JULY 27, 2020
Richmond, VA — Governor Ralph Northam said if the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 numbers don’t improve soon, health officials will have to take “additional steps to slow the spread.”
The governor did not say what those additional steps would be.
Across Virginia, the average number of daily COVID-19 cases during the last seven days was nearly 1,100 cases.
The numbers in Northern Virginia are not as bad as the Southwest region and the Eastern Region, but the cases are still increasing in communities, so health experts are urging everyone to practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash their hands.
Loudoun County Health Director Dr. David Goodfriend said the county has recently been seeing around 30 to 40 cases a day.
“Which is a manageable level us– for our hospitals, for our case investigators and contract tracers, but it means there is an ongoing community spread,” said Goodfriend.
ABC7’s Tim Barber asked the doctor what we can learn from other regions that are seeing spikes.
“The virus is here,” said Goodfriend. “There is always a risk of having a much more significant outbreak than what we are seeing now, and it will take all of us continuing to take those [social distancing] steps.”
“I think sometimes people see the lower numbers and they pat themselves on the back and say mission accomplished, but it’s really important to remember this pandemic isn’t over,” said Natalie Talis who is the population health manager for the Alexandria Health Department. “If people want to keep our economy on the right path of opening, supporting our small businesses we all have to keep acting and doing those right things.”
Northam is having a COVID-19 press conference Tuesday at 2 p.m. and his team has not revealed the details of what he will be talking about.
Courtesy/Source: WJLA
