Alexandria and Fairfax County officials, along with other leaders in Northern Virginia, can choose whether they are ready to start reopening businesses as officials remain very concerned about coronavirus and the spread of COVID-19.
Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday issued Executive Order 62, which lets localities in Northern Virginia, including the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County, to delay entering Phase One of the "Forward Virginia" plan until midnight on Thursday, May 28.
This will give the region additional time for health data to show a sustained reduction in COVID-19 cases.
Official Decision Still Pending
Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson Tuesday afternoon posted on Facebook that the earliest Alexandria would enter phase one is May 28.
Fairfax County leaders have not officially announced that they will definitely delay reopening businesses. However, over this past weekend, government officials from there as well as from the City of Alexandria and Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun counties sent a request to Gov. Northam to do that.
While local leaders made the request to delay opening, it was Gov. Northam who had the final say on whether Forward Virginia in this region would be allowed to shift to neutral.
“We eagerly wish to rebuild our economy and help our residents recover,” wrote Mayor Justin Wilson (Alexandria) and Chairs Libby Garvey (Arlington County), Jeff McKay (Fairfax County), Phyllis Randall (Loudoun County) and Ann Wheeler (Prince William County). “It is only through our regional achievement of these milestones that we will be positioned to avoid a more damaging return to business closures later in the summer.”
The milestones referenced include:
- a downward trend of positive test results over a period of 14 days
- a downward trend of hospitalizations over a period of 14 days
- sufficient hospital beds and intensive care (ICU) capacity
- increasing and sustainable supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, respirators, gloves and gowns
- increased testing and tracing.
Local health officials, in an addendum to the letter from local leaders to Gov. Northam, wrote: "Based on our assessment, we do not believe that the Northern Virginia region has met the criteria for moving into Phase 1 at this time. We recommend continuing current community mitigation strategies and reassessing this on a regular basis to determine when Northern Virginia can move into Phase 1 according to these criteria (and any additional agreed upon criteria)."
The first phase of Forward Virginia in other parts of the state will allow restaurants to serve patrons on outside patios at 50 percent capacity. It allows salons to reopen by appointment only with additional cleaning measures in place. Gyms remain closed for indoor classes. (See more about the plans here.)
In Northern Virginia, a number of residents have voiced concerns through online forums about a lack of social distancing and people choosing not to wear masks, even in places where it is not possible to avoid crowds.
In a letter to local businesses sent via email Tuesday morning, Visit Alexandria CEO Patricia Washington wrote, “I want to specifically call on each of you to do everything you can to practice and encourage safe behavior. We cannot afford to let down our guard and incur any kind of setback. … Alexandria’s emergence from this crisis is dependent on our reputation and consumers’ perception that Alexandria is a safe place. Letting down our guard can jeopardize the recovery.”
