Note: Friday afternoon, May 8, Gov. Ralph Northam provided additional details about the first phase of Virginia's reopening plan. Read that story here.
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Virginia will start relaxing its “stay at home” order and restrictions on businesses as early as next Friday, May 15, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.
The first phase of the three-phase plan will allow several businesses to reopen, including restaurants and grooming services, as well as some entertainment venues and faith communities.
For businesses, reopening will require a significant increase in cleaning and disinfecting, plus scheduling in short breaks for employees to allow for increased hand washing.
- Restaurants will be able to reopen, but there will be restricted seating to spread people out. (Mixed drinks to-go may stay in place until restaurants can reopen at full capacity.)
- People will be able to get a haircut, but appointments will be necessary and there will be physical distancing requirements between customers.
- Retail establishments can reopen, but fewer people will be allowed inside than during “normal” times to sustain physical distancing.
- Gyms can reopen with capacity limits and increased cleaning.
- Farmers' markets may be able to reopen with browsing, but physical distancing measures will remain in place.
- Some industries may see new rules about masks being required for employees or customers.
Government officials will be publishing guidelines for restaurants, entertainment and other industries in the coming days. It is likely that for some sectors, masks will be a requirement for employees.
Already, elective surgeries and dentist offices are operating across the state.
Reopening in mid-May will require that Virginia's residents continue to remain vigilant about the illness. If there is an increase in illnesses (as a percentage of tests, in particular), hospitalizations, ventilator usage or deaths, the reopening may be delayed.
This first phase of reopening will last about three weeks before phases 2 and 3 can start.
Regional reopenings are unlikely, as it would create areas of haves and have-nots in the state, and that could lead to "more division," Gov. Northam said.
Virginia saw its first COVID-19 positive case on March 7.
“Everyone in Virginia made sacrifices, but everything you have done has truly made a difference,” Gov. Northam said. “We flattened the curve and our hospitals have not been overwhelmed. I am keenly aware that is has come with a tremendous cost.”
“All of our efforts have slowed its spread but have not cured the disease,” he said. “We must not relax our vigilance or think that the risk has passed, especially for our most vulnerable populations.”
The state will be hiring about 1,000 additional contact tracers to help facilitate communications between those diagnosed with COVID-19 and people they were in close contact with to isolate cases and potential cases going forward.
