Phase One, state officials said Friday, will still involve keeping some businesses closed, while others reopen under “strict safety restrictions.”
Phase One will also involve “continued social distancing, continued teleworking [and] face coverings recommended in public,” according to an outline of the plan made public Friday.
How long that phase will last is unclear, but State Health Commissioner Norman Oliver said he expected it to be in effect until “medical countermeasures” like a treatment or vaccine are rolled out broadly.
“I, personally, think Phase One will be a two-year affair,” Oliver said. “There are a lot of people working on this, and I hope they prove me wrong, but I don’t see it happening in less than two years.”
Northam said on Friday that building out the details of Phase One will involve state health officials, local government officials, representatives of the business community and faith leaders. On Friday, Northam announced a business taskforce made up of business owners and leaders that will help guide plans for reopening businesses under the pandemic.
Northam said the plans will include overarching rules for all businesses, and specific guidance for different industries, like restaurants and barbershops.
Moving towards recovering, Virginia officials said, will also include boosting COVID-19 testing in the state, as well as contact tracing — the identification of anyone who has come into contact with a positive COVID-19 case.
VA Patriot says
Remember “Blackface Coon Man” Northam in November. The Democrats are trying to ruin the economy because of their stupid political agenda. When the state goes into the tank because there is no business, no tax revenue and no jobs, Virginia will go bankrupt and the Democrats will want a federal bailout. But it will be too late because there will be NO MONEY. Teachers can kiss their raises good bye. State and local employees can watch their pensions dry up. But at least they gave the Orange Man a hard time while the controlled the legislature. Can’t believe anyone elected this A-Hole. He should be immediately recalled.
Stuart Bell says
I am quite sure you can look around your local community and figure out just who voted for the Coon-Man. Ostracize and shun them where they stand. Make them very uncomfortable in the shoes they chose to put on.
sara says
Well, the small business owners need to open to survive. Open with caution and common sense. Each state will be different. Do not over open businesses. Nail salons, hair salons are non essentials. People you are not going to work right now. Fix your own hair. If your hubby doesn’t like the look. You have worse problems. Common sense
ESVAGIRL4SHORE says
I agree, Small business owners DO need to open to survive. but who decides what is essential…..Apparentlty to you Sara, the hair and nail salons are non essential, So the question is what do YOU deem essential? and please explain how your essentaials are more of an essential than a non-essential, PS My husband loves my JFFL, so Im not trying to go to hair salon, and we both have common sense and practice social distantincing.
Eleanor says
A hair or nail salon is essential to the owners of such businesses. They need to pay mortgages/rent, feed their families, etc. I’m as much as anyone.
VA Patriot says
It amazes me how panic stricken the media has made us citizens. I have to say with all these Corona Virus cases being reported and deaths I don’t know one person who has contracted or died from the disease and I have a lot of friends and relatives in many of the so called worse hit states. Would love to know if others are experiencing the same. Is this some sick hoax? Do you know someone who is not physically compromised that has gotten or died from this disease?
Paul Plante says
An excellent point!
I know people who tested positive, and they didn’t know they even had it.
They had to be tested because they had been in contact with a nurse who tested positive, and she didn’t know she had it, either!
There is a whole lot of pure BULL**** going on here, and that is a fact.
Up this way, we have a woman quite upset that after her husband, who was obese, and in bad health, died of a heart attack, but when his death certificate was filled out, it listed COVID as the cause of death.
When she confronted the hospital about it, they told her that they have been told to list deaths as COVID.
So are the books being cooked here?
I would say so.
It is about politics, afterall, and this is an election year, which is why you have New York’s Democratic Socialist governor Andy Cuomo bleating and whining in his high, nasally voice about Mitch McConnell and Trump playing politics, when the one really playing the game day after day after day after day is Andy, himself.
David Moore says
Two years huh?? Got anymore good jokes????