The COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia is part of the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. The
first confirmed case was reported on March 7, 2020, in
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fai ...
,
and the first suspected case arrived in Virginia on February 23, 2020, which was a man who had recently traveled to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
. In response to the spread of COVID-19, the state mandated a stay at home order from March 18, 2020, until May 12, 2020, when the state began a four-phased reopening plan that lasted through July 1, 2020. From May 31, 2020, until May 28, 2021, the state enforced a mask mandate, being one of the first states in the nation to enforce a statewide mask mandate. The state remained relatively stagnant in COVID-19 cases through November 2020, until there was a large surge in COVID-19 cases during the winter of 2020–21, as part of a nationwide surge in cases. Cases gradually subsided to summer and fall 2020 numbers by March 2021, with numbers falling to early pandemic numbers by June 2021.
On December 14, 2020, the state began a mass vaccination effort as part of the country's larger
COVID-19 vaccine campaign. In January 2021, the state imposed a four-phase plan to prioritize what individuals by profession and age group would be eligible to receive the vaccine. On April 18, 2021, the entire population became eligible for the vaccine. By May 10, 2021, half of the state received at least COVID-19 vaccine.
, the
Virginia Department of Health reported 675,538 positive cases and 11,186 deaths in the U.S. state of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
(officially known as the Commonwealth of Virginia).
, Virginia has administered 16,858,301 COVID-19 vaccine doses, and has fully vaccinated 6,334,662 people, equivalent to 74.93% of the population.
Timeline
March 2020
March 7–12
On March 7, Virginia confirmed its first case, a
US Marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
assigned to
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fai ...
. He had recently traveled abroad.
On March 8, the state reported its second presumptive positive case, an 80-year-old man from
Fairfax who had recently returned from a cruise on the
Nile River.
On March 9, the state reported 3 more presumptive positive cases: a man in his mid 60s from
Arlington County
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
who had recently travelled internationally, a woman from Fairfax City who is the spouse of the patient reported the day before, and a
Spotsylvania County
Spotsylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the July 2021 estimate, the population was 143,676. Its county seat is Spotsylvania Courthouse.
History
At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that bec ...
resident. This brings the total number of cases in the state to 5. On March 10, health officials in
Loudoun County
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. Loudoun County's seat is Leesburg. Loudoun C ...
announced that a county resident tested presumptive positive for coronavirus. During the same day, a
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
couple who traveled on a Nile River cruise was tested presumed positive, becoming the first two cases for
Hampton Roads, bringing the state's total to eight.
On March 10,
Fairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system (FCPS) is a school division in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. It is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. FCPS's headq ...
announced that they would close on March 13 and March 16 to begin the transition to online classes if the school system would need to shut down. On March 15, it was announced that all schools and school administration buildings in Fairfax County would close until April 10.
On March 11, the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
in
Charlottesville
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
announced that classes will be moved online beginning on March 19 "for the foreseeable future, quite possibly through the end of the semester."
Furthermore, administrators issued a blanket prohibition on "events with more than 100 people," saying that such events "should be postponed, cancelled, or offered virtually." The closure followed closely on the heels of the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Central Virginia in a teenager from
Hanover County
Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover Courthouse.
Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region.
History
Located in the wester ...
near
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
who returned from international travel "to a country...
ith
The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany.
Geography
Location
The Ith is immediatel ...
a Level 3 alert" on March 8. The teenager was reported to be "doing well" in isolation at home, and
Hanover County Public Schools
Hanover County Public Schools is a school division headquartered in Ashland, Virginia. It serves approximately 17,000 students across 26 schools in Hanover County, including 15 elementary, four middle, and four high schools, one trade and technol ...
confirmed that the teenager is not a current student attending a public school in that county.
