State emergency declared; schools to close for two weeks

Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state emergency in response to the continued spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

K-12

The governor ordered all K-12 schools in Virginia to close for a minimum of two weeks.

Schools will close from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27, at a minimum. Localities will maintain authority over specific staffing decisions to ensure students maintain continuity of services or learning, while protecting the public health of teachers and staff.

Virginia Department of Education officials are working closely with school divisions and the Department of Social Services to ensure students who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs are able to access those programs while schools are closed.

The Department of Education will issue guidance and memos to superintendents across the Commonwealth to provide specifics about the continuity of education, school nutrition, and updated public health guidelines.

EMERGENCY

The declaration was announced late Thursday afternoon. It will allow state government increased flexibility to “ease regulatory requirements and procurement rules, continue federal and multi-state coordination, and ensure continued access to critical services for the most vulnerable Virginians,” according to a press release.

Specific additional measures the governor announced include:

• Banning travel outside of Virginia by most state employees, with specific guidance to be released to agency heads and workers in the near future.

• Phasing in a transition to “teleworking” for state employees who are able to work from home.

• Cancelling all specially-scheduled state conferences and large events for a minimum of 30 days.

Northam is directing state agencies, through the Department of Human Resource Management, to limit in-person meetings and non-essential, work-related gatherings.

Also, he is “urging localities and non-profits to limit large public events, effective immediately.” Localities should make these decisions in coordination with their local health departments and the Virginia Department of Health.

ONGOING EFFORTS

Additional state agency actions include:

• NURSING HOMES. The state health department has expanded its testing criteria to ensure that anyone who has symptoms and is in a nursing home is top priority and gets immediate testing. Nursing homes and senior care facilities have updated policies to provide additional visitor screening and increased monitoring of patients.

• VULNERABLE CITIZENS. Social services agencies are preparing options to ensure the most vulnerable populations have continued access to critical services, including the potential for in-home care and food supports. In the event of extended school closures, the Virginia Department of Social Services is working with local partners, such as food pantries, to ensure no one goes hungry.

• WORKERS, INSURANCE. State officials are working with insurers to waive co-pays and diagnostic testing related to COVID-19. Northam continues to encourage private businesses to explore telework and paid time off options, including those with hourly workers.

• TRANSPORTATION. The state transportation department is adjusting cleaning schedules at airports, the Metro system, buses and rail facilities. Virginia is training all transportation employees to spot indications of COVID-19, help reduce the potential spread of disease and provide accurate information on symptoms, prevention and diagnostic testing.