half of available doses should go to people 65 and older, and the other half should be used for frontline essential workers in priority order, people aged 16-64 with high risk medical conditions or disability, and people in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and migrant labor camps. Governor Northam emphasized that it will take weeks to get these groups vaccinated.
   
• Transparency: Virginia is launching a new vaccine dashboard that includes more information and more clarity.
   
• Vaccine Sign Up: Governor Northam said that you can register with your local health department to sign up for a vaccine. But, Governor Northam said this system is fragmented. The Virginia Department of Health is standing up a single, statewide system where every Virginia can register. It is not ready today, but it will be ready soon.
   
• COVID-19 Mitigation Measures: Governor Northam plans to issue an executive order today to extend the mitigation measures that are currently in place until the end of February. They are currently set to expire this week.
   
• DOLI Workplace Safety Standards: Governor Northam announced that the temporary workplace safety standards became permanent today. See the press release here.

Governor Northam said he is committed to holding a press conference on vaccine distribution weekly.

January 14

On Thursday, January 14, Governor Northam made the following announcements in regards to Virginia’s COVID-19 response:

• Vaccine Distribution: Governor Northam reiterated Virginia’s goal to vaccinate 25,000 Virginians a day as quickly as possible. Virginia is getting about 110,000 doses of the vaccine per week. A week after Governor Northam’s press conference on the vaccine rollout, only a handful of states are giving more doses than Virginia. Those states include: California, Texas, and Florida. Virginia has distributed 100% of the doses it has received to 160 vaccination sites across the Commonwealth. Governor Northam said that many health districts in Virginia started vaccinating Group 1b this week. Governor Northam thanked health systems in Virginia for stepping up to help vaccinate Virginians.
   
  • HHS Guidance: HHS sent new guidance to states to immediately vaccinate individuals 65 years or older as well as individuals under 65 that have a comorbidity. Governor Northam said these individuals will be moved to Group 1b. This means that about half of Virginians are eligible to receive the vaccine as part of Group 1b. 
     
  • Mass Vaccination Centers: Dr. Avula, who is tasked with leading Virginia’s vaccine distribution efforts, said that Virginia needs to stand up fixed site mass vaccination centers across the Commonwealth. These will be 6-7 day a week operations. They will initially be planned and partnered with health departments, Virginia Medical Reserve Corps, and health systems. Eventually, these will be staffed by the National Guard and contract vaccinators. Dr. Avula said we should see more movement on these sites by next week. He did not announce where this sites might be located.
     
  • Costs to Virginians: Governor Northam emphasized that there will be no out-of-pocket expenses for Virginians to receive the vaccine. Dr. Norm Oliver reiterated this point and said that if you have health insurance, insurance can bill for the administrative costs. Medicare and Medicaid will pay for the administrative costs. Funding from HHS will cover costs for those that are uninsured.
• Schools: Governor Northam said school districts need to start thinking about opening schools safely. The Department of Education issued new guidance to local school divisions this afternoon to lay out a pathway for reopening schools. Governor Northam said students are hurting and said the Department of Education is looking at options to address learning loss, including adding days to the school calendar.

January 6

On Wednesday, January 6, Governor Northam gave an update on Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan. A press release can be found here.

• Goal: Governor Northam stated that we are approximately 3 weeks into the most extensive public vaccination campaign in the Commonwealth. The Governor noted that there are 8.5 million people living in Virginia. He said that healthcare providers need to administer about 17 million shots (2 shots or doses per person) total order to ensure that all Virginians are adequately vaccinated. Currently, Virginia is receiving 110,000 doses per week. The governor is urging healthcare providers to use up all of their inventory so it can be replenished. The Governor stated that in accordance with President-Elect Biden’s plan, the short term goal is to be distributing 25,000 shots per day. Governor Northam said the ultimate goal is 50,000 shots per day. He said he hopes to get all Virginians vaccinated by this summer. Governor Northam cautioned that the goal is supply dependent.
   
• Vaccine Transparency: Governor Northam said Virginians deserve transparency. The supply, where the doses are being deployed, and how quickly they are being deployed will be public. VDH will also publish on its website where Virginians can go to get vaccinated. Dr. Norm Oliver said he expects this information to be available in the coming weeks.
   
• Prioritization: Governor Northam said there is a clear prioritization of who should get vaccinated first. The prioritization is as follows:
  • Phase 1a: Health care professionals; those in long-term care facilities and nursing homes (~500,000 people)
  • Phase 1b: frontline essential workers; people aged 75 and older (~1.2 million people)
    • Essential workers are people who cannot work remotely, people who are at higher risk of exposure, and people who keep our society functioning. Examples include: teachers, firefighters, police officers, hazmat workers, grocery store workers, bus drivers, transit workers, food/agriculture, mailmen, and correctional officers.
    • Teachers are the largest group of frontline essential workers (~285,000 teachers and childcare workers).
    • Governor Northam emphasized that it will take well into the spring to get Group 1B the two shots they require.
    • More information on Phase 1b can be found here.
  • Phase 1c: Essential workers in construction, transportation, food service, utilities, etc; adults aged 75 and older; people age 16-64 with high risk medical conditions (~2.5 million people)
    • More information on Phase 1c can be found here.

Governor Northam emphasized that flexibility will be required and encouraged healthcare professionals to use their best judgement to get shots in arms as efficiently as possible.

• Vaccination Program Lead: Governor Northam appointed Dr. Avula, who serves as director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Departments, to lead Virginia’s vaccination efforts. He will coordinate work between state officials, local health departments, hospitals, and private providers.
   
