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On today’s edition:
Governor Northam set to lift most pandemic restrictions on June 15
U.S. Route 250 at Afton Mountain is still closed
The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission releases a report on the 2021 General Assembly
The Cville Plans Together initiative has its first public event post pandemic on Saturday
Governor Ralph Northam took to the stage in Richmond yesterday to announce that favorable trends in Virginia’s COVID caseloads and vaccination are pointing in the right direction.
“We are seeing a welcome drop in our daily count of COVID cases,” Northam said. “Our seven day average is now lower than it has been since last October. Seven months ago. That’s a big deal after a hard year and we should all celebrate that.”
Today the seven-day average for new cases is down to 820 and the percent positivity is 4.4 percent.
There has also been a decrease in the number of hospitalization and deaths. Northam said since the beginning of the pandemic fourteen months ago, decisions of the emergency team and the Virginia Department of Health have been led by the data.
“And today the data give us a very clear message,” Northam said. “The vaccines are working. They’re helping reduce the spread of this disease. Fewer people are getting sick. Fewer people are going to the hospital and fewer people are dying.”
Northam said that vaccinations may be opened up to people over the age of 12 as early as next week.
“Parents are eager for their children to be able to get this shot,” Northam said. “Preliminary results from a VCU survey tell us that a large majority of parents, 66 percent, plan to get their adolescents vaccinated. Sixty-three percent will vaccinate their younger children when it is available.”
Dr. Costi Sifri, director of hospital epidemiology at the University of Virginia Health System said they are ready.
“We at UVA are poised and ready to do that,” Dr. Sifri said. “We would and will use our current mechanisms for providing vaccines for residents of the health district including the vaccine center at Seminole Square and our outreach systems.”
As of today, Exactly one-third of Virginians are fully vaccinated at 33.3 percent and 45.9 percent have had at least one dose. The average doses administered per day has declined this week and is currently at 66,343 a day. A month ago on April 7, that number was 78,785.
“We still have a lot of work ahead to meet President Biden’s new goal of 70 percent of American adults getting at least a first shot by the Fourth of July,” Northam said.
Northam warned that COVID remains a serious threat and continued vigilance. Though many carried the disease asymptomatically, others such as himself have lasting effects from their illness.
“As you all know I had COVID myself last October and seven months later, I still can’t smell or taste anything,” Northam said. “Many long-lasting side effects are much worse. If you haven’t gotten the vaccine, remember this. COVID can make you truly sick for months. The variants that are now circulating raise the risk of getting sick.”
Dr. Sifri said some studies suggest that a third of people who contracted COVID developed long-term symptoms.
“And it includes people that had mild disease or even didn’t recognize they had the disease, they had the so-called asymptomatic disease,” Dr. Sifri said.
UVA will be continuing to study this phenomenon.
Northam has previously announced relaxation of several restrictions on May 15, such as allowing 250-person events outdoors and increases in the number of people who can attend entertainment and sporting events. He said if the trends continue, almost all restrictions will be lifted.
“If our COVID numbers keep trending down and our vaccination numbers keep going up, we plant to lift our mitigation measures, capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements on June 15,” Northam said.
The mask requirement will remain in place for at least a couple of weeks longer, however. Clark Mercer is Northam’s chief of staff and he mentioned an important date to keep in mind as well as well as a logistic hurdle to the legality of even wearing one in public.
“The Governor’s executive authority and emergency declaration expires on June 30 and like the governor said, he will revisit it in a future press conference how we talk about masks,” Mercer said. “Even voluntarily wearing a mask in Virginia, you have to have a state of emergency in effect to do so. There’s a law on the books that doesn’t even allow even voluntarily to wear a mask in public so there are some issues we have to work through between now and the end of June.”
Governor’s legal counsel, Rita Davis, explained further about the forthcoming end of the emergency.
“By code, all declarations of states of emergency end on June 30 so the governor has the prerogative to reissue a declaration a state of emergency,” Davis said.
Northam said he would like to avoid extending the emergency if possible, so this will be something to continue to watch. Another thing to consider is that public meetings at the local level will have to resume being held in person.
But, as you heard, one of the concerns remains the possibility of variants emerging. Research continues at the University of Virginia Health System into increasing surveillance and analysis to identify their presence. Dr. Amy Mathers is an associate professor of medicine and pathology.
“We have recently signed a contract with the state for the UVA Clinical Lab to do whole genome sequencing of the SARS-COVID variants,” Dr. Mathers said. “The plan as it stands right now in on behalf of the Virginia Department of Health to do up to 250 sequences a week.”
