After announcing new COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia less than a month ago for the first time since March 15, regressing the Commonwealth from Phase 3 of "Safe Start" back toward Phase 2, Gov. Ralph Northam today announced state officials will impose further restrictions on the public.
New mandates include reinstating some Phase 1 restrictions for the first time since June 4, starting Monday, Dec. 14.
"Starting at 12:01 Monday morning, Virginia will go into modified stay-at-home order," Northam said this afternoon. "Every day from midnight to 5 a.m., unless commuting to work, you are asked to stay home. You should stay home whenever you can for the rest of the day, but from 12 to 5, you need to stay home. This is just plain common sense."
Northam reiterated the simplicity of the Commonwealth's new rules, bolstering his announcement by highlighting the influx in cases in the last month.
Hospitalizations in Virginia are up 80 percent in the past four weeks alone.
"New rules will be clear," Northam said. "If you are indoors, you need to wear a mask. if you are outdoors and cannot stay 6 feet apart, you need to wear a mask. When you are at work, wear a mask. When you're watching your kid play soccer, wear a mask. That's really simple."
Prior to Nov. 13, the allowed number of attendees at a social gathering in Virginia was 250. For the past 27 days, it has been slashed by 90 percent, with 25 people allowed at social gatherings.
Starting Monday, once again, only 10 people or fewer will be allowed at each social gathering.
Restrictions to restaurants and bars, however, will remain the same.
"Virginia has significant limits on capacity in restaurants already, and these will remain," Northam said.
Bars are closed and no alcohol sales are permitted after 10 p.m. in Virginia. Six feet of space is required between all restaurant tables.
Patrons must wear a mask when not eating, and everyone who works in a restaurant is required to wear a mask at all times.
"These new measures ... they will be temporary," Northam said. "At least for now, they will stay in effect until Jan. 31. We don't want to extend this, but it all matters what you do right now. If the virus is under control, we may loosen up. If not, we may have to take further action."
Northam also announced health agents and law enforcement will become even more strict in their administering of these new mandates.
"We are stepping up enforcement," Northam said.
In the meantime, as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Virginia, health officials have begun to prioritize COVID-19 case investigations and contact tracing.
Until cases go back down, not all cases and not all close contacts will be contacted by the Virginia Department of Health.
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