Virginia’s COVID Strategy: D-
Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia Department of Health announced that the following measures took effect at midnight on Monday, Nov.16:
Reduction in public and private gatherings: Public and private in-person gatherings must* be limited to 25 individuals.
Expansion of mask mandate: All Virginians aged five and over are required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces. This expands the current mask mandate, which has been in place since May 29 and requires all individuals ages 10+ to wear face coverings in indoor public settings.
Strengthened enforcement within essential retail businesses: All essential retail businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies, must* adhere to statewide guidelines for physical distancing, wearing face coverings, and enhanced cleaning. While certain essential retail businesses have been required to adhere to these regulations as a best practice, violations will now be enforceable through the Virginia Department of Health as a Class One misdemeanor.
On-site alcohol curfew: The on-site sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol is prohibited after 10:00 p.m. in any restaurant, dining establishment, food court, brewery, microbrewery, distillery, winery, or tasting room. All restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, and tasting rooms must close by midnight. Virginia law does not distinguish between restaurants and bars, however, under current restrictions, individuals that choose to consume alcohol prior to 10:00 p.m. must be served as in a restaurant and remain seated at tables six feet apart.
Courtesy of rt.live
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE…
Confusion remains over many elements of the problematic orders. However, business organizations' complaining about new limits is not among those 'problematic' issues, as they had disproportionate influence over the state's public health policy all along. The excessive deference Dr. Ralph Northam gave to business interests sacrificed the lives of hundreds of Virginians. Here are the parts that remain problematic:
Capacity limits don’t apply to the problem areas: Schools, sports, houses of worship, private offices gyms and businesses are not required to abide by the 25-person limit. College sports are limited to 250 persons and gyms may operate at 75% capacity, only capping fitness class sizes at 25. Amusement Parks, a high-risk vector according to data from Disney World, are allowed to have over 4000 guests in the park. These exempted sites account for 50% of Virginia’s COVID cases. RSG alleges the administration arbitrarily selected a 25-person limit, down from a previously unconscionable 250-person limit at gatherings. The CDC has warned against gathering of more than 10 people since the pandemic began. Any indoor congregation of persons from different households is a high-risk activity.
Virginia is not conducting enough tests to have an accurate picture of COVID growth and spread. Northam justified his lack of new action by arguing Virginia’s COVID growth rates are lower than almost every other state. However, the percent-positive rate is approaching 10% and adequate testing capacity would lower the percent-positive rate closer to 1-2%. Virginia has made no significant increase in its testing capacity since it July, when it began processing ~20,000 tests per day, where the figure remains today.
Additionally, comparisons to other states are arbitrary as the virus does not respect state borders. The Rate of Transmission (Rt#) should be the guiding statistic on reopening, and the Rt# has hovered near or above 1 (2 is exponential growth) since Virginia ended its shelter-in-place policy. By original measures, Virginia should have reentered lockdown at the end of September when the Rt# rose above 1. The implied infections are nearly as high as when Virginia entered lockdown in March.
Alcohol sales may cut off after 10 p.m, however it is reckless to allow indoor dining at bars and restaurants due to the known risks associated with these venues and the current prevalence of the virus. Public health care officials nationwide have warned repeatedly that spikes in COVID cases are traceable to indoor dining.
Finally, the mask order should be universal, and apply to both indoor and outdoor public spaces.
