Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons
 

Governor Northam's COVID-19 Briefing - 9/1/2020

  • Tuesday, September 1, 2020

FORWARD VIRGINIA PLAN: Phase Three – Begins Wednesday, July 1

  • No changes in restrictions before Labor Day.
    • Restrictions are all staying in place to avoid surges similar to those seen around July 4th and Memorial Day.
  • If numbers continue to trend in the right direction after Labor Day, Eastern Virginia will be able to move fully into Phase 3 with the rest of Virginia.

HOSPITALS, PPE AND TESTING

  • Virginia is averaging 15,000 to 20,000 PCR tests per day, statewide.
  • Statewide percent positivity is just below 7%, at 6.9%.
  • Regional Data (using 7-day moving average):
    • Northern Virginia: 270 new cases per day.
      • Percent positivity rate of 6%.
    • Central Virginia: 170 new cases per day (including the City of Richmond).
      • Percent positivity rate of 7%, decreased in the past few weeks.
    • Northwest Virginia: 170 cases per day
      • Percent positivity rate of 5%, currently trending upward.
    • Southwest Virginia: increase in new cases from 80 new cases per day to 220 per day.
    • Eastern Virginia: 270 new cases per day, decreasing since July.
      • Percent positivity rate is down from 12% in mid-July to just under 9%.
    • The Virginia state lab began conducting anti-body testing last week.
    • There has been a decrease in attendance at public testing events.
      • Governor Northam encourages any and all Virginians who believe that they need to be tested, for any reason, to attend community testing events.

COVID-WISE APP

  • Over 460,000 Virginians have downloaded the app since its debut 4 weeks ago.
  • Yesterday, 51 people received notification that they had possibly been exposed to COVID-19.
  • Governor Northam encourages anyone who has not yet downloaded the app, to do so.

SCHOOL RE-OPENINGS

  • Despite the new federal classification of teachers as critical infrastructure workers, Governor Northam encourages any teacher who believes that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested, and stay home until they receive a negative result.
  • All colleges and Universities have submitted and received approval for their COVID-19 response plans as they begin to re-open for on campus instruction this fall.
    • As colleges in other states have seen large spikes in positive cases soon after re-opening, Governor Northam says that he remains prepared to quickly respond to increased percent positivity on Virginia's college campuses.

COVID-19 CASES, STATISTICS AND MODELING

  • Total cases: 121,615
  • Total deaths: 2,612
  • Total tests: 1,593,368

OTHER TOPICS

  • The validity of drivers licenses and vehicle registrations set to expire by October 31 has been extended for an additional 60 days, due to decreased capacity at DMV offices.
  • The fact that many poll workers are elderly and therefore at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, means that there is currently a shortage of people to work the polls during upcoming elections.
    • Governor Northam encourages anyone who can do so safely, to volunteer at the polls during upcoming elections.
  • The Census deadline is September 30.
    • Census forms can be filled out safely online, by phone, or by mail.

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