• National Guard: Governor Northam said Virginia will use the National Guard to help distribute doses of the vaccine. 
   
• Federal Assistance: Governor Northam said the recent relief package provides assistance for vaccine distribution. Virginia is receiving over $100 million to deploy the vaccine.

In closing, Governor Northam said he had full confidence in the process to develop the vaccine and encouraged all Virginians to get it. Governor Northam encouraged Virginians to join him and Dr. Fauci for an online forum on the vaccine on Friday, January 8 at 2:45pm.

>>Jump to Virginia Local Action

Virginia State Action on COVID-19 

April 28

Virginia General Assembly Permits Local Governments to Meet Electronically
The Virginia General Assembly recently authorized public bodies — including local boards and commissions — to meet electronically during the state of emergency declared by Gov. Ralph Northam in response to COVID-19. This clarifies and expands the previous authority for boards, authorities, planning commissions and other public bodies to meet and take action even when they cannot otherwise meet in person due to social distancing requirements.

April 10

Northam Quietly Signs Hundreds of Bills As Deadline Looms
Gov. Ralph Northam’s thrice-weekly press conferences on the COVID-19 pandemic have become a grim fixture of Virginia political life. But behind closed doors, Northam has quietly continued a more traditional duty: reviewing and signing legislation. He’s signed more than 800 pieces of legislation ranging from the symbolic, including a bill creating a “non-binary” gender option on driver’s license applications, to the obscure, such as a bill making it a misdemeanor to leave dead animals in churches.

Black Caucus urges Northam to sign wage increase despite pressure to hold off amid coronavirus crisis
Members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus called on Gov. Ralph Northam to sign legislation that would raise the minimum wage, protect the environment and fight racial disparity even as the cost of the coronavirus crisis pressures him to hold off.

GOP weighs options for 7th District convention
Under normal circumstances, Republican candidates across Virginia’s 7th Congressional District would be heading into the final stretch of campaigning in advance of their party’s April 25 convention, when delegates were scheduled to meet at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond and select a nominee for November’s general election. COVID-19 has turned that plan on its ear.

ACLU, others call for urgent prison and jail releases in response to COVID-19
The ACLU of Virginia is calling for the quick release of any jail or prison inmate who does not pose “a demonstrable, imminent threat of bodily harm to others,” in light of the threat posed behind bars by COVID-19.

State extends ban on utility cut-offs into June
The State Corporation Commission has extended an order barring utilities from cutting off electricity, natural gas, water or sewer service to non-paying customers during the coronavirus pandemic. The ban, which had been set to expire May 15, has been pushed back to June 14.

DMV turns shuttered weigh stations into rest areas for truckers
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced Thursday that truckers may use weigh stations as rest areas. All 13 of the commonwealth’s weigh stations were closed until at least April 23, but an increasing number of commercial drivers are delivering food and supplies where needed as COVID-19 continues its grip on the nation.

HRT temporarily suspends fares
Hampton Roads Transit says it plans to temporarily suspend all transit fares for HRT services effective Friday, April 10, 2020, according to a press release. The suspension will continue until June 10, 2020 unless modified or or stopped.

Area colleges and universities to receive more than $20 million in emergency grant funds
More than $6 billion will be distributed immediately to colleges and universities nationwide to provide grants to college students whose lives and educations have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education. Area colleges and universities will see more than $20 million in emergency funding. Three local colleges and universities will see more than $1 million in funds: Liberty University’s total allocation is more than $15 million, University of Lynchburg will receive more than $1.9 million and Central Virginia Community College will receive more than $1.8 million.

Virginia medical providers want liability protections during the COVID-19 pandemic
A group of 19 Virginia medical associations sent a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday, requesting legal protections for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter, signed by such major industry players as the Medical Society of Virginia and Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, includes a draft executive order and calls on Northam to declare “civil and criminal immunity to health care providers that act in good faith” while responding to the ongoing crisis.

Farm to table, via driver’s window: Drive-thru farmers’ market to open
On most weekends, a trip to the farmers market includes a leisurely stroll among vendors, sampling a just-picked-and-sliced apple or skewering a tiny piece of cheese with a toothpick, and going home with bags of fresh produce grown on local farms. But when a popular farmers market opens April 18 in Fauquier County, Virginia, business that’s normally conducted in a large parking lot on Fifth Street, in historic Warrenton, will be adapted to a drive-thru market, including a series of three parking lots along Main Street.

April 9

Nation’s only doctor governor offers sober voice on virus
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and his top aides were having a meeting about the coronavirus when the discussion turned to neckties. The governor said he had read a study in a medical journal showing that ties worn by doctors at hospitals can host harmful germs and help spread disease. So Northam issued an informal edict to his staff: Keep the ties in the closet until further notice.

Governor: Elections scheduled for this spring won't proceed as planned
Virginia elections scheduled for this spring won't proceed as planned, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday. Local elections set for next month will be pushed to November, pending action from the General Assembly, Northam said. He is also pushing the June Congressional primaries back two weeks, from June 9 to June 23.

Northam recommends moving municipal elections to November
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that he is recommending postponing the May 5 municipal elections to November and delaying the June 9 congressional primaries by two weeks out of a concern about people voting in person during the coronavirus pandemic.

Virginia launches educational ‘VA TV Classroom’ teacher-led instruction
In Virginia, four public media television stations will soon air classroom instruction in response to social distancing and schools closing for the remainder of the academic year, according to a statement released on Wednesday. . . . The Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced that the Department of Education has partnered with Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media to make this possible.

