NEWSLETTER

MAY 2, 2020

Neighbors,

Yesterday was International Workers’ Day, and I want to thank all of the healthcare, first responders, and other workers at the frontlines of this pandemic. All workers deserve dignity and safe workplaces, and we must continue to ensure that our frontline workers have the personal protective equipment they need to protect their health as well as that of their families and communities.

Yesterday was also the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. To me, it is especially important to celebrate the contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Virginia and across the country this year - our community has seen a rise in targeted racism and hate crimes during this pandemic due to a false belief that Asians and Asian Americans are responsible for spreading COVID-19. Our diversity and ability to come together is our strength; together we stand against hate and lift everyone up during these unprecedented times.

Next Tele-Town Hall on 5/6

Thanks to everyone who joined my Tele-Town Hall this past Thursday with Senators Barker and Marsden! 

My next Tele-Town Hall will be Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30pm. Join Delegates Mark Sickles, Paul Krizek, Vivian Watts, and me for legislative updates and information regarding our state’s response to COVID-19.

You can participate in the conversation with the following information: Dial-in (605) 472-5239 | Access Code 811044 | Submit questions here. 

Updates

Below are updates from the Governor Northam and state agencies. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. 

Best, Kathy

Updates from Governor Northam and state agencies

Healthcare Updates

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

  • In order to increase the availability of PPE for our frontline workers, Virginia will be receiving three Battelle cleaning units from the federal government. These units can clean up to 80,000 masks a day using hydrogen peroxide vapor. PPE can be decontaminated and reused up to 20 times without degrading performance. The units will be set up in Blacksburg, Richmond, and Hampton Roads and will be operational by next week. Once these systems are set up, we will be able to decontaminate up to 240,000 masks per day. 

Testing

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided updated testing guidance, including allowing individuals to conduct their own nasal swab to collect specimens, which is then collected by healthcare providers after the patient has left the room. This uses a more readily available type of swab and will allow for testing that uses less PPE.

  • Virginia is currently in Phase Two of our testing timeline, which includes expansion of testing criteria and sending testing strike teams to locations with COVID-19 outbreaks.

    • On April 30, Virginia conducted an historic high of 5,800 tests in one day. 

    • The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is developing guidelines and training medical practitioners on conducting COVID-19 tests.

  • Next steps to continue expanding our testing capacity include:  

    • VDH to partner with three private labs to conduct an additional 5,000 more tests per week.

    • Encouraging local health districts to implement local testing strategies like drive-through testing

    • Notifying local governments they can test their essential workers. 

    • Increasing PPE supplies to 56 free clinics and more than 150 Federally Qualified Health Centers to test high-risk populations.

    • Working with hospitals in Virginia to launch community testing. 

    • Launching public service announcements to encourage testing for people with symptoms. 

New Resource Pages

General Resources for Virginians and Businesses

  • The Department of Social Services has created a resource page for individuals and businesses with information about food assistance, child care, bill payments, loans, and more. The resource page is here.

Resources for Businesses

  • The Department of Commerce and Trade has compiled resources and information, including programs that offer tax relief and loans, for Virginia businesses affected by COVID-19. The information is here.

View my summary of the 2020 legislative session here.

View my e-newsletters here.

View my new COVID-19 resource page to see a summary of state actions, guidance, and resources here.