More than 16,000 in Virginia apply for unemployment in one day

Virginia’s number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 114 today, while the number of residents who have filed for unemployment this week surpassed 30,000, state officials announced this morning during a press briefing.

The new cases include a prominent local business leader – Henrico-based Altria Group’s Chairman and CEO Howard Willard, III. Willard, 56, is self-quarantining, as are associates who were in close contact with him recently. Altria previously had disclosed that two employees also had the virus, prompting the shutdown of its cigarette manufacturing facility in south Richmond.

Numerous business shutdowns statewide have left thousands out of work. During today’s briefing, Virginia Chief Workforce Development Advisor Megan Healy announced that more people had applied for unemployment insurance yesterday alone – 16,357 – than during the first three days of the work week (about 14,000 total).

She encouraged anyone who is out of work to apply – even if they aren’t sure they’ll qualify.

“We want everyone to apply,” Healy said. “The rules change daily, maybe hourly, [as to] who can get unemployment insurance. So if you are denied, we’re going to keep that data, and so if the rules change from the Department of Labor, we can start going back and issuing folks checks.”

Applications may be made online at www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed and questions may be directed to Virginia Employment Corporation representatives by phone at 1-800-897-5630.

Those approved for unemployment benefits should begin receiving weekly checks next week, Healy said. Northam has waived the one-week waiting period and work-search requirement during the virus outbreak.

“I know that this is had on people’s morale,” Northam said this morning. “It is very very stressful. It is scary. We are all experiencing big, unwanted changes, and we don’t know how long this will last.”

He acknowledged that the incidences of depression, anxiety, domestic violence and substance abuse are likely to increase statewide and encouraged citizens in need to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK or the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s disaster distress hotline at 1-800-985-5990.

“[T]his virus, this pandemic, is changing everyone’s lives,” Northam said. “It is forcing changes in people’s routines, and for many people it is affecting their jobs and their income. We are doing everything we can to help people.”

On the testing front, the Virginia Department of Health now has more than 1,000 of its own tests available, according to State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, while hospitals and private practices also are administering tests themselves.

Two Virginia residents have died from the virus and 19 remain hospitalized. Nationally, more than 13,000 cases have been confirmed, along with 196 deaths.

The state is processing 35 more COVID-19 tests today, Oliver said.

“The only thing we have to prevent the spread of this disease is social distancing, so we need to all do that,” Oliver said.

Localities have the authority to enforce Northam’s mandate that gatherings not exceed 10 people, but he said he was pleased that most businesses and groups in the state are voluntarily adhering to that order.

Northam also said that he had directed the Virginia ABC to permit restaurants that are legally authorized to sell alcohol to do so with carryout or delivery orders, too.