Va. to allow takeout, delivery cocktails
Gov. Ralph Northam has directed the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to allow businesses with mixed-beverage licenses, such as restaurants and distilleries, to sell mixed drinks on a takeout and delivery basis. The directive, announced Wednesday, goes into effect Friday.

April 8

Governor Northam Announces Plans to Postpone Upcoming Virginia Elections in Response to COVID-19
Governor Ralph Northam today requested the General Assembly move the May General Election and all special elections scheduled for May 5, 2020 to the November 3, 2020 General Election date to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Governor is also exercising his statutory authority (§ 24.2-603.1 of the Code of Virginia) to move the June primary elections from June 9, 2020 to June 23, 2020.

Governor Northam Announces Additional Actions Providing Relief for Restaurants and Distilleries Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic
Governor Ralph Northam today issued an executive directive authorizing the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) to defer annual fees for licenses and permits that would be up for renewal through June. The Governor also directed the Virginia ABC to allow establishments with mixed beverage licenses, such as restaurants and distilleries, to sell mixed beverages through takeout or delivery, effective at midnight Thursday.

Virginia Attorney General asks state to extend suspension of utility disconnection through June 10
Attorney General Mark Herring has asked the State Corporation Commission to extend its mandated suspension of utility disconnections for non-payment and suspended late charges through June 10.

Northam to postpone action on teacher raises, tuition freeze
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam plans to delay some long-sought Democratic priorities until more is known about the pandemic’s affect on the economy, pushing back decisions on whether to give teachers and state workers raises, freeze in-state college tuition, and implement other new spending in budget recently passed by lawmakers. Clark Mercer, the governor’s chief of staff, said Tuesday that too little is known about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Virginia Senate plans to convene at Science Museum conference hall during April veto session
To protect members and staff from COVID-19, the Virginia Senate will trade its clubby confines at the state Capitol for an airy conference hall at the Science Museum of Virginia when the legislature returns to Richmond for its spring session April 22. Unlike the House of Delegates, which announced last week it would convene outdoors, possibly on the Capitol grounds, the Senate will meet indoors.

Virginia schools will be able to keep millions in federal money
Virginia schools will now be able to keep millions in federal education money they would have had to give back with schools closed for the rest of the academic year. The change was granted under flexibility given to the state by the U.S. Department of Education.

Virginia Dems in Congress ask Trump for flexibility on relief money for state and local governments
Virginia Democrats in Congress have asked President Donald Trump’s administration for guidance to state and local governments that gives them more flexibility in spending an estimated $3.3 billion in emergency relief from the stimulus package signed into law in late March.

Amid widespread closures, clinics and health providers turn to telehealth
With state and federal regulations and recommendations against continuing routine checkups and elective surgeries, health practitioners are closing their doors — but some are offering different telehealth options to keep up with patients during the pandemic.

State Psychiatric Hospitals Work to Contain Coronavirus
State psychiatric hospitals are starting to see cases of COVID-19. As of Tuesday, these include one confirmed staff case at Central State Hospital in Petersburg, and one resident case at the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation about an hour from Richmond in Burkeville, Virginia. There’s also one confirmed staff case at Western State Hospital in Staunton and two staff cases at Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Marion.

April 7

Governor to call 'timeout' on budget, suspend all new spending
Gov. Ralph Northam will suspend all new spending in the pending two-year, $135 billion state budget and divert planned deposits in the state’s reserves to pay for essential services in the public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Virginia to get more protective medical gear via $27 million deal with a private supplier
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday that the state has reached a $27 million deal with the medical logistics company Northfield as part of an effort to relieve what he described as a “severe shortage” of personal protective equipment in Virginia and across the country. . . . Monday marked the first time Virginia officials provided details on their efforts to supply more protective equipment since the state’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, on March 7.

Northam recommends wearing masks to help prevent coronavirus spread
Following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control, Gov. Ralph Northam urged people to wear masks when leaving the house to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At a press conference in Richmond Monday, Northam said wearing a mask doesn’t mean social distancing measures can be relaxed. “No one should assume that if they wear a face covering, they are safe and can go about their business as usual,” he said.

Booze delivered: Virginia ABC to allow distilleries to ship directly to consumers
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority is now allowing distilleries to ship spirits directly to in-state consumers. The temporary change is an effort to help distilleries suffering from financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic. This change applies only the distilleries that have existing agreements with ABC to produce and sell their products at their site.

April 6

Virginia Uses Genetic Technology to Combat COVID-19, State public health laboratory is one of the first in the nation to do this work
Governor Ralph Northam today announced that the Department of General Services’ (DGS) Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) is one of the first public health labs in the nation to use genetic technology to help public health officials better understand and track the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen prevention and response efforts.

Northam orders hiring freeze, agency heads to look for cuts
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is instituting a hiring freeze of state employees and is telling agency heads to look for ways to cut budgets in response to the coronavirus. Northam chief of staff Clark Mercer told agency heads in a Thursday memo obtained by The Associated Press that a recession is coming and the state revenues will be far below “even our most pessimistic forecast” from last year.

Democrats' call for vote-by-mail grows; ACLU warns against closing polls
A push to expand vote-by-mail in Virginia amid COVID-19 is gaining momentum among Democratic lawmakers and state election officials, but how far the changes should go is a source of debate. A growing coalition of Democratic lawmakers is advocating universal vote-by-mail in which virtually all voters would cast ballots from home in the May 5 municipal elections and June 9 primary elections.