That allows for scientists to have a better sense of what variants are circulating. Dr. Mathers said that will help detect emerging strains as well understanding patterns behind patients who might one day contract COVID even after being vaccinated. The UVA labs have been attempting to sequence DNA from as many positive cases as possible and the results show what strains are in the area.
“We definitely have a predominance here like we see elsewhere in the state of the U.K. variant so that is widely circulating and does account for over 50 percent of the cases that we’re seeing now in April.” Dr. Mathers said. “And that shift occurred quite quickly and dramatically toward the end of March. We went from ten percent to over 50 percent kind of when we turned over into April.”
Dr. Mathers said the variants from Brazil and South Africa are also in the community, but at a lower level. Even lower but present are variants from California and New York. With more data, there will be more of an accurate record of what variants are moving where. So far, vaccines are effective against this strains, according to Dr. Sifri.
“The most common variant in the United States, the U.K. variant, the B.1.1.7 variant, is very effectively prevented by current vaccines,” Dr. Sifri said.
For the foreseeable future, the surveillance of existing cases and continued research will continue. As Governor Northam, the data is pointing in the direction that vaccinations after a long period of mitigation has lead to the ability to lift restrictions.
“It’s very encouraging to see the biostatisticians and modelers who are taking a look at the trajectory of cases here both locally, regionally, and around the United States to see what their modeling is showing data,” Dr. Sifri said.
To review the model, take a look at a dashboard on the Virginia Department of Health website.
You’re listening to Charlotteville Community Engagement, and it’s time for a quick subscriber-supported public service announcement.
Are you a master at literary trivia? Or maybe you just want to play along for something to do on a Monday night! The Friends of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library are going to hold a Trivia Night on Monday, May 24 to help raise funds to support the library system. Teams or individuals can register for $15. Register here or visit the Friends of JMRL Facebook Page.
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U.S. 250 will remain closed indefinitely between Route 6 and the top of Afton Mountain while the Virginia Department of Transportation works to stabilize the roadway. A rockslide began on Monday and debris, soil, and rocks continue to crumble away from the hillside.
“The road will likely be closed for a period of weeks while the excavation and stabilization is done,” reads a press release. “A better estimate of the time required will be made once work begins early next week.”
Passenger vehicles are allowed on Route 6, but through-truck traffic is prohibited.
For more details on the geology involved, take a look at a blog post by Chuck Bailey of Structural Geology and Tectonics Research Group at the College of William and Mary.
(hat-tip to Pete Armetta for that link!)
Want to know what happened in this year’s General Assembly? The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission has released a sixteen-page report that takes a look at what passed in the session, which was extended from what was to have been a 45-day session.
Some highlights:
Albemarle County obtained the ability to carry over capital funds from year to year without re-appropriating the money, giving additional flexibility for project management. (HB1949)
Any locality in Virginia can now create a local tourism improvement district that can raise funding through fees to businesses to fund tourism activities and capital improvements (SB1298)
Single-use polystyrene containers will be banned in a phased process beginning July 1, 2023 (HB1902)
Localities can now reduce speed limits below 25 miles per hour in business or residential districts (HB1903)
Regional cigarette tax board can be formed to collect revenue on behalf of localities (SB1326)
Minimum fines for dumping of litter or trash increases from $250 to $500 (HB1801)
A state revolving fund can now be created to help localities purchase, operate, and maintain body cameras for law enforcement officers (SB1119)
A report will be made on whether Virginia should have a model policy for crosswalk design and installation (HB1841)
Localities can now amend their Comprehensive Plans to encourage waiving or reducing of parking requirements when promoting transit-oriented development (HB2054)
A Local Food and Farming Infrastructure Grant Program will be created to help support local food production (HB2068)
Marijuana possession of up to one ounce will be legalized as will ability to grow up to four plants. Retail sales will not be be allowed until January 1, 2024 (HB2312)
Read the report for more. What stands out for you?
It’s a busy month for anyone interested in having a say on Charlottesville’s Comprehensive Plan. I’m working on a longer story which will come out shortly about what’s changed since March 30 when the Planning Commission last weighed in. The first main webinar on the changes will be held by Cville Plans Together on Monday, and my report will be out by then. However, the first public event begins tomorrow with an event at Riverview Park from noon to 2 p.m. Stay tuned for my story, and in the meantime, read my report or listen to my podcast from the March 30 meeting.
May 7, 2021: Northam may lift most pandemic restrictions in Virginia on June 15, data permitting