Friends,
I hope you and your family are doing well and staying safe right now. And to those who are currently observing the month’s fast, I wish you a happy, healthy Ramadan.
In these uncertain times, we must remain connected and look out for each other — our diversity is our strength.
This week, Governor Northam announced some important plans for reopening Virginia, and we have some more COVID-19 resources to share, as well as some information about our upcoming May Town Hall.
Reopening the Commonwealth
Last Friday, Governor Northarm released Forward Virginia: A Blueprint for Easing Public Health Restrictions, a plan for how Virginia will move towards safely reopening the Commonwealth.
Here are the governor’s guidelines for declaring a safe and successful reopening:
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A statewide decline in daily cases for 14 consecutive days
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A sufficient amount of available testing statewide before moving forward
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An increased supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as enough beds and intensive care availability in our hospitals
Once these criteria are met, then we can move on to Phase 1 which includes:
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Continued social distancing and wearing face coverings in public
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Continued telework from home
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Sparse reopening of some businesses, with strict safety restrictions
By staying home, practicing social distancing, and wearing face coverings we have helped slow the spread of the virus. In order to fully reopen Virginia, we will need to slowly ease restrictions but still follow our health guidelines so all Virginians stay safe.
The latest COVID-19 resources
In the meantime my team has compiled some new COVID resources, to help ensure you and your family remain safe:
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The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has established a portal collecting a wide variety of COVID-related material. It encompasses waivers, memoranda and guidance, available disaster grants and loan programs, and instructions for private sector partners who want to aid the Commonwealth in our COVID response.
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Those with weakened immune systems, including dialysis patients, have an increased risk for COVID-19. If you’re a dialysis patient, please read this resource on prevention, preparation, and more here.
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The Virginia Association of Health Plans (VAHP) is maintaining an updated page on their website with information on the health insurance response, as well as links to more detailed information from each of the carriers in Virginia.
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Virginia has secured some payment relief options for student loans -- more details are located here.
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Non-emergency medical procedures can resume beginning midnight, Thursday, April 30. The Virginia Department of Health has a document of frequently asked questions.
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Sexual and domestic violence programs are still open and are providing crisis services, emergency shelter, and resource-based support. The Virginia Statewide Hotline remains open 24/7 and is ready to help, and so are sexual and domestic violence programs all over the state. Call: 1.800.838.8238 or Text: 804.793.9999.
Staying in touch
Here are a few ways you can remain in touch with our team over the next week:
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Take our issues survey: Let us know what issues are on your mind right now. Select the checkbox if you’d like to schedule an appointment with our team to discuss these issues, and we’ll be in touch shortly.
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Schedule a constituent meeting: Live in District 10 and need a constituent meeting? Please email [email protected] and we will be in touch.
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Join our May town hall on Thursday, May 14 from 5PM to 6PM: We’ll be joined by Dr. Micol Hutchison, VCCS Director of Pathways to the Arts and Humanities to discuss the role that arts and humanities can play in the midst of a global pandemic. From building connection to fighting stigma and systemic inequities, we’ll touch on what art, philosophy, literature, and history can teach us in this moment.
As always, please feel free to follow on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We update those channels daily with vital resources for our constituents.
- Ghazala