State taps Greater Richmond Convention Center, two other sites, to become field hospitals
The Greater Richmond Convention Center is among three venues Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday announced as sites for field hospitals that would bring more than 1,800 hospital beds online as the state braces for a surge in COVID-19 patients. Northam tapped the Dulles Expo Center in Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads Convention Center in addition to the Richmond site.

Dulles Expo Center selected as alternate care hospital site in northern Virginia
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Friday announced that the Dulles Expo Center in Fairfax County has been selected as an alternate care facility that may hold approximately 315 acute or 500 non-acute beds. Construction of the alternate care site is expected to take around six weeks. The governor said the site is intended to free up capacity at existing hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.

Virginia House planning to convene outdoors for veto session, Speaker says
The Virginia House of Delegates will reconvene for a scheduled veto session on April 22 despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but when it does, it will likely be outdoors, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn said in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Friday.

Virginia Board of Education clears hurdles for high school seniors to graduate this spring
There’s good news out of Richmond for high school seniors: The Virginia Board of Education approved two emergency measures on Thursday to waive temporarily certain rules that would otherwise prevent students from earning high school credits for courses interrupted by the extended school closures. These actions give Virginia school districts additional leeway to allow the class of 2020 to graduate on time and younger students to advance to the next grade.

March 30

Governor Northam issued Executive Order 55, a “stay at home” order
Importantly, Executive Order 53, which Governor Northam signed last week, remains in effect.

March 25

GOP candidate sues Virginia election officials, says coronavirus thwarted efforts to get ballot signatures
A candidate seeking the Republican nomination to run against U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D) has filed a lawsuit against Virginia election officials that argues the COVID-19 pandemic has made it too difficult to gather the petition signatures necessary to qualify for the June primary ballot. Omari Faulkner, a Navy reservist and former Georgetown University basketball player, filed the suit in the Richmond Circuit Court this week.

Northam splits with Trump on timeframe for recovery
Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday batted down a suggestion from President Donald Trump that the nation’s economy could be “open by Easter.” Hours later, the Richmond area reported its first two coronavirus deaths, pushing Virginia’s statewide toll to at least nine. “While it would be nice to say that this will be behind us in two weeks, that’s really not what the data tells us,” Northam said in a briefing with reporters.

Virginia offers flexibility so high school seniors can still graduate
Guidance from the Virginia Department of Education released after Gov. Ralph Northam ordered state schools to be closed for the rest of the school year provides leniency so members of the senior class can still graduate.

Courts are scrambling to address coronavirus
Courts across Virginia have been forced to rapidly escalate their planning and communication processes over the past two weeks in an effort to avoid public gatherings and therefore to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Virginia ABC stores to cut operating hours effective Friday
Virginia ABC stores will open late and close early for a deep cleaning in response to the spread of coronavirus.

March 24

Northam cancels school year, orders some businesses closed
Virginia public schools will remain closed for the rest of the current school year and certain types of businesses, like bowling alleys, salons, gyms and theaters, must close in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.

Virginia may take $1 billion annual revenue hit in new budget
Virginia’s top finance official says the state is likely to lose $1 billion in revenue in each year of the pending two-year budget — and that’s the best scenario, assuming significant aid from the federal government for workers and business owners who have lost their livelihoods because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Governors Clamp Down as Trump Considers Easing Virus Plans
Governors and mayors across the U.S. issued orders to shut down normal human contact and commercial life even as the Trump administration debates dialing back guidance that officials fear is smothering the economy.

Staggered schedules, moving desks: How 109,000 state employees are working during coronavirus
While Gov. Ralph Northam is banning groups of more than 10 people from gathering, and encouraging people to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, more than 109,000 state employees are getting creative with their workspaces.

Northam orders some businesses to close as state's COVID-19 death toll reaches 7
Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday ordered bowling alleys, theaters, barber shops, gyms and spas to close in order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus that has so far killed seven Virginians and hospitalized at least 38.

A list of essential and nonessential businesses in Virginia, according to the governor
The following recreation and entertainment businesses are considered nonessential and must close to the public beginning at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, according to Gov. Ralph Northam: theaters, performing arts centers, concert venues, museums and other indoor entertainment centers.

Virginia K-12 schools closed for remainder of academic year
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday ordered the state’s K-12 schools to remain closed for the rest of the school year. “School closures are necessary to minimize the speed at which COVID-19 spreads and protect the capacity of our health care system,” he said.

March 23

Virginia Governor Issues Executive Order Addressing Schools, Businesses, and Large Gatherings
Executive Order 53 closes K-12 schools for the remainder of the academic year, bans gatherings of 10 or more, and creates temporary business restrictions.

Northam: Prepare for coronavirus outbreak to last months
As health officials reported 67 new coronavirus cases in Virginia — bringing the total to 219, the biggest jump yet

As Va. jobless claims soar, economists expect hit to state's economy
Solid economic data is hard to come by so far about the severity and extent of damage to Virginia’s economy from the coronavirus outbreak, but anecdotal reports coming to economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond do indicate a sudden and major hit to employment especially for businesses such as restaurants and hotels.

Va. attorney general: Local governments must continue to meet in person during outbreak
Local governments scrambling to conduct board and council meetings while respecting social distancing and coronavirus safety concerns were provided little leeway by an opinion on the matter from Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

Region's legislators credit Northam for crisis response, see budget adjustments coming
Members of the General Assembly delegation for the Roanoke and New River valleys credit Gov. Ralph Northam for his coronavirus outbreak response, but remain unsure about how to balance protecting public health with keeping businesses afloat.

