Local leaders declare states of emergency to address COVID-19

Regional government leaders gathered this morning to announce a series of local state-of-emergency declarations to prepare for the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the Richmond region.

At a joint press conference, officials from Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield and Goochland each announced that their jurisdictions would implement states of emergency that mirror Virginia’s 30-day state of emergency announced this week by Gov. Ralph Northam.

"By declaring a state of local emergency, we will be ready to mobilize whatever resources are necessary and tap additional state and federal resources,” said Brookland District Supervisor Dan Schmitt of Henrico. “We are monitoring the situation quickly and are ready to do whatever is necessary. It’s critical that everyone remain calm, stay informed and follow the CDC’s [Centers for Disease Control] safety recommendations."

Northam this morning announced that 29 Virginians are known to have COVID-19 (up from 17 yesterday). That number will grow significantly in the coming days and weeks, Henrico and Richmond Health Department Director Danny Avula said.

About 80 percent of people who contract the virus will recover without issue, he said, but another 15 percent are likely to require some acute medical care, and 5 percent will require more intensive intervention, such as ventilation, he said.

By declaring states of emergency, encouraging the cancellation or postponement of large gatherings and closing schools, local officials are doing the right thing to protect their constituents, Avula said.

“While we’re still learning about COVID-19, what we do know from our experience in dealing with pandemics is that the interventions that make a difference always need to be taken sooner than we think,” he said. “These measures are not out of fear, but they are an act of compassion and prevention. This is a remarkable opportunity for our entire community to rally around one another, to protect one another and to love one another.”

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney thanked local business and faith communities for being willing to cancel or postpone events. "They did the right thing," he said. "We're all doing the right thing."

Avula praised the efforts, cooperation and decisive decision-making of regional leaders in addressing the virus as quickly as possible. Taking such precautions early could help prevent the local healthcare system from being flooded with COVID-10 patients, he said.

"If COVID-19 overwhelms the healthcare system, it’s going to lead to many preventable deaths” – not just from the virus but from unrelated issues in patients who might not be able to receive treatment if hospitals are already full, he said.

It’s been challenging to analyze data about the virus’s presence locally, Avula said, because the availability of tests has been limited. The state’s lab in Richmond currently has the capacity to test about 300 to 400 people, he said, but two private companies – LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics – now have the ability to provide tests to providers throughout the region.

By next week, all local providers should have tests to provide to patients who believe they may have the virus, he said.

Avula said he expects the peak of the virus's spread locally to take place during the next two to three months.

He urged citizens to follow the basic guidelines that by now have become familiar: wash hands frequently, avoid being in large groups of people, and practice social distancing even in smaller settings.

“I’ve engaged in more fist bumps and elbow bumps in the past week than I have in my entire life,” he said with a laugh.

Henrico and Richmond public schools officials have announced that they will close for two weeks, beginning Monday. Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said this morning that his division would make meals available for pickup at 20 school sites and allow families of students in the city whose students rely upon those meals to pick them up for free at any of the sites while school is out. Henrico officials have pledged to do something similar, though they haven’t yet announced specific plans.

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For details about the COVID-19 virus and Henrico County's efforts to combat it, visit http://www.henrico.us or https://henrico.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=7b124889835440b99e343ffb7bfe692e.

For details about the closure of Henrico County Public Schools and related information, visit https://henricoschools.us/covid19/.

For updates form the Centers for Disease Control, visit http://cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019.