E NEWSLETTER

March 14, 2020 

Neighbors in the 42nd District and across our Commonwealth,

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving, and I wanted to give you an update on
state actions to address the situation in Virginia.

Governor Declared State of Emergency 

Governor Northam has declared a state of emergency in Virginia. This allows Virginia to have “increased flexibility to ease regulatory requirements and procurement rules, continue federal and multi-state coordination, and ensure continued access to critical
services for the most vulnerable Virginians.”

I also attended an update with the Virginia Health Commissioner and Virginia Epidemiologist. The Virginia Department of Health is continuing to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local public health departments, and other stakeholders.

The Department of Health has received test kits for COVID-19 from the CDC and is conducting tests at our state public labs. The Department is working with private labs to increase their capacity to conduct tests as well. If you believe that you need to be
tested, please contact your medical provider.

Ongoing State Activities to Address Spread of Infections

Virginia has a multi-agency, multi-sector taskforce working to monitor and holistically address this public health situation. The Governor and our state government are taking the following steps:

  • Halt state employee travel outside of Virginia

  • Begin phased transition to teleworking for Virginia’s 100,000 state employees and encourage private businesses to allow for telework or paid time off for employees

  • Cancel state conferences and state-organized large events for the next 30 days, and encourage local governments to limit large public events

  • Advise local school districts and institutions of higher education, in consultation with local public health departments

  • Work with insurance companies to waive co-pays and fees related to diagnostic testing for COVID-19

  • Expand testing criteria to prioritize individuals in nursing homes who are showing symptoms, and encourage nursing homes and senior care facilities to update policies for visitors and monitoring of residents

  • Provide sanitizing guidance to state correctional facilities and work locations. Cancel in person visitation at all state correctional
    facilities, and implement screening protocol for offenders coming into state facilities from local jails

  • Coordinate with social service agencies and community partners to ensure the needs of Virginia’s most vulnerable residents are met, including providing in-home care and food supports

  • Adjust cleaning schedule of Virginia’s public transportation network to adhere to the CDC protocol

  • Assess potential impact of a long-term disruption on Virginia’s economy

Mandated K-12 School Closures in Virginia and in Fairfax County

In order to limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of our students and staff, Governor Northam has ordered all Virginia K-12 schools to close for a minimum of two weeks, from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 27. 

Additionally, Fairfax County Public Schools has announced it will close schools until April 10.

The Virginia Department of Education is working with local school divisions and the Department of Social Service to ensure our most vulnerable students continue to access important programs like free and reduced lunch.

Federal Workforce and Contractors 

Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have written to the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requesting the agency issue guidance, including telework options, to support the health and safety of our federal employees and contractors during this
pandemic. The Senators are continuing to push for a response and action from OPM, particularly with Virginia K-12 school closures affecting many families. You can find their letter here.

Resources

You can find information about COVID-19 at the Virginia Department of Health’s website.

You can get more information about Virginia’s state of emergency declaration at the link here. 

You can find Governor Northam's full announcement regarding school closures here.

You can find updates about Fairfax County Public Schools here.