Virginia Could Take 2 Years To Allow Businesses To Reopen, Governor’s Adviser Says
April 26, 2020 in News by RBN Staff
source: www.thegatewaypundit.com
By Eric A. Blair
Ralph Northam, Virginia’s Democratic governor, on Friday said once the percent of positive tests for COVID-19 and hospitalizations drop for 14 consecutive days, the state can begin Phase One of reopening.
That time has not yet come, and Northam’s original lockdown is set to run until at least June 10.
“We cannot and will not lift restrictions like one turns on a light switch,” Northam said, who added that under Phase One, some businesses would have to remain closed. “Easing too much too soon could jeopardize public health and consumer confidence.”
But Norman Oliver, Northam’s state health commissioner, said that Phase One restrictions will likely remain in effect until an effective treatment or a vaccine are widely available. Immunologists and researchers say a vaccine could still be 18 months away.
“I, personally, think Phase One will be a two-year affair. There are a lot of people working on this, and I hope they prove me wrong, but I don’t see it happening in less than two years,” Oliver said.
Phase One will keep some businesses closed, while others reopen under “strict safety restrictions,” state officials said Friday. Phase One will also involve “continued social distancing, continued teleworking [and] face coverings recommended in public,” according to an outline of the plan made public Friday.
