Public Health & Safety

Public & Private Gatherings

Beginning 11:59 PM on March 24, gatherings of more than ten people are banned statewide. See the full text of Executive Order 53, here. For answers to commonly asked questions, please see here.
Governor Northam is urging Virginians to limit all non-essential travel outside the home, if and when possible. Those with chronic health conditions or aged 65 or older should self-quarantine.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has issued guidance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia. Resources for businesses, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, large public events, travelers, and individual households are available at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus.
VDH has provided guidance to nursing homes and senior care facilities on additional visitor screening. Virginia has expanded criteria for diagnostic testing to ensure that anyone who has symptoms and is in a nursing home is a top priority.
Virginia is talking with employers across the Commonwealth about telework and paid time off, including for hourly workers.
The Virginia Department of Health operates a 24-hour Coronavirus Information Hotline. For questions about the coronavirus, call (877) ASK-VDH3 or (877) 275-8343.

On March 2, the Department of General Services (DGS) announced that its Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS), Virginia’s public health and environmental laboratory, began testing for COVID-19 instead of sending samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
DCLS will test samples from individuals identified by the VDH as a Person Under Investigation (PUI), meaning they meet both current clinical and epidemiologic criteria for COVID-19.
Virginia is working with insurers to waive costs associated with COVID-19 diagnostic testing.

The Department of Rail and Public Transportation is coordinating with Metro, Amtrak, Virginia Rail Express, and transit agencies across Virginia to adjust cleaning schedules according to CDC protocol.
Washington Dulles International Airport is one of 11 airports designated by the federal government to receive flights from China. The CDC is conducting screenings of passengers at Dulles who have been in China or Iran during the past 14 days.
Virginia is also working with transportation partners to help reduce the potential spread of disease.