Gov. Ralph Northam held a press conference Thursday in Richmond, declaring the coronavirus pandemic a state emergency.
Following Virginia’s first COVID-19 death and a growing cluster of cases in the Peninsula, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has issued a ban on all events with more than 100 people across Virginia. He also ordered local government offices closed in the Peninsula region, which includes Newport News and Williamsburg.
The statewide events ban applies to public special events such as festivals, parades, conferences and gatherings in auditoriums or stadiums, Northam said. It does not ban or limit “normal operations” such as shopping, traveling, dining or working, but Northam urged Virginians to voluntarily avoid social gatherings and stay at home or telework if at all possible. Hours after Northam’s announcement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a recommendation that organizations cancel or postpone gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.
Additionally, the governor ordered all local government offices closed in the Peninsula Health District — which includes Newport News, James City County, York County, Williamsburg, Poquoson and Hampton — through at least March 30. Vital local government services such as policing and trash pickup will continue in the region.
