As COVID-19 cases reach record highs across Virginia amid the holiday season, Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday announced a set of tighter health restrictions that include a nightly curfew.
The state will enter a modified stay-at-home order on Monday, Dec. 14, that restricts travel between midnight and 5 a.m. The order states that exceptions will include traveling to and from work, seeking medical attention, and obtaining food and goods. The order also requires that Virginians ages 5 and up wear face masks in all indoor group settings and outdoor settings where people cannot stay at least 6 feet apart.
Additionally, it will restrict all social gatherings to just 10 people, down from the current cap of 25 individuals that was implemented last month. The new limit doesn’t apply to restaurants and retail stores, though Northam encouraged teleworking wherever possible.
The modified order will remain in effect until at least January 31, 2021, Northam announced.
“I want everyone to understand this up front: We don’t want to extend this, but we may have to,” he said during a news conference Thursday. “It all depends on what the virus is doing next month, and that depends on you right now. If the virus starts to come under control, we may be able to loosen up, but if not, we may have to take further action.”
Alongside the new restrictions, Northam said the state will continue to leave decisions around school closures in the hands of local school boards and college administrators.
Amid fears that holiday travel will cause a steeper spike in new COVID-19 cases, Northam urged Virginians to stay at home whenever possible, pointing to record highs in daily statewide COVID-19 cases.
Statewide hospitalization rates have increased by more than 80% over the last month due to COVID-19, with more than 2,000 Virginians currently occupying state hospitals due to the virus.
On Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 3,915 new COVID-19 cases, the second-highest daily increase since the pandemic began, and an additional 54 deaths. Meanwhile, the state test positivity rate has reached 11%, up from 7% about one month ago.
As cases reach record highs, Northam mentioned that COVID-19 vaccination is on the horizon, calling it “the light in a very long and dark tunnel.”
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is already being deployed abroad, and Northam said vaccinations could begin in Virginia as soon as this weekend, pending FDA approval — though experts say widespread vaccination could still lag for several months.
“I want everyone to understand that this is not about getting people in trouble, this is about doing the right thing,” he said. “Stay home whenever you can.”