Virginia ABC allowing all restaurants with on-premises licenses to sell wine and beer to go
Any restaurant in Virginia with a valid license to sell wine and beer on-premises can now sell wine and beer to go and for delivery without applying for additional permits.

Virginia will cancel SOLs this year because of the coronavirus
Virginia students and teachers won’t have to worry about Standards of Learning tests this spring.

Virginia’s retirement plan for teachers and government workers says it is weathering market turmoil
Financial markets are in turmoil, but the retirement plan that covers Virginia teachers, state employees and most local government staff has just completed processing the payments to retirees it will be sending out April 1.

March 20

Virginia small businesses eligible to apply for coronavirus disaster loans
Virginia small businesses are now eligible to apply for financial assistance due to the impact of the spreading coronavirus.

Governor faces calls for special session, ‘bolder and swifter action’ on COVID-19
After adjourning a historic legislative session last week, a few Democratic lawmakers crossed Capitol Square to stand with Gov. Ralph Northam at a news conference about the state’s response to COVID-19. Then they left town and went home to their districts. Then the world changed.

DEQ suspends routine fieldwork but will continue pipeline monitoring through contractors
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has suspended all routine fieldwork, including regular inspections and in-person monitoring, for two weeks in the face of the continuing spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus.

March 19

Governor Northam Announces Additional Actions to Address COVID-19
Co-pays eliminated for all Medicaid-covered services, tax relief, small businesses can begin applying for low-interest federal disaster loans

Virginia to extend May 1 tax deadline for all individuals and businesses
Virginia will allow all individuals and businesses to delay paying their 2019 income taxes by 30 days, bumping the deadline to pay from May 1 to June 1

Insurers waiving testing, telemedicine fees
Virginia health insurers say members who need screening and testing to see if they are infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus won't be asked for the usual co-pay or other cost-sharing

Unemployment Benefits for Workers Impacted by Coronavirus in DC, Maryland, Virginia
Workers are facing financial hardship as businesses either shut down or reduce their hours over the coronavirus

VDOE seeks federal SOL testing waiver during coronavirus crisis
Amid statewide school closures due to the threat of coronavirus, the Virginia Department of Education has requested a federal waiver for students slated to take the Virginia Standards of Learning tests this spring

In letter to Northam, Fairfax offers suggestions to help fight coronavirus
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax sent a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam voicing his opinion on what steps the state should implement during the coronavirus pandemic

Virginia officials asking law enforcement to avoid arrests when possible
Virginia state officials are asking law enforcement agencies to avoid arrests when possible, amid calls from civil rights groups about jail conditions amid the COVID-19 outbreak

Virginia GOP Delays Convention to Pick Trump as Nominee; The Republican Party of Virginia has postponed its upcoming statewide convention due to the coronavirus
The Republican Party of Virginia has postponed its upcoming statewide convention due to the coronavirus.

DMV shopping malls shut down amid coronavirus concerns
Simon Properties and Westfield stores have temporarily closed stores in Maryland and Virginia

March 18

Clearer picture arrives of economic toll of coronavirus
The economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic became clearer Tuesday as layoffs and furloughs in the hospitality and service industries continue to mount in Greater Washington

State allocates additional $11M to struggling transit systems
Commonwealth Transportation Board funds are aimed at helping transit agencies recover from ridership losses and other COVID-19-related operating expenses

Universities, colleges cancel graduation ceremonies amid pandemic
Public, private and community colleges have canceled commencement

Pentagon wants USNS Comfort ready to deploy to New York
The Defense Department wants the Norfolk-based hospital ship USNS Comfort to get ready to deploy to New York in an effort to aid civilian hospitals that may need to relocate patients who aren’t diagnosed with coronavirus

March 17

Governor Northam Announces New Measures to Combat COVID-19 and Support Impacted Virginians
Directs adherence to 10-person gathering ban, quarantine for high-risk individuals, worker and employer support

Governor Northam Declares Public Health Emergency

March 12

Governor Northam Declares State of Emergency, Outlines Additional Measures to Combat COVID-19
Governor issues guidance on large events and state workforce, activates long-term economic plan

Virginia Local Action on COVID-19

April 28

Virginia General Assembly Permits Local Governments to Meet Electronically
The Virginia General Assembly recently authorized public bodies — including local boards and commissions — to meet electronically during the state of emergency declared by Gov. Ralph Northam in response to COVID-19. This clarifies and expands the previous authority for boards, authorities, planning commissions and other public bodies to meet and take action even when they cannot otherwise meet in person due to social distancing requirements.

April 10

Fairfax County considers early release of jail inmates during pandemic
Fairfax County, Virginia’s top prosecutor took a bold step toward reviewing who needs to be in the county’s jail in hopes of reducing the number of people confined in a space that could easily become a breeding ground for the novel coronavirus.  Along with limiting the defendants coming into the system, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said his office will review the case of every individual serving a sentence in jail on a case-by-case basis to determine if they are eligible for early release.

Richmond Council approves virtual meetings in response to COVID-19
The Richmond City Council will cease in-person public hearings and hold electronic meetings about business it deems critical through the COVID-19 pandemic. The council approved new guidelines at a special meeting Thursday so the city’s public bodies can continue meeting during the state of emergency.

County cuts proposed budget by $50 million
A planned November 2020 bond referendum is being put on hold, and several other capital projects have been delayed indefinitely as the Chesterfield County government marshals resources to fund operations in the face of a nationwide economic crisis fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hampton launches small business loan program, extensions on tax bills to those affected by coronavirus
For those hit hardest by the pandemic, Hampton is offering some people more time to pay their tax bills and a loan forgiveness program for small businesses. The Hampton City Council — voting unanimously during an electronic meeting Wednesday night — approved a loan and grant forgiveness program that will be managed by the Economic Development Authority, City Manager Mary Bunting said.