On March 12, Governor
Ralph S. Northam declared a
state of emergency and cancelled out-of-state travel for public employees, after the state's total cases doubled since the last update. The declaration activated the Virginia Emergency Operations Center, banned price gouging, activated the Virginia National Guard to State Active duty, and authorized $10,000,000 to be used for any recovery and/or response efforts in the state due to the coronavirus. Northam stated that local school districts were allowed to make their own decisions about closing schools. Several public school districts, including
Loudoun County
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. Loudoun County's seat is Leesburg. Loudoun C ...
,
Prince William County
Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas ...
,
Stafford County, and
Fairfax County
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria, Virginia, Alexandria and ...
suspended classes.
[(1) ]
(2)
(3)
March 13–16
Several jurisdictions declared local states of emergency throughout March. The
Code of Virginia
The Code of Virginia is the statutory law of the U.S. state of Virginia, and consists of the codified legislation of the Virginia General Assembly. The 1950 Code of Virginia is the revision currently in force. The previous official versions we ...
permits officials of local jurisdictions that have issued declarations of local emergencies to, among other things, "control, restrict, allocate or regulate the use, sale, production and distribution of food, fuel, clothing and other commodities, materials, goods, services and resource systems which fall only within the boundaries of that jurisdiction and which do not impact systems affecting adjoining or other political subdivisions" without being under the supervision and control of the Governor. Local emergencies were declared in
Arlington County
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
and
Madison County on March 13;
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
and
Stephens City on March 14;
Prince William County
Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas ...
,
Loudoun County
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. Loudoun County's seat is Leesburg. Loudoun C ...
,
Fauquier County
Fauquier is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton.
Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area.
History
In 160 ...
,
Stafford County,
Falls Church,
Fredericksburg, and
Purcellville on March 16.
On March 13, the state's total cases increased by 13, raising the total sum of confirmed cases to 30. Governor Ralph Northam suspended all K–12 schools in the state for a minimum of two weeks.
On the evening of March 14, the Virginia Department of Health announced the number of positive cases had increased to 41. They also announced the state's first death from the coronavirus: a man in his 70s who died of respiratory failure. The county where the man died was not released, but it was announced he was from the Peninsula Health District. The same day, the
College of William & Mary
The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William I ...
announced that a member of staff had tested positive for the disease.
On March 15, the
Virginia Department of Health announced the number of positive cases had increased to 45, Fairfax County has the most cases among Virginia's counties with 10 confirmed cases.
On March 16, the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
confirmed its first case, a member of staff in her late 50s. The Virginia Department of Health announced an additional six positive cases of coronavirus in the state, as well as the state's second death. The man who died was in his 70s from the Peninsula region and died of respiratory failure.
These cases increased the number of positive cases to 51.
March 17–22
Local emergencies were declared in
Fairfax County
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria, Virginia, Alexandria and ...
,
Rappahannock County
Rappahannock County is a county located in the northern Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, US, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 7,348. Its county seat is Washington. The name "Rappah ...
,
Spotsylvania County
Spotsylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the July 2021 estimate, the population was 143,676. Its county seat is Spotsylvania Courthouse.
History
At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that bec ...
,
Clarke County Clarke County may refer to:
;Places
*One of five counties in the United States:
**Clarke County, Alabama
**Clarke County, Georgia
**Clarke County, Iowa
**Clarke County, Mississippi
**Clarke County, Virginia
Clarke County is a county in the Com ...
,
Culpeper County
Culpeper County is a county located along the borderlands of the northern and central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 52,552. Its county seat and only incorporated community is Cul ...
,
Warren County Warren County is the name of fourteen counties in the USA. Some are named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War:
* Warren County, Georgia
* Warren County, Illinois
* Warren County ...
,
Page County,
Shenandoah County
Shenandoah County (formerly Dunmore County) is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 44,186. Its county seat is Woodstock. It is part of the Shenandoah Valley region of Virgin ...
, the
City of Fairfax,
Manassas City, and
Winchester on March 17;
Leesburg on March 18; and
Frederick County on March 19.
