The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Virginia rose to 410 Friday, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. The number of test results reported to the health department also grew for the second straight day.
The health department reported 11,594 cases of COVID-19 Friday. The increase of 596 cases was smaller than what had been reported the previous couple of days.
4,497 additional test results were reported Friday morning. That number has grown steadily over the last few days.
38 additional deaths were reported in Friday's tally, the most since the crisis began. And 1,837 Virginians have been hospitalized.
Early Friday afternoon, Governor Ralph Northam announced a business advisory task force. The group includes major manufacturers like Volvo, restaurants, tourism attractions, arts organizations and salons and barber shops. A press release says the group will help with advice and guidance about how to ease restrictions on businesses and gatherings.
The Way Forward
During a news conference Friday, Governor Northam offered the first details on a blueprint for how he plans to reopen Virginia.
Northam says the path forward has a very clear launching point – which Virginia has not yet reached:
“We need to see the percentage of positive tests and the number of hospitalizations both track downward over 14 days," he explains.
Once the Commonwealth hits that goal, the governor says the first phase of his reopening plan will go into effect. That initial step will allow some businesses to begin reopening. Northam has also created a task force comprised of business leaders across the state to help him with those decisions.
However, the governor says restrictions and guidelines will remain in place in Phase 1:
“Social distancing, for example, will continue. Teleworking will be encouraged and will also continue. We will still recommend face coverings in the public," Northam says.
If trends prove out, Phase 1 could begin as early as May 8th. But the governor again cautioned that moving too quickly to reopen could result in a surge in cases that could overwhelm the state’s hospitals.
Later steps in the reopening blueprint will require extensive testing. Northam says state health officials are working to reach a point where even asymptomatic people can be tested in an effort to isolate only those with the virus.
May Elections
Northam has also pushed back elections for local offices by two weeks.
That’s as far as he can move an election under the state’s Constitution. They will now take place on May 19th.
Northam admonished the General Assembly for not taking action on the matter earlier this week:
“Virginians should not have to choose between their ballot and their health. That’s why I recommended moving the May election to November. I’m grateful to the House of Delegates for supporting that. I am greatly disappointed in the Senate for failing to take this action to protect our fellow Virginians.”
The governor strongly urged Virginians to vote absentee for the elections. The new deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail will be May 12th.
Northam said that every effort will be taken to make in-person voting as safe as possible.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
