Northam To Add Coronavirus Restrictions In Hampton Roads

VIRGINIA — On Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced additional restrictions will be implemented in Hampton Roads due to a rise of coronavirus cases.

Northam's executive order and State Health Commissioner Norm Oliver's public health emergency order will take effect at the start of Friday in Hampton Roads. The localities include Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Williamsburg, Newport News, Poquoson, James City County, and York County.

The restrictions include ending alcohol sales and on-site alcohol consumption after 10 p.m.; closing restaurants by midnight; limiting indoor dining to 50 percent capacity at restaurants, food courts, breweries, wineries and distilleries; and banning social gatherings of more than 50 people indoors or outdoors.

The new restrictions apply only to Hampton Roads. All areas of Virginia remain under phase three guidelines. Northam said "all options are on the table" should trends change in other areas of the state.

Stricter rules for Hampton Roads come after state licensing agencies ramped up enforcement of coronavirus restrictions with unannounced visits to businesses. According to the Virginian-Pilot, some Hampton Roads restaurants were closed due to state enforcement.

The new restrictions address alcohol consumption because Northam believes alcohol can change a person's judgement and their attention to social distancing. Bar seating and congregating areas of restaurants remained closed when Virginia started phase three of reopening on July 1.

Northam also mentioned concerns of local health directors that more young people are testing positive, and individuals are increasing socialization with non-household members. The Virginian-Pilot compiled Virginia Department of Health data showing increasing cases among younger age groups in the last two months.

"This is about stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Hampton Roads," said Northam at a Tuesday news conference. "It happens when too many people gather together, when too many people are non-compliant.

State officials have been looking at trends including new cases, hospitalizations and percent positive tests. One of the differences between the eastern region and other regions of Virginia was the percent positive average. The rates are 5.7 percent in Northern Virginia, 5 percent in the northwest, 7.1 percent in the southwest, 6.8 percent in central Virginia and 10.8 percent in the eastern region. As of Monday, the rates ranged from 9.9 to 18.6 percent in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Hampton. For the Peninsula area, the 8.7 percent average is up from 3.4 percent a month ago.

Statewide, the percent positive rate is 7.3 percent, down from 7.7 percent last week. When excluding Hampton Roads and the Peninsula, Northam said Virginia's percent positive average is 6 percent.

"Virginia has so far avoided the dramatic increases that other parts of the country are seeing," said Northam. "In fact, cases are largely stable in four out of the state's five health districts. This includes Northern Virginia, where 3 million people live, cases have dropped there by two thirds since the peak in late May. It's happened because people are doing the right thing and following the guidelines."

When asked about a self-quarantine order for high-risk states similar to the one in D.C., Northam said he was considering that strategy. For now, he asks Virginia residents to self-quarantine upon returning from states with widespread transmission of the virus.

Along with announcing new restrictions, Northam reminded Virginia residents that there is hope for getting out of the pandemic. He said he's heard concerns from families with special needs children, families who want to see loved ones in nursing homes, individuals dealing with loneliness, people out of work, and people worried about safety at work — to name a few.

"I want everyone to know this: there is a path out of this," he said. "I see hopeful signs ahead. Most importantly, the country's best scientists are making progress on a vaccination. It's being fast-tracked and that's a good thing for all of us."

Northam highlighted improvements in long-term care communities, where outbreaks account for 1,205 of Virginia's 2,095 coronavirus deaths. He said more than 3,000 people in nursing homes have recovered, and the average of people testing positive in nursing homes is down to about 1 percent.

On the hospitalization side of the pandemic, Virginia is approaching 12,000 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals.

On the economic side, Northam pointed to the state's new strategies for recovery: the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program, the Rebuild VA Economic Recovery Fund for small businesses and nonprofits, and the first emergency workplace safety standards in response to COVID-19 in the nation.

On Tuesday, Northam also met with Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus task force to review Virginia's coronavirus response. They met with a group of stakeholders, including local public health leaders, advocates for the Latino community, doctors, legislators, hospital administrators, nursing home representatives and more. Major areas of concern discussed were the safety of home health workers, the ongoing need for personal protective equipment, long testing turnaround times and the need for a national strategy for the pandemic.

SEE ALSO: Hampton Roads Drives Surge In Virginia's Coronavirus Case Count