During the afternoon of March 17, Governor Northam issued an order allowing law enforcement to enforce a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in public spaces; earlier in the day, he had appeared unwilling to take such measures. Some restaurant owners had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of direction provided by the government.
On March 19, Virginia officials asked law enforcement to avoid arrests where possible. The administration also asked magistrates and judges to consider alternatives to incarceration. On March 19, Virginia reported its first coronavirus case in a minor, a child under the age of 10 in Gloucester County.
On March 20, Governor Northam activated the Virginia National Guard and elements of the
Virginia Defense Force
The Virginia Defense Force (VDF) is the official state defense force of Virginia, one of the three components of Virginia's state military along with the Virginia National Guard which includes the Virginia Army National Guard, the Virginia Air ...
.
The state announced they have 114 cases of COVID-19, with 20 hospitalizations.
March 23
On March 23, Northam issued an order that banned within Virginia all gatherings of more than 10 people. The order required all public schools to be closed for the remainder of the current school year. The order also closed all public access to recreational and entertainment businesses, such as bowling alleys, gyms, and theaters.
[(1) ]
(2)
(3)
The March 23 order closed "dining and congregation areas" in restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, farmers markets, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries and tasting rooms, but left open all other areas in those types of businesses. The order also left open certain specified "essential retail businesses" including pharmacies, grocery stores, and banks (among others).
On March 26, an Alexandria pub — that a COVID-19 positive person had visited on March 10, March 14, and March 15 — reportedly said on its
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
page that it was closed only through March 28 for cleaning and
sanitizing.
The March 23 order stated that all "essential" retail establishments must, to the extent possible, adhere to social distancing recommendations, enhanced sanitizing practices on common surfaces, and other appropriate workplace guidance from state and federal authorities. The order also stated that any brick-and-mortar retail business not listed in the order as "essential" must limit all in-person shopping to no more than 10 patrons per establishment, adhere to social distancing recommendations, sanitize common surfaces, and apply relevant workplace guidance from state and federal authorities. The order stated that if any such business cannot adhere to the 10-patron limit with proper social distancing requirements, it must close.
Northam's March 23 order did not define construction activity as being "essential". However, the ''
Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...
'' reported on March 28 that the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia had designated construction as well as several other types of businesses as essential. The ''Post'' reported that construction projects were still underway in those jurisdictions and that a spokesperson for Northam had claimed that the federal government had determined that construction is essential.
The ''Post'' also reported that the State of Washington's transportation department had suspended work on nearly all of its projects and that Washington's governor had clarified his
stay-at-home order
A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...
to state that construction was not considered an essential activity.
On March 23, Governor Northam closed all public and private schools until the end of the academic year.
Jerry Falwell Jr. announced that
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia ( Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Lib ...
was reopening its dorms to students who wished to return to campus from spring break even though classes were being taught online. University staff and faculty have also been told to report to work. Both decisions remain controversial.
A local emergenciy was declared in
Front Royal
Front Royal is the only incorporated town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,011 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.
History
The entire Shenandoah Valley including the area to become ...
on March 23.
March 24–31
On March 25, Northam and the State Health Commissioner issued a public health emergency order that prohibited inpatient and outpatient surgical hospitals, free-standing
endoscopy
An endoscopy is a procedure used in medicine to look inside the body. The endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike many other medical imaging techniques, endoscopes are inse ...
centers, physicians' offices, and dental,
orthodontic
Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial ...
, and
endodontic
Endodontics (from the Greek roots ''endo-'' "inside" and ''odont-'' "tooth") is the dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp.
Overview
Endodontics encompasses the study (practice) of the basic and clinical ...
offices from providing procedures and surgeries that require
personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, e ...
(PPE), which if delayed, are not anticipated to cause harm to the patient by negatively affecting the patient's health outcomes, or leading to disability or death. The prohibition did not include outpatient visits delivered in hospital-based clinics.
