Come Home to Norfolk

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This morning the Virginia Department of Health reports 530,825 total confirmed, and probable cases of COVID-19 and 6,820 total deaths related to the virus in the Commonwealth.

The seven-day positivity rate, PCR only, for the Commonwealth is 10.2%.

Norfolk is credited with 13,564 total cases and 149 deaths with a 14.6% seven-day positivity rate, PCR only.

According to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, 2,285 residents in Virginia are currently hospitalized due to the virus. Over 41,636 confirmed COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized and discharged.

VDH reports that 898,160 people in Virginia have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. Over 206,942 people have been fully vaccinated.

The Commonwealth has received 1,580,800 doses of vaccine and are administering just over 36,000 doses a day.

To date in Norfolk, 17,898 people have received the vaccine and 3,639 people are fully vaccinated.

For daily vaccine summaries and totals, visit the VDH dashboard.

Last week Governor Ralph Northam extended the current restrictive measures due the surges of COVID-19 in Virginia until the end of February. 

Again, the current restrictions include:

• Modified “stay-at-home order: The modified “stay-at-home” order is for the hours between midnight and 5 a.m. That will exclude those going to work and other essential travel (buying food, getting medical attention, etc.).
• Reduction in public and private gatherings: All public and private in-person gatherings must be limited to 10 individuals. This includes outdoor and indoor settings. Gatherings include parties, celebrations, and other social events, outdoors and indoors. The rule does not apply to places of work, religious services, and schools.
• Expansion of mask mandate: All Virginians aged five and over must wear face coverings in indoor public spaces. This DOES include educational settings, Houses of Worship, places of employment, and stores. Masks will also be required outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
• Strengthened enforcement within essential retail businesses: All essential retail businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies, must adhere to statewide physical distancing guidelines, wearing face coverings, and enhanced cleaning. Violations are now enforceable through the Virginia Department of Health as a Class One misdemeanor. 
• Recreational sports: There is a 25-person-per-field limit for indoor recreational sports and two guests per player for outdoor sports. The Governor encourages schools to set up streams online and move sports outside if possible.

For more information on this, view this week's Incident Action Plan.

Also, during Governor Northam’s press conference, he stated that all K-12 school divisions in the Commonwealth are to make in-person learning options available by March 15, 2021 in accordance with the health guidance the Northam Administration put forward in January and new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, visit governor.virginia.gov.

Call Center Update: Our call center staff is doing an amazing job answering your questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccination preregistration process. The City has established two ways Norfolk residents can preregister for the vaccine. You can preregister online at www.norfolk.gov/covid19vaccine, or if you are unable to preregister online, you can also call 664-SHOT (7468) Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please note that if you are in 1a or 1b, you are highly encouraged to use the online form due to long call wait times.

Preregistration does not schedule you for a COVID vaccine appointment.

This preregistration process will add you to a waitlist within the specific phase in which you are eligible.

Due to limited vaccine availability, it could take up to 4 to 8 weeks before you are notified to schedule your appointment.  When you schedule your appointment, make sure you bring the appointment QR code, or confirmation email, and a form of identification such as a driver’s license and will be asked to show proof of qualification, such as a work ID, to verify eligibility.

Remember, these appointments are set for a specific time.

Here are important links for the COVID-19 Vaccination: 

City of Norfolk vaccine information main page.  

Link to determine what COVID-19 vaccine group you fall under.

Information on how to preregister for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Link to preregister for the COVID-19 vaccine.

FAQs page.

Are you ready to give the gift of life? There are plenty of opportunities for you to give blood this month. Be an American Red Cross Hero by donating blood to help save lives. Click here to view all blood donation opportunities for February in Norfolk.  If you don’t live in Norfolk, don’t worry, you can search by city and find blood drives near you.

Be safe and have a great week, everyone. 

Daniel 

Daniel Hudson, Deputy EM Coordinator

Norfolk Emergency Preparedness & Response

EOC-Plans@norfolk.gov