Come Home to Norfolk

Team-

This afternoon the Virginia Department of Health reports 673,759 total confirmed, and probable cases of COVID-19 and 11,137 total deaths related to the virus in the Commonwealth.

The seven-day positivity rate, PCR only, for the Commonwealth is 2.8%.

Norfolk is credited with 17,819 total cases and 261 deaths with an 4.5% seven-day positivity rate, PCR only.

According to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, 520 residents in Virginia are currently hospitalized due to the virus. Over 55,900 confirmed COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized and discharged.

VDH reports that 4,554,856 people in Virginia have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. Over 3,645,000 people have been fully vaccinated.

The Commonwealth has received 8,992,425 doses of vaccine and are administering just over 50,100 doses a day.

To date in Norfolk, 143,760 people have received the vaccine and 65,470 people are fully vaccinated.

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

Governor Northam Lifts Distancing and Capacity Restrictions : Starting this Friday, May 28, 2021, Governor Executive Order-79, Ending of Commonsense Public Health Restrictions Due to COVID-19 will be enacted. This order will terminate the current Seventh Amendment Executive Order 72.

With the enactment of EO-79, all physical distancing and capacity restrictions will be lifted.

However, the order states that masks are a critical tool in protecting yourself and others until you are fully vaccinated. Therefore, the order states that the commonwealth will follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance regarding indoor and outdoor mask usage.

The CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

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

FEMA Military Circle Mall Clinic: Last Saturday was FEMA’s official last day in Norfolk providing COVID-19 vaccines at the Military Circle Mall Clinic.

Over the past 8 weeks, the vaccination team administered more than 83,000 doses of COVID vaccines at the Military Circle Mall site and more than thirty additional community-based vaccination clinics in the Hampton Roads area.  A video overview of these efforts across the Hampton Roads area is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAHnNtYgE8 

One of the most important goals of the Military Circle Mall Community Vaccination Center was to help vaccinate the underserved and the most vulnerable communities of Hampton Roads. These communities have received more than 50% of the doses that have been administered by the Military Circle Mall Community Vaccination Center.  

The Virginia Department of Health, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the City of Norfolk will continue to administer second doses of the Pfizer vaccine at various clinics in the Hampton Roads area, including the Norfolk Health Department located at 830 Southampton Avenue in Norfolk, VA.

Any resident that would like to get vaccinated at a local health department can find details on locations and availability at https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/, or residents can go to the Vaccine Finder at https://www.vaccines.gov/.

Residents who received their first dose of vaccination at a Virginia Department of Health site, such as Military Circle Mall, can visit any location for their second dose that is providing the type of vaccine they received. A Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card showing proof of first vaccination must be provided. 

If you have misplaced your vaccination card, the Virginia Department of Health can send you a copy of your record. To request a copy, visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/immunization/viis/  or call 804-864-8055.

City Offices to Close in Observance of Memorial Day: The City of Norfolk’s government offices, including City Hall, will close on Monday, May 31, in observance of Memorial Day. The closures include the offices of the Commissioner of the Revenue and the City Treasurer. Offices will reopen at regular business hours on Tuesday, June 1. 

Lifeguards on Duty: If you head to the Norfolk beaches this week, you will see lifeguards on duty, beginning Saturday, May 29 through Labor Day weekend. They will be out daily from 11 am to 6 pm.

Norfolk lifeguards are stationed at the following city park beaches:

• Community Beach Park - 700 E. Ocean View Avenue
• Sarah Constant Beach Park - 300 W. Ocean View Avenue 
• Ocean View Beach Park - 100 W. Ocean View Avenue 

Parking is free at all three locations.

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 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