The
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
's March 28 guidance on essential critical infrastructure lists as "essential" the construction of residential/shelter facilities and services (see "
essential services
Essential services may refer to a class of occupations that have been legislated by a government to have special restrictions in regard to labour actions such as not being allowed to strike.
The International Labour Office, a United Nations a ...
"), energy-related facilities, communications and information technology, public works including the construction of critical or strategic infrastructure and infrastructure that is temporarily required to support COVID-19 response, is for certain other types of community- or government-based operations, or is otherwise critical, strategic, or essential. The guidance does not contain any such listings for other types of construction.
During the afternoon of March 30, Governor Northam issued a
stay-at-home order
A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...
, to be effective until June 10 unless amended or rescinded by a further executive order. The order required everyone to remain at their place of residence, with certain specified exceptions (including traveling to work, to obtain food and for outdoor exercise).
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
's Governor
Larry Hogan and the
District of Columbia
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
's Mayor
Muriel Bowser
Muriel Elizabeth Bowser (born August 2, 1972) is an American politician serving since 2015 as the eighth mayor of the District of Columbia. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the 4th ward as a member of the Counci ...
issued similar orders on the same day (see
COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Maryland in March 2020. The first three cases of the virus were reported in Montgomery County on March 5, 2020. , the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) reported 1,303,829 p ...
and
in Washington, D.C.).
[(1) ]
(2)
(3)
(4)
April 2020
On April 3, Governor Northam announced that the Dulles Expo Center will be the interim site of the first field hospital in Northern Virginia. A total of three field hospitals are expected to open throughout the Commonwealth. The Dulles Expo site is expected to be operational by mid-May.
[(1) ]
On April 10, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle reported that Virginia had not implemented a closure of non-essential services. The Institute further reported that Maryland and the District of Columbia had implemented these closures on March 23 and March 25, respectively.
On Monday April 13,
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
reported that 42 of the 154 COVID-19 deaths in Virginia occurred at the Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Henrico County, a nursing home located near Richmond. The outbreak is one of the worst coronavirus disease clusters in the United States.
On April 15, the March 13 order, which would initially expire on April 23, was extended to end on May 8. The order for all residents to stay-at-home until June 10 was still in place.
On April 16, demonstrators gathered in Richmond's
Capitol Square
Capitol Square is a public square in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The square includes the Ohio Statehouse, its Capitol Grounds, as well as the buildings and features surrounding the square. The Capitol Grounds are surrounded on the north and west ...
in front of the
Executive Mansion to protest Northam's closure and stay at home orders. On April 24, Northam presented a four-staged "Forward Virginia" blueprint informed by "diverse health and business stakeholders" to "safely" ease public health restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19.
May 2020
Phase I of Virginia's reopening began on May 15 for most of the state.
Phase I was delayed until May 29 in
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
(specifically
Arlington,
Fairfax,
Loudoun
Loudoun ( gd, Lughdan) is a parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland and lies between five and ten miles east of Kilmarnock. The parish roughly encompasses the northern half of the Upper-Irvine Valley and borders Galston Parish (which encompasses the ...
, and
Prince William
William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Born in London, William was educa ...
Counties, and the cities of
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
,
Fairfax,
Falls Church,
Manassas, and
Manassas Park
Manassas Park is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 17,219. Manassas Park is bordered by the city of Manassas, Virginia, Manas ...
),
as well as
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
and
Accomack County.
On May 20, Mountain Mission School in
Grundy reported 17 cases.
On May 29, wearing of facial coverings in buildings open for business became mandatory b
Executive Order 63which was signed by
the Governor. The order is by authority granted to
the Governor by Article V of the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
and vested in the State Health
Commissioner pursuant to the
Code of Virginia
The Code of Virginia is the statutory law of the U.S. state of Virginia, and consists of the codified legislation of the Virginia General Assembly. The 1950 Code of Virginia is the revision currently in force. The previous official versions we ...
until it is either amended or rescinded by a subsequent executive order.
