Virginia to enter Phase 3 next week
Virginia will enter Phase 3 on Wednesday, July 1, Gov. Ralph Northam announced June 23. That includes Northern Virginia, along with the rest of the state.
Phase 3 of the Forward Virginia Plan continues to lift public health restrictions put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Health data are moving in a positive direction, Northam said. The number of COVID cases and hospitalizations are declining, and hospitals and clinics have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment. Just 6.4 percent of COVID tests are coming back positive.
Northern Virginia entered Phase 2 on June 12, two weeks later than most of the rest of the state.
Here’s what can happen in Phase 3:
- Non-essential retail – can open at 100 percent capacity; physical distancing required.
- Restaurants and bars – can open at 100 percent capacity; physical distancing required.
- Entertainment and amusements – Museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and outdoor venues can open at 50 percent capacity with a maximum of 1,000 people.
- Fitness and exercise – can open at 95 percent capacity.
- Personal grooming – open, physical distancing required.
- Recreational sports – physical distancing required.
- Swimming pools – can open at 75 percent capacity; physical distancing required.
- Gatherings – limited to 250 people.
- Beaches – open.
- Private campgrounds – open.
- State parks – open.
- Overnight summer camps – closed.
- Teleworking – strongly encouraged.
- Face coverings – required.
- In Phase 3, it’s still safer to be at home, especially for vulnerable populations.
Grab your hat and hold the F on people, here we go!
Gatherings limited to 250 people? That will really put a damper on my trampoline parties.
Does this limitation apply to BLM protests?
Does anyone know if there has been any indication of how long Phase 3 will last? I'm still hoping that there is a chance kids actually go to school at some point this fall.
The state wide phases and the school phases are not synced in the same way. So the schools will start with distance learning and the two days a week (depending on choice). Because schools tend to be the primary way to spread other types of infections/viruses. It is the way things will be for a while. How parents will work and childcare are different issues.
We are rushing this way too fast. We are basically asking for a resurgence.
Tell that to the protestors
Or the people swarming to the beaches, or bars, or any of the other places many more people were gathering. Stop making this into another opportunity to drag BLM into the discussion.
Finally!
Let the summer parties begin!
Yay!
Does this phrase make any sense or at least need some clarification: can open at 100 percent capacity; physical distancing required.