Williamsburg City Council addresses budget in light of the coronavirus
Along with the economic downturn brought about the coronavirus pandemic, local governments are finding themselves re-evaluating budgets as they continue to provide vital services to their residents. Take Williamsburg for instance. Despite creating a strong budget in January, the Williamsburg City Council finds itself reassessing its financial strategy for the end of 2020 and the entirety of 2021 to accommodate changes to the economy as a result of the coronavirus.

Closures raise concerns for Northumberland
While some counties are doing all right with recent state closures aimed to fight COVID-19, these closures have pretty much shut down Northumberland County. The school year is canceled, the courts are closed and public offices are closed to the public. Churches have canceled services and activities and public events have been called off.

April 9

Local governments in D.C. region revise budgets, halt projects
Alexandria officials have begun placing long-awaited projects such as a new Waterfront Park on hold. The D.C. government has frozen hiring and will forgo salary increases. And in Montgomery County, a proposal for a supplemental property tax increase is dead. The financial impact of the shutdown of businesses and organizations caused by the coronavirus pandemic is quickly coming into view.

Supervisor asks DOJ to investigate Riverside jail
A member of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to initiate a civil rights investigation of Riverside Regional Jail. In a letter to Eric S. Dreiband, an assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s civil rights division, Clover Hill District Supervisor Chris Winslow alleges “pervasive, open and egregious” violations of the civil rights of men and women incarcerated at the regional jail in Prince George County.

Local banks take 'all-hands-on-deck' approach to loan volume
As small businesses nationwide are applying for financial assistance during the coronavirus pandemic, local banks are working to stay abreast of guidelines and process applications quickly. Open season for loan applications through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — dubbed the CARES Act — along with the Paycheck Protection Program, was declared Friday. Business owners have flocked to their lending agents to find relief.

Virginia Breeze bus to suspend service between Blacksburg and Washington
The Virginia Breeze announced plans to suspend bus service Friday between Blacksburg and Union Station in Washington because not enough riders are traveling during the virus emergency.

Shenandoah National Park is now closed at the request of the state Department of Health
Shenandoah National Park was closed Wednesday and going forward by the National Park Service following a request from the Rappahannock Rapidan Health District of the Virginia Department of Health.

Deliberately coughing on someone now a crime in Virginia Beach
No one wants to be coughed on deliberately. But as the coronavirus pandemic swept around the globe the past several weeks, people started viewing such actions as potentially deadly. And in Virginia Beach and other locales, they are now considering it to be criminal, too.

Alexandria faces $100M budget gap because of coronavirus pandemic
The City of Alexandria is feeling a budget crunch from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, leaving officials in the Virginia city with no choice but to revise down their funding plan for the next fiscal year. Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks announced revisions to his proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget in response to a $100 million gap amid the fallout to the coronavirus crisis.

COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Major Fairfax County Budget Changes
Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill is pitching major revisions to his budget proposal for fiscal year 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised budget eliminates a proposed three-cent tax rate increase and fee increases across-the-board in order to relieve pressure on the county’s taxpayers. Hill’s proposal also shifts spending to essential services only and removes all salary increases.

Loudoun County supervisors approve $3B annual budget, plan to freeze $100M due to coronavirus uncertainty
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted a fiscal 2021 budget that reduces the tax rate one cent. The effect of the new budget on county homeowners remains uncertain given COVID-19's impact on the local economy. The county plans to freeze $100 million as a result of COVID-19.

Richmond City Council To Vote On Virtual Meetings During COVID-19 Pandemic
On Thursday afternoon, Richmond City Council will vote on new rules that would allow it to hold virtual rather than in-person meetings during the coronavirus pandemic. City council has had to cancel many of its meetings over the last few weeks, following Gov. Ralph Northam’s executive order limiting public gatherings to 10 people or less. Richmond City Council’s new rules would require three days of public notice before a meeting and that it be live streamed online through its Legistar service.

Trash collection in Williamsburg is being done differently to protect employees from the coronavirus
The city of Williamsburg’s Public Works Department has changed how garbage is collected to protect its employees. Garbage truck drivers have started not manually picking up items outside of a resident’s cart. City spokeswoman LeeAnn Hartmann said typically, residents will place bags of debris and trash next to their garbage carts when they overflow and it causes truck drivers to have to get out of the vehicle and manually collect the extra bags.

Gloucester seeks help to boost broadband access as coronavirus demand for online service climbs
With Virginia students doing schoolwork at home, and hordes of adults trying to work from home, Gloucester County is putting out a call to businesses to open access to their wi-fi connections to county residents. The county itself is offering free, if limited, wi-fi access in the parking lots of the main library and its Point branch in Hayes.

Spotsylvania school officials work to expand internet access
Spotsylvania County Public Schools has made internet hotspots available for students who cannot access the internet at home. The division is also making computers available to students who do not have them.

April 8

Farm stands across Hampton Roads open early to sell fruits and veggies
John Cromwell’s farm stand In Virginia Beach usually opens in mid-May, when his fields are bursting with pea pods. Until then, he’s busy supplying local restaurants with his hardy winter crops — beets, kale and collards. But with eateries across the country cutting back or closing entirely as a result of the coronavirus, Cromwell found himself last month with plenty of ripe vegetables and no where to sell them.

