Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday announced more rigorous COVID-19 restrictions ahead of the upcoming holiday season, stepping back from looser health restrictions that were put in place this summer.
The new public health restrictions will take effect at midnight on Sunday, Nov. 15. Under the mandate, public and private gatherings will be limited to no more than 25 people, down from the current cap of 250 people. The cap on public gatherings applies to both indoor and outdoor events.
The restrictions also will require Virginians ages 5 and up to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces — previously, face coverings were only required for those ages 10 and up.
Additionally, Northam is directing all essential businesses to follow social distancing, cleaning and face covering requirements under penalty of a class one misdemeanor from the Virginia Department of Health, and will ban the sale, consumption and possession of alcohol after 10 p.m. The restrictions also will require all bars and restaurants to close by midnight.
“Virginia is not an island. While our cases may not be rising as rapidly as some states, I do not intend to wait until they are. We are acting now so that things do not get worse,” Northam said in a video accompanying the news release.
The set of mandates comes as the United States shatters daily coronavirus records with more than 160,000 new cases reported on Thursday, according to The New York Times. According to the governor’s news release, Virginia reaches an average of 1,500 new COVID-19 cases per day, up from the previous statewide peak of about 1,200 daily cases in May. Although hospital capacity throughout Virginia remains stable, the release states, hospitalizations have increased statewide by more than 35% in the last four weeks while all five of Virginia’s health regions report COVID-19 positivity rates over 5%.
Also in Friday's video, Northam said recent COVID-19 outbreaks around the state can be attributed to restaurants, small social gatherings like dinner parties and other situations where people may not be wearing masks inside.
“I am confident that we can get our numbers back down, but it requires all of us to make smart choices. It always has. Your behavior makes a difference,” Northam said.