The order allows exceptions including health or medical reasons for which wearing a mask is contraindicated.
The order has been criticized for its deliberately ambiguous wording which mandates facial coverings but allows full discretion of a patron on how to define a "health or medical" exception. It further holds that a patron is neither required to show proof nor declare verbally what health or medical condition applies to his decision for going without a facial covering. The spokesman for the Governor's Office stated that while the ability to enforce the order is flawed, it is hoped and expected that Virginians will comply with the order.
June–August 2020
All of Virginia entered Phase II on June 12,
and Phase III on July 1.
On July 15, the
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry is the executive branch agency of the state government responsible for administering labor and employment laws and programs in the U.S. state of Virginia.
Background
Established by the Virginia ...
adopted binding safety regulations on COVID-19, the first such regulations in the United States. The regulations include mandates about control measures and prohibits retaliation against workers for expressing concern about infection risk, and provides for fines of up to US$130,000 for companies found in violation.
On July 28, additional restrictions were imposed on restaurants and bars in the
Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia (specifically
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
,
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
,
Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to:
*Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian
* The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay
*Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula
Chesapeake may also refer to:
Populated plac ...
,
Suffolk,
Hampton
Hampton may refer to:
Places Australia
*Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia
*Hampton, New South Wales
*Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region
* Hampton, Victoria
Canada
* Hampton, New Brunswick
*Ha ...
,
Newport News
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
,
Poquoson
Poquoson (), informally known as Bull Island, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,460. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding York Count ...
,
York County,
James City County
James City County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,254. Although politically separate from the county, the county seat is the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg.
Located ...
, and
Williamsburg). The restrictions were expected to be in force for 2–3 weeks before being reevaluated.
On July 31, the Arlington County Board adopted during a closed session an emergency ordinance that prohibited groups of more than three people from congregating on posted streets and sidewalks. The ordinance required pedestrians to maintain at least six feet of separation from others on those streets and sidewalks. People violating the ordinance could receive fines of up to $100.
By August 11, there were 15 outbreaks of COVID-19 at poultry- and meat-processing plants in Virginia. These resulted in a total of 1,224 confirmed cases, 49 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths.
On August 29, the Arlington County government announced that County police would begin enforcing its July 31 emergency ordinance that had prohibited groups of more than three people from congregating on posted streets and sidewalks. People who refused to comply when on posted sidewalks in such commercial areas as
Clarendon and
Crystal City could receive fines up to $100.
September 2020
On September 1, Governor Northam expressed concern about Southwestern Virginia, which was reporting 229 new cases each day and does not have a large number of hospitals. The number of cases in Southwestern Virginia is close to the 251 cases per day in Northern Virginia, an area which has many more hospitals.
On September 5, a total of 866 outbreaks throughout the state were under investigation. This included 39 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, which had a total of 9,560 cases and 1,386 deaths.
On September 10, the additional restrictions on the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia were rescinded.
On September 16, the Arlington County Board voted to allow the emergency sidewalk distancing ordinance that it had adopted on July 31 to lapse on September 29 because the ordinance had proven to be ineffective. The Arlington County Manager told the Board before the vote that the county's police had failed to issue any citations for violations of the ordinance, despite the posting of signs that had warned of fines for committing such violations.
On September 25, Governor Northam announced that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19.
October–December 2020
On October 2, over 1,000 new daily cases were reported, part of a trend of the highest number of daily cases since May.
On October 5, Ralph Northam announced he had recovered from COVID-19, and criticized then-U.S. president Donald Trump for downplaying the virus.
Cases across the state generally staggered around mid October to mid November at about 700 to 1,200 new cases per day before a spike in cases occurred in late November.
On December 9, Governor Northam announced new restrictions through an Executive Order, this included limiting social gatherings from 25 back down to 10, excluding educational, employment, and religious settings. The mask mandate, enacted in June 2020, was expanded to include all indoor settings, and outdoor settings where social distancing is not possible. Finally, the restrictions imposed a curfew from midnight to 5:00 a.m., excluding essential travel. The order went into effect on December 14.
