TOPLINE UPDATES
• The Northern Virginia region will delay entering Phase One by two weeks, until May 28.
o NOVA is the only region that has requested to delay entering Phase One.
• The rest of the state is set to enter Phase One this Friday, May 15.
FORWARD VIRGINIA PLAN: Phase One – Begins Friday, May 15th
• “We are focused on data, rather than dates.”
• Local governments will receive $650 million from the state to help fund the local responses to COVID-19
• The Governor’s office and the VDH are confident that Virginia has the hospital capacity, PPE, and testing capability to safely enter Phase One, and are prepared for the possibility of an increase in cases as Phase One is entered.
HOSPITALS, PPE AND TESTING
• Testing and contact tracing will be critical as we enter Phase One.
• Data metrics required for Phase One are being met across the state, with the exclusion of the Northern Virginia region.
o Hospitalization rates remain stable, and PPE supply remains stable and readily available.
o Testing capability continues to increase daily.
A goal has been set to test each person, both staff and residents, in each long-term care facility in Virginia.
COVID-19 CASES, STATISTICS AND MODELING
• Total cases: 26,746 o 946 new cases in the last 24 hours.
o 4,387 (23%) of cases with race and ethnicity data are in the African American community.
o 7,711 (43%) of cases with race and ethnicity data are in the Latino community.
• Total deaths: 927
o 36 new deaths in the last 24 hours.
o 201 (25%) deaths in the African American community.
o 73 (10%) deaths in the Latino community.
• 180,084 tests have been administered.
o 8,845 administered in the last 24 hours.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA DATA
• Half of Virginia’s cases of COVID-19 are in the Northern Virginia region.
• The region has yet to meet the criteria set for Phase One re-openings, and each county continues to monitor all data, and plan to enter Phase One as soon as the requirements are met.
• Northern Virginia region residents are strongly encouraged to continue to follow strict social distancing measures.
o Wear face coverings in public.
o Only take essential trips.
o Practice strict social distancing
o Gatherings of more than 10 people are still prohibited.
Next briefing: Friday, May 15 at 2:00PM.
NOTE:This is an informal and timely summary of the Governor’s live press briefing. To access recordings of the briefings, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovernorVA/. To access the Governor’s official news releases, visit https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/.