The Shadow
RICHMOND — Gov. Ralph Northam will outline his plan for the initial phase of reopening Virginia’s economy on Monday.
Northam’s Monday announcement will come as an executive order that closed non-essential businesses expires May 8.
“We are still working on that blueprint. I will give further guidelines on Monday about that plan,” said Northam, who is working closely with a task force of business representatives from around the state.
“We are going to do this thing responsibly and I want to keep Virginians safe,” he said Friday.
Northam addressed the media during a 2 p.m. press briefing in Richmond on Friday. He said the state has worked to address the COVID-19 pandemic since the first confirmed case in Virginia was reported March 7.
He said several measures, including a stay-at-home order along with the closures of schools and non-essential businesses have worked to flatten the curve in relation to new cases of the virus.
The state has also worked to acquire adequate supplies of personal protective equipment for responders and medical workers, as well as ramping up access to testing for COVID-19.
All of those measures will factor into any decision to reopen the state’s economy, the governor said.
“It has worked. These actions have flattened the curve. Our hospitals have not been overwhelmed,” he said.
On Friday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 16,901 confirmed cases of COVID-19, representing 1,055 new cases since Thursday.
The number of deaths from the disease totaled 581 on Friday, refecting an increase of 29 from Thursday.
“We are slowing the spread, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Testing is the key to that,” Northam said.
With different forms of testing more readily available, Virginia is seeing a daily increase in the number of tests being conducted for COVID-19. On Thursday, approximately 5,800 tests were conducted, representing a 15 percent increase from Wednesday.
“We are moving forward aggressively,” Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norm Oliver said.
Northam is urging people who may have the symptoms of the disease to get tested. He said tests are being made available at physician’s offices, clinics, urgent-care centers and free clinics.
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to get a sick person to get a test in an environment they trust,” the governor said.
Public schools are closed under order from the governor for the remainder of the academic year.
On Friday, Northam said he is confident schools will reopen in the fall if current trends continue.
“If we keep doing what we are doing, I am confident we will be there,” he said.
Friday, the state allowed hospitals to resume non-emergency surgical procedures. Dentists’ offices were also allowed to resume non-emergency procedures.
