— By Carol Vaughn
Gov. Ralph Northam on Sunday announced a ban on gatherings of 100 or more people to help stem the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia.
“It’s just not a good idea for that many people to be close together right now,” he said in an update live-streamed on Facebook Sunday afternoon.
Northam said the ban does not restrict normal operations at airports, offices, restaurants, and the like.
Still, he urged Virginians to “ask yourself if it’s really that important that you go out right now.”
On Thursday, Northam declared a state of emergency, and on Friday, he ordered all K-12 schools to close for a minimum of two weeks.
On Sunday, Northam, in addition to the ban on large gatherings, reiterated plans to phase in tele-working for state employees in response to the spread of the virus.
“This is a very fluid, dynamic situation,” he said of the virus’ spread.
Northam thanked his fellow Virginians “for taking this seriously,” and also thanked health care workers and the media for their response to the crisis.
No confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been announced on the Eastern Shore as of Sunday.
The first death in Virginia resulting from the virus was announced Saturday. A James City County man in his 70s who acquired the virus through an unknown source died of respiratory failure, according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Health.
As of Sunday, Virginia had 45 presumptive positive cases of the virus.
“We are taking additional steps to limit contact between people,” Northam said in a press teleconference earlier Sunday, when he announced the ban on large gatherings.
A 40-member state incident management team has been activated, after a cluster of eight cases were found in the Peninsula Health District, according to Dr. Norm Oliver, state health commissioner.
“Our main goal now is containment,” Oliver said, adding, “Tracing 284 contacts, we have reached over 200 of them.”
Officials will continue the effort to ensure the contacts self-quarantine.
“Pam and I were deeply saddened to learn that a Virginian has died from COVID-19, and we grieve for everyone this virus has touched around the world,” Northam said in a press release on Saturday.
“The health of Virginians and our communities is my most important priority right now. As a Commonwealth, we have taken major, critical steps to stop the spread of COVID-19. I have declared a state of emergency, closed K-12 schools across the state, restricted visitors at nursing homes and correctional facilities, limited state employee travel, and canceled large events.
“This is a public health crisis—we must all treat it as such,” Northam said, adding, “Again, I urge Virginians: take this seriously. Take basic health precautions, avoid large gatherings, tele-work if possible, and stay home if you are sick. That will stop the virus from spreading.
“It is all of our responsibility, yours and mine, to keep each other safe and healthy.”
Rep. Elaine Luria said she was “deeply saddened” by the news of the man’s death.
On Saturday the House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act, which Luria in an emailed statement said “includes free coronavirus testing, paid emergency leave, strengthened food security measures, and enhanced unemployment measures.
“These provisions are designed to protect the health and safety of all Virginians that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak,” she wrote.
The Virginia Department of Health encourages the following effective measures to lower the risk of respiratory germ spread, including of COVID-19:
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
