The Shadow
RICHMOND — Gov. Ralph Northam is lifting a ban on elective surgeries in Virginia hospitals, effective Friday.
Northam on Wednesday announced his decision. Dentists and veterinarians will also be allowed to resume non-emergency procedures on Friday.
Northam issued a ban on non-emergency procedures in hospitals and dental offices three weeks ago. The move was designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 cases in Virginia and ensure that hospitals had adequate bed space and supplies of personal protective equipment.
“We were worried our hospitals would be overwhelmed by a surge in cases,” Northam said. “Our hospitals have not been overwhelmed. We have slowed the spread of this virus.”
Dental offices will reopen under a set of guidelines developed by several agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The guidelines will include:
— The wearing of masks by dental staffs;
— Screenings for COVID-19 symptoms before a patient enters an office;
— Adjusting appointment times so spaces can be adequately cleaned and disinfected between appointments;
— Minimizing the number of patients in receptions areas or not allowing patients to enter those areas;
— Minimizing the use of water and aerosols while treating patients;
— Providing adequate supplies of personal protective equipment to dental staff and ensuring it is used properly.
“If we see cases and hospitalization rates rise again, we will take appropriate action,” Northam said.
Allowing non-emergency procedures to resume in hospitals is part of Northam’s overall plan for reopening the Virginia economy in phases.
Last week, he introduced a four-pronged approach to reopening the economy.
On Monday, he said he may consider reopening the state by regions.
On Wednesday, Virgina had 14,961 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 622 from Tuesday. Deaths from the disease had totaled 522, up 30 from Tuesday.
Regional Update
Approximately one-third of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts are health care workers.
Dr. Molly O’Dell, director of communicable disease control for the health districts, said 59 of the 154 cases in the region on Tuesday were health care workers who are typically employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted-living facilities, jails and shelters.
O’Dell said measures put in place by state officials to limit public gatherings and stress social distancing between individuals are working overall, but congregate living facilties pose another problem.
“Still, there are people coming and going into these health care facilities, and in some cases, people are working two jobs at different facilities, just trying to piece together a living,” O’Dell said.
On Tuesday 88 of the confirmed cases in the health districts are women and 66 are men. That’s because a higher percentage of women work at health care facilities.
With each positive case involving a health care worker, contacts are traced for each patient and co-workers who may have been exposed in the facility.
“This is a very complicated infectious disease that is highly communicable,” O’Dell said.
Exposed workers who have not experienced symptoms of COVID-19 are allowed to continue working, but they are advised to wear personal protective equipment, O’Dell said.
Tennessee, which borders Virginia, began reopening for business Wednesday. O’Dell said Tennessee’s move is sparking concern among health officials in Southwest Virginia.
The concern centers on Virginians traveling to Tennessee to shop and eat, then returning home.
“We will just have to look and see what happens,” O’Dell said. “This is a political boundary that exists that the virus does not respect.”
Regional Numbers
On Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts stood at 156.
The case breakdown was: Roanoke City 57, Roanoke County 47, Botetourt County 28, Salem 16, Alleghany County 6 and Craig County 2.
Covington had no confirmed cases as of Wednesday. The health department originally reported a conformed case in the city a few weeks. Health officials have since determined that case involved a resident of Alleghany County.
O’Dell again urged people to wear masks while out in public and continue to social distance. Relaxing these preventive measures will cause higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, she said