January–February 2021
According to
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and m ...
, on January 15 Virginia ranked near the bottom of U.S. states in terms of utilizing the
COVID-19 vaccine supply that it had on hand. Bloomberg reported on January 17 that Virginia had given 3.71 doses per 100 people at a time that the U.S. as a whole had given 4.35 doses per 100 people. Also on January 17, the Prince William Health District in
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
stopped giving vaccine appointments because of a present and projected limited supply of the vaccine.
By the end of January 2021, nearly 7% of the Commonwealth received their first shot of the
COVID-19 vaccine, and 1% have been fully vaccinated.
Into February 2021, cases of COVID-19 began to decline, with the estimated number of active cases dropping from about 65,000 to 40,000 by mid-February. In mid-February approximately 1 million Virginians received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. On February 17, 2021, the state opened its online registration system for COVID-19 vaccines for the general public.
March–April 2021
On March 31, 2021, Virginia moved into Phase 1c of the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. On April 1, 2021, Governor Northam announced that the state would be moving into Phase 2 of the vaccination efforts starting on April 18, 2021, meaning all adults in Virginia, regardless of their health, can register for the COVID-19 vaccine. By May 2021, half of the state received their first dose.
Vaccination
On December 14, 2020, first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses arrived and on December 15, 2020, first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses administered. Vaccination in Long-term Care Facilities begin. As of February 1, 2021, around 817,823 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose in Virginia. Among them, 124, 407 people have been fully vaccinated. Virginia is currently in Phase 2.
* Phase 1a: Vaccinate Healthcare Personnel and Residents of Long Term Care Facilities.
* Phase 1b: Vaccinate Frontline Essential Workers, People Aged 65 years and Older, People Living in Correctional Facilities, Homeless Shelters and Migrant Labor Camps, and People aged 16 through 64 years with a High Risk Medical Condition or Disability that Increases Their Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19.
* Phase 1c: Vaccinate Other Essential Workers. These workers are in sectors essential to the functioning of society and/or are at higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, including people working in the follow areas:
** Energy
** Water, wastewater, and waste removal workers (includes recycling removal workers)
** Housing Construction
** Food Service
** Transportation and Logistics
** Institutions of Higher Education Faculty/Staff Finance
** Information Technology & Communication Media
** Legal Services
** Public Safety (engineers)
** Other Public Health Workers
* Phase 2: General population
K-12 education
As a result of the pandemic, Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Order Fifty-three closing schools for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year on March 23, 2020.
In Virginia, decisions on the reopening of schools have been left up to local school districts rather than being made at a statewide level. Before entering Phase II or III of reopening schools to students, every public and private school in Virginia was required to submit a plan outlining their strategies for mitigating public health risk of COVID-19 and complying with CDC and VDH recommendations. Additionally, every public school division was required to submit a plan for providing new instruction to all students in the 2020–2021 academic year, regardless of its operational status, and these instructional plans were required to be posted on the division's website.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has recommended that schools use th
CDC Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-Makingalong with the Interim Guidance for K-12 School Reopening developed by VDH in January 2021 to inform decisions about school operations with regard to COVID-19.
Operating statusesof the 132 school districts throughout the state have varied since the start of the academic year in September 2020. The
Virginia Department of Education
The Virginia Department of Education is the state education agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is headquartered in the James Monroe Building in Richmond. The department is headed by the Secretary of Education (currently Aimee Guidera), w ...
categorizes the operating statuses into five categories: In Person, Partial in Person, All Hybrid, Partial Hybrid, and Fully Remote. Categories are defined as follows.
In Person - 4+ days in person instruction per week for all students
Partial in Person - 4+ days per week in person for some students; hybrid or remote for all other students
All Hybrid - all students with some in person and some remote leaning, but neither type hitting the 4 days/week threshold
Partial Hybrid - some students hybrid, none hitting the 4 days/week threshold; all other students fully remote
Fully Remote - learning is remote for the vast majority of students, while some students may have in-person learning available to them.
NOTE: All Virginia school divisions have offered students and families a fully-remote option to learn.
Impact on prisons
Correctional and detention facilities require special considerations due to unique challenges for the control of COVID-19 transmission among incarcerated persons, staff, and visitors as these facilities may include a range of components (e.g., custody, housing, healthcare, food service, recreation, education) in a single setting. Additional challenges in these facilities include potential high turnover of occupants and staff, newly incarcerated persons from different geographic areas, limited access to health care, limited space, implementation of disease prevention measures, social distancing, and hesitancy of incarcerated persons to disclose symptoms.
The Virginia Department of Corrections
plan
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.
...
provides for the early release of eligible inmates who have a viable home plan and a medium or low risk of recidivism. Inmates at a higher risk for COVID-19 complications, who meet the eligibility criteria for release, will only be released if the necessary community support and resources are available. Additional criteria for release include consideration of an inmate's release date, medical condition, and offense history. Inmates with a history of violent sexual offense will not be released according to the plan.
On May 12, 2020, the Virginia ACLU and the state of Virginia reached a settlement agreement related to the early release of prisoners due to COVID-19. The settlement was in response to a case filed in April 2020 by 27 inmates who alleged that the prisons were not considering their early release despite medical conditions that made them at-risk of serious complications from COVID-19. The lawsuit further alleged that the state of Virginia was not in compliance with the U.S. Constitution, as it was failing to release medically vulnerable individuals in state prisons due to the COVID-19 pandemic and by failing to keep them safe from exposure to the coronavirus. As part of the agreement, the Virginia Department of Corrections is required to provide the ACLU with weekly data related to the number of coronavirus cases within prisons as well as information on release decisions.
Projections
A number of organizations have produced models that project the trajectory of the coronavirus outbreak. The
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is a research institute working in the area of global health statistics and impact evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle. The Institute is headed by Christopher J.L. Murray ...
at the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattl ...
in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
has constructed one of these (the
IHME model). Penn Medicine, a
consortium of the
Perelman School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med, is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medi ...
and the
University of Pennsylvania Health System
The University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) is a major multi-hospital health system headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. UPHS and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania together comprise Penn Medicine, a ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, has constructed another, the COVID-19 Hospital Impact Model for Epidemics (CHIME). Among other things, the two models differ in the methods by which they calculate the effectiveness of
social distancing
In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dis ...
in reducing the number of new COVID-19 infections.
As of April 6, 2020, the CHIME was projecting that the peak hospital impact of the COVID-19 outbreak would occur in
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
at the end of June. On April 24, 2020, the IHME projected that Virginia's hospital resource use and numbers of deaths per day due to COVID-19 had reached their peaks.
Individual case tracking
COVIDWISE App
COVIDWISE is the mobile app used in the state of Virginia for tracking individual exposure to COVID-19. Through the use of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, the app provides a confidential method of notifying people of possible exposure to those who have tested positive for COVID-19. The use of COVIDWISE is voluntary and depends on users to enter an auto-generated number into the app when they receive a positive test result. The BLE then senses phones or mobile devices that may have been within the person's proximity and sends notifications to those devices to alert their users of the exposure.
Criticism
On May 22, 2020, ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' published an article that
Mark J. Rozell
Mark J. Rozell is a political scientist. He is the dean and Ruth D. and John T. Hazel chair in public policy at the Schar School of Policy and Government of George Mason University. His research concerns various topics in United States politic ...
, the
dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
of the
Schar School of Policy and Government of Virginia's
George Mason University, had authored. Rozell wrote that Governor Northam had "shambled" through Virginia's response to the pandemic. Rozell noted that Northam appeared to be ignoring the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
's guidelines for re-opening the economy, thus acting in accordance with
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
's positions on the subject (see
Trump administration communication during the COVID-19 pandemic#Lifting restrictions).
