COVID-19 cases in the Richmond area have been trending higher over the past few weeks.
And the city’s health director says it’s time for all of us to renew our personal responsibility, no matter how tired we are of COVID-19 precautions.
"Individuals who may have had an exposure or may have symptoms continue to press on and go to work or to show up to a social event," Dr. Danny Avula said at a Thursday news conference. "So that working while symptomatic or going to a social event with symptoms invariably is leading to COVID clustering and outbreaks."
Avula said it’s important not to dismiss symptoms as allergies or asthma without getting confirmation through a COVID-19 test. He also acknowledged the possibility of a 10 or 14 day absence from work is a tough decision for many families living paycheck to paycheck. "We should not force people to choose between potentially exposing people to a deadly disease and being able to put food on the table for their family. And so we've got to revisit resources and policies around paid sick leave," Avula said.
The city’s positivity rate, number of outbreaks and ICU and ventilator usage are all trending higher, Avula noted Thursday afternoon. That leads him to believe the Richmond area is headed toward another peak leading into the winter months.
Mayor Levar Stoney echoed Avula's concern. "It doesn't matter if you feel like we're out of the woods. The numbers show we are not out of the woods," Stoney said. He also said more financial relief from the federal government is needed. He called on Virginia's Senators and Representatives to press the issue in Washington.