Arlington Democrats go mail-in route for School Board caucus
The Arlington County Democratic Committee is switching to a mail-in election to select two endorsees for School Board, with results expected to be released in early June. The new process, devised in the wake of the COVID-19 public-health crisis, replaces the traditional Democratic caucus, which usually includes two or three days of in-person voting.

Virginia Beach City Council votes to suspend meal taxes to reduce takeout bills
Starting in May, anyone ordering takeout from a Virginia Beach restaurant will see a 5.5% decrease on the bill. During its second virtual meeting since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Virginia Beach City Council voted 9-2 on Tuesday evening to suspend the meals tax for May and June in an effort to encourage more people to support local businesses.

Peninsula localities adjust as they face unknowns with budget season approaching
For Peninsula localities and their budget cycles, the coronavirus pandemic has created a new level of unknown. City councils, county boards of supervisors and school boards must complete their spending plans in time for the July 1 start of their next fiscal year. Whether the virus and the hefty economic cost it imposes on some communities will be over by then is far from certain.

Chesapeake sheriff wants to use temporary building to house inmates in Hampton Roads
A temporary building at the Chesapeake city jail could be used to house inmates in the region who test positive for coronavirus. Chesapeake Sheriff Jim O’Sullivan has asked the state Board of Corrections for permission to use the building, which is vacant, to isolate sick inmates from the general population.

Roanoke to furlough some city workers
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell says that he and his staff are working on next year’s budget while picking up the pieces of this year’s. The Great Recession found Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell halfway across the country. Cowell was director of planning and development services in College Station, Texas, and he was part of a team that had to implement furloughs during the 2008-2009 period.

April 7

Frederick County EDA takes steps to help businesses hit by virus
As the COVID-19 pandemic forces many businesses to temporarily close to prevent the spread of the virus, the Frederick County Economic Development Authority is ramping up efforts to help local businesses stay afloat. According to EDA Executive Director Patrick Barker, the EDA is trying to be a source of information about the coronavirus situation and its impact on the economy.

Forest Service, towns announce temporary closure of Virginia Creeper Trail
The Virginia Creeper Trail will be temporarily closed starting today at 5 p.m. in an effort to protect the public from COVID-19. The decision was made jointly by the US Forest Service and the towns of Abingdon and Damascus, according to a news release. “Recent overcrowding along portions of the trail, concern for increasing the burden on local Emergency Medical Services and the health and safety of all trail users were the driving forces behind this decision,” Matthew Crum, president of the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy stated in the release.

Arlington Democrats evaluating options for School Board caucus
The Arlington County Democratic Committee is formulating options to carry through with its School Board caucus in the wake of public-health concerns. . . . Democrats had planned two days of caucus voting at county schools in May, but it appears increasingly unlikely that will take place. Because the caucus is not a state-run political event, Democrats have a significant amount of leeway in setting up (and amending) procedures.

Hampton council to hold virtual public meeting
Hampton City Council will host a virtual public meeting Wednesday. The council’s public meetings scheduled for next week at city hall have been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Instead, it will hold a meeting electronically at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Some members of council are expected to attend electronically.

Stafford supervisors seek virtual public comment at budget hearing
Stafford County supervisors have decided not to let residents offer on-site comments at a public hearing Tuesday on the proposed fiscal 2021 budget because of concerns about the coronavirus. Instead, residents can submit comments by completing an online form, which will remain open until April 21. All submissions received will be read into the public record.

City Council to vote on virtual meetings, tax relief
Fredericksburg’s City Council will hold a special virtual meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday to vote on several issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be broadcast on Cox Channel 84 and Verizon Channel 42. Public comments can be posted on Facebook Live during the meeting, but won’t be answered until the following day.

Roanoke City Council likely to give taxpayers extra time
Roanoke City Council is moving toward offering taxpayers short-term relief from coronavirus-driven economic hardships via deadline extensions and waiving late penalties. During Monday’s electronic council meeting, proposals to waive late fees for real estate taxes — due Monday — for 30 days and to extend the personal property by a month, to June 30, received broad support.

Danville Public Works implements new guidelines to protect workers
To reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus, Danville’s Public Works Department is implementing new measures for residents to follow to protect the city’s sanitation workers. Rick Drazenovich, the director of public works, said residents are generating up to 20% more household garbage since the state's stay-at-home order was issued in March.

April 6

Park service closes section of Appalachian Trail including McAfee Knob
The National Park Service has closed 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus at the center of a worldwide outbreak that has sickened more than a million people and killed more than 65,000.

City of Alexandria could face nearly $100 million budget shortfall
The City of Alexandria, Virginia, stands to lose nearly $100 million through mid-2021 as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Under new budget proposals, the city is considering hiring freezes at the city government level and deferring city projects and employee compensation increases, it said.

Herndon Officials Rethink FY 2021 Budget Due to Economic Changes
As the U.S. experiences an economic downturn as a result of COVID19, Town of Herndon officials plan to revise the previously proposed budget for fiscal year 2021. Herndon Town Manager William Ashton II recently decided that the budget is no longer fitting for the town’s needs, according to a press release.

Chesterfield County cuts $50 million from upcoming budget, salary increases canceled
As localities continue to grapple with estimating the full economic blow of COVID-19, Chesterfield County released its revised budget Friday afternoon, and it’s almost $50 million short of County Administrator Joe Casey’s initial $773 million budget proposal and $10 million below the 2020 adopted budget.

Virginia Beach has started offering hotel rooms to homeless people to fight the spread of the coronavirus
Over the past two weeks, Virginia Beach has quietly offered 46 hotel rooms to homeless individuals, in the hopes that getting them off the streets would help prevent the spread of coronavirus. To the city’s surprise, Gov. Ralph Northam endorsed the idea on Friday — announcing $2.5 million in emergency funding for localities across the state to provide temporary housing for about 1,500 people without shelter. Virginia Beach expects to receive more than $124,000 from the state and possibly more from the federal government to help the homeless.

Possibly delaying the new high school by a year hints at the city’s tough financial decisions to come
Harrisonburg leaders are looking at a starkly different financial reality now than they were less than four months ago when the city council approved the $100 million needed to build and open a second high school, which has the Harrisonburg School Board considering a one-year delay of its construction. The school board will hold a closed session Thursday to discuss with the board’s attorney Kevin Rose the ramifications of altering the construction contract.

Roanoke Valley police, DMV make adjustments
The first day of April last week also brought with it the possibility of a missed deadline for some Virginia drivers — anyone whose vehicle’s state inspection stickers expired at the end of March. Depending on the circumstances, however, windshields still bearing a 3/20 might not necessarily prompt a traffic stop.

Montgomery County closes government center after second worker gets initial positive COVID-19 test
Montgomery County is closing its government center for two weeks after two workers tested positive for COVID-19, the county announced Saturday, the same day the county vaulted from one to six total reported cases. Many core government functions, such as public safety and others that operate from separate facilities, will continue, county spokeswoman Jennifer Harris said Saturday.

Washington County, Va., elections office closes
The elections office is now closed in Washington County, Virginia, due to a recent announcement by the Mount Rogers Health District that community transmission of coronavirus is now occurring.

April 2

Richmond Economic Development Authority Creates Small Business Loan Program

March 25

Lynchburg mayor denounces move to reopen Liberty as 'reckless'
With the threat of the coronavirus looming, Lynchburg Mayor Treney Tweedy sharply criticized Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.’s decision to invite students back to campus, calling the move reckless and unfortunate.

March 24

Arlington Grapples with Community Transmission of Coronavirus
Like other nearby localities, Arlington has entered the community transmission phase of coronavirus outbreak.

Athletic Fields, Dog Parks, Playgrounds Closing in Arlington
All Arlington dog parks, fields and playgrounds are closing in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Dan River Region leaders react to executive order to close businesses
Many of the area businesses that had managed to remain open during the past few weeks now will be forced to close for at least a month as a result of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s executive order.

March 23

Fairfax County COVID-19 Update
Fairfax County is still proceeding with development reviews, inspections and permitting, albeit with adjusted procedures. For zoning cases, the Department of Planning and Development is primarily working remotely and has adjusted to receiving electronic resubmissions.

Alexandria closes outdoor spaces due to coronavirus
Playgrounds, recreation centers and other outdoor areas have been shut down by the City of Alexandria in order to slow the spread of coronavirus, the city announced Saturday afternoon. The closures, announced in conjunction with Alexandria City Public Schools, target basketball and tennis courts, fenced-in fields and dog parks.

Arlington County Rethinks FY2021 Budget Due To Coronavirus
Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey called the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal County Manager Mark Schwartz submitted in February "no longer very relevant" in light of the current coronavirus crisis

March 19

F.C. Declares Local Emergency in Response to Coronavirus
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields, in an exclusive interview with the News-Press Wednesday afternoon, confirmed that the City and City schools are in full-scale mobilization to adhere with “social distancing” and other key elements aimed at stemming the spread of the deadly airborne coronavirus. 

LewisGale implements stricter policies as coronavirus cases in Virginia reach 77
LewisGale Regional Health System is implementing new procedures as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to increase throughout Virginia

Colonial Downs announces all Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums will close temporarily amid coronavirus

Richmond-area police departments prepare to enforce 10-person limit, while keeping eye on crime during pandemic
The Richmond and Chesterfield County police departments are giving targeted businesses a grace period to comply with Gov. Ralph Northam’s order limiting gatherings larger than 10 people.

Arlington Officials Scramble to Rethink Budget, Urge Additional Action from State
While reducing the human toll of the coronavirus outbreak is a top priority, Arlington officials are also trying to determine its impact on the upcoming county budget

Social distancing: Williamsburg City Council met via video, and the public participated

Hampton’s top prosecutor criticizes judges for hearings held amid coronavirus concerns
A jury trial in a Hampton gun possession case this week likely marked the last such trial in Hampton for quite a while.

March 18

Loudoun County board opposes sending letter to governor requesting closure of gathering places

With budgets to review, local governments seek legal help to balance COVID-19 precautions, public participation

As virus forces shutdown, rural Northern Neck library works to fill essential role for community

Virus threat pushes jail head, prosecutors to release inmates at Middle River Regional Jail
Middle River Regional Jail in Verona has started releasing some non-violent offenders in an effort to reduce the jail population as the threat of the coronavirus continues to grow

Amazon to hire 1,400 Virginians to meet order surge, donate $1M to Arlington nonprofits
The company will also add $2/hour to employees' current hourly rates through end of April

Arlington County residents get tested at drive-thru coronavirus testing site
As COVID-19 cases spike in Virginia and the D.C. area, Arlington County is stepping up its efforts to test those who are showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus

Central Virginia's First Drive-Through Coronavirus Tests Begin
More than 100 people were tested for the coronavirus disease at the first drive-through testing site in Central Virginia on Wednesday

Goodyear shutting down operations until at least April 3
Citing a sudden decline in market demand with the spread of the coronavirus, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is shutting down manufacturing until at least April 3, according to a company statement. Goodyear is Danville's largest employer with about 2,000 workers