COVID-19 Update 2

Friday, March 20, 2020

Dear Friend,

We are certainly living in challenging times. Today there are 114 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Virginia and two deaths. Areas in the Commonwealth where cases have been identified include, Northern Virginia, the Northern Peninsula, Greater Richmond area, and Southwest Virginia.

If you believe you may have COVID-19 (symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, and dry cough), call your primary care physician. Your health care provider will consider your symptoms, how long you have been sick, and other factors. If your doctor determines you should be tested, he or she will provide instructions and directions. Please keep in mind that there is currently no treatment for COVID-19 and people who are mildly ill may be able to isolate and care for themselves at home.

Medicaid will be covering the costs of COVID-19 tests for Medicaid recipients and any associated treatments. Go to this website for more information.

Schools are closed across the Commonwealth for at least two weeks, many systems have determined that they will close for one month. All area school systems are offering grab and go meal options for those children receiving free and reduced lunch. You can find more information on their websites: Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun.

Communities are pooