Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday said restaurants and gyms in much of Virginia can welcome patrons back inside on Friday.
All areas but Northern Virginia and Richmond will enter the second phase of his reopening plan.
“Phase 2 will include more flexibility for restaurants, gyms, sports, outdoor entertainment venues and gatherings of up to 50 people,” Northam said. “It means restaurants can have indoor seating again, up to 50% of their capacity. It means gyms and fitness centers can have indoor classes and workouts at 30% of their capacity, and pools can open with some restrictions.”
Northam made the announcement an hour into his coronavirus response briefing, which was devoted mostly to supporting protests calling for social justice reform for African Americans.
He said the health data for the three weeks of Phase 1 looked good, testing is up, the rate of positive tests is trending downward and hospitals have enough open beds and personal protective equipment. Northern Virginia and Richmond, where COVID-19 is more prevalent, did not enter Phase 1 until last Friday.
People are also reading…
Accomack County was also delayed while it dealt with outbreaks at poultry plants. Northam said that is under control and the county can move to Phase 2 with the rest of the state.
He provided an outline of Phase 2 and he said would talk more about it during Thursday’s briefing. Details were posted after the briefing to his website.
“Museums and zoos, botanical gardens and outdoor venues can reopen with restrictions,” he said. “It means recreational sports are allowed with physical distancing requirements and not shared equipment.”
Pools can open for exercise and instruction.
Northam said he is still encouraging people to work at home, and he said face coverings are required in indoor spaces.
Earlier Tuesday, Dr. Molly O’Dell, who is leading the pandemic response for the Roanoke and Alleghany Health Districts, held her weekly news briefing.
“From a public health point of view, I would say our numbers are still going up, but there are other factors,” O’Dell said when asked about moving to Phase 2. “Our social economic balance is being challenged in a way I haven’t known in my whole life. So I am not in a position to make a decision based on those factors. I can tell you, from a public health point of view, we are going to see more cases, and there are more opportunities for transmission because the disease is not gone.”
She said local cases remain on a slight upward trajectory and that there are nine outbreaks, including five in businesses.
She said they have been advising manufacturers and contractors on how to reduce transmission.
“The CDC guidelines are very useful. I go back to the beginning when we were getting all this information. It was overwhelming and too much to absorb. Now I think people have gotten fatigued and they are so sick of it, and they are not going back to read and check the recommendations,” she said.