On May 30, 2020, ''The Washington Post'' reported that many Republicans, business leaders, and some progressive Democrats were complaining that Northam was moving too slowly to reopen Virginia, while moderate Democrats and minority groups were complaining that he was moving too quickly. The ''Post'' noted that national media were pointing out that Virginia's coronavirus testing program had fallen behind those of most other states. Further, despite that well-publicized failure, Northam was permitting all nonessential retail businesses in Virginia to remain open if they could maintain social distancing, while Maryland's Governor Larry Hogan had closed all such businesses. The ''Post'' additionally reported that a Republican state senator, William M. Stanley Jr., had categorized Northam's response to the pandemic as being "utter mismanagement."
Impact on sports
In college sports, the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
cancelled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the
Division I men
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chro ...
's and
women
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.
[NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships]
NCAA, March 12, 2020 On March 16, 2020, the
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...
also canceled the remainder of the winter seasons as well as the spring seasons.
On March 17, 2020, it was announced that the
Virginia Gold Cup, scheduled for May 2, 2020, would be postponed to June 20, 2020.
On June 30, 2020, the
Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, causing nearly 20 minor league baseball teams across Virginia not to play during the pandemic.
Virginia's two professional soccer clubs,
Loudoun United FC
Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.
History
On July 18, 2018, the team was off ...
and
Richmond Kickers, returned to play in July 2020. Both teams were permitted to have fans attend matches, but under restricted capacity. The Kickers were limited to 875 fans per match (about 9.7% of capacity), and Loudoun United were limited to about 600 spectators per match (about 12% of capacity). Both teams played a truncated season that began in late July 2020 and ended in late October 2020.
In August 2020, the NCAA postponed all fall sports championships to Spring 2021, impacting numerous colleges and university athletic programs across the state. Despite this, several
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools, and schools that were members of the
Atlantic Coast Conference proceeded with fall sports (cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, volleyball).
On September 12, 2020, the
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond Raceway (RR) is a , ''D''-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in unincorporated Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Known as ...
hosted the
2020 Federated Auto Parts 400 race as part of the
NASCAR Cup Series, which was held
behind closed doors.
On September 26, 2020, several Virginia NCAA Division I FBS football schools began their seasons (Liberty, Virginia, and Virginia Tech). Old Dominion suspended their football season. Schools were limited to 1,000 spectators per game.
In November 2020, several winter sports began slightly later than normal. Schools permitted fans on a school-by-school basis. Some schools (i.e. George Mason, James Madison, and Old Dominion) played without spectators, while others (VCU, Virginia, and Virginia Tech) played with up to 250 fans in attendance.
In March 2021, VCU's men's basketball team was forced to withdraw from the NCAA Tournament due to an outbreak within the program.
Statistics
See also
*
COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Maryland in March 2020. The first three cases of the virus were reported in Montgomery County on March 5, 2020. , the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) reported 1,303,829 p ...
– for impact on Maryland counties in the Washington metropolitan area
*
COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
The first cases relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., were reported on March 7, 2020. The city has enacted a variety of public health measures in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, including limiting business activiti ...
– for impact on the District of Columbia
*
COVID-19 pandemic in West Virginia
The U.S. state of West Virginia reported its first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 17, 2020, becoming the last state to do so. The patient had shown symptoms for several days prior. On March 29, 2020, the state report ...
– for impact on adjacent state
*
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States – for impact on the country
*
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
– for impact on other countries
*
Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States may refer to:
* Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (2020)
* Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (2021)
* Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United S ...
References
External links
Coronavirus information hotlinefrom the
Virginia Department of Health – updated daily, Monday-Friday at noon EDT; and also updated daily on weekends.
{{Portal bar, COVID-19, Medicine, United States, Viruses
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...
coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...
Disasters in Virginia
Health in Virginia