Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will order state residents to remain at home with some exceptions, as the state steps up its effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, a source familiar with the order said.
Northam’s order will allow people to leave their homes to seek a wide array of essential services like medical attention, food, banking and more.
The order will also limit access to the state’s beaches, barring swimming and sunbathing.
People will still be allowed to engage in outdoor activities, as long as they follow the state’s ban on gatherings larger than 10 people and remain 6 feet apart from others. The state’s parks will remain open.
The decision represents an about-face for Northam, who on Friday suggested that there was virtually no difference between issuing an order and his ongoing requests for people to stay at home except for essential outings.
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"We're talking semantics here. We're talking about how to enforce this,” Northam said on Friday. “However you want to describe it, all of the states giving the same direction, which is to stay at home."
The Northam administration has not shared details of the order, but Northam said he is making a “major announcement” during a scheduled press conference at 2 p.m.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued a similar order Monday, directing Maryland residents to leave their homes only for “essential” reasons, which includes procuring food, medicine or reporting to work if they are essential workers.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper also issued a stay-at-home order, which will go into effect at 5 p.m. Monday.
Highest case rate per capita in Virginia
Highest case rate per capita | Cases | Rate per 100,000 |
---|---|---|
James City County | 73 | 95.6 |
Williamsburg | 7 | 47 |
Arlington County | 86 | 36.2 |
Charlottesville | 13 | 27 |
Goochland County | 6 | 25.8 |
Greensville County | 3 | 25.8 |
Mathews County | 2 | 22.7 |
Madison County | 3 | 22.6 |
Louisa County | 8 | 21.8 |
Fairfax County | 224 | 19.5 |
Gloucester County | 7 | 18.7 |
This is the breakdown of cases across the state according to the VDH website:
224 - Fairfax County
86 - Arlington County
79 - Prince William County
73 - James City County
61 - Loudoun County
52 - Virginia Beach
44 - Henrico County
26 - Alexandria
25 - Richmond
21 - Chesterfield County
20 - Stafford County
19 - Albemarle County
18 - Chesapeake
18 - Newport News
17 - Norfolk
13 - Charlottesville
11 - York County
10 - Frederick County
9 - Hampton
8 - Louisa County
7 - Gloucester County
7 - Manassas City
7 - Williamsburg
6 - Accomack County
6 - Fauquier County
6 - Goochland County
6 - Harrisonburg
6 - Roanoke City
6 - Shenandoah County
6 - Spotsylvania County
5 - Botetourt County
5 - Franklin County
5 - Hanover County
5 - Prince George County
5 - Rockingham County
4 - Danville
4 - Lynchburg
4 - Mecklenburg County
4 - Portsmouth
3 - Amherst County
3 - Culpeper County
3 - Fluvanna County
3 - Greensville County
3 - Hopewell
3 - Isle of Wight County
3 - King George County
3 - Madison County
3 - Powhatan
3 - Suffolk
3 - Winchester
2 - Bedford County
2 - Lee County
2 - Mathews County
2 - Nelson County
2 - Northumberland County
2 - Petersburg
2 - Poquoson
2 - Prince Edward County
2 - Roanoke County
2 - Rockbridge County
2 - Tazwell County
2 - Warren County
2 - Washington County
1 - Alleghany County
1 - Amelia County
1 - Bristol
1 - Charles City County
1 - Fairfax City
1 - Fredericksburg
1 - Greene County
1 - Halifax County
1 - Henry County
1 - Galax
1 - King William
1 - Lancaster
1 - Manassas Park
1 - Montgomery County
1 - New Kent
1 - Northampton County
1 - Nottaway County
1 - Orange County
1 - Pittsylvania County
1 - Radford
1 - Smyth County
1 - Southhampton County
1 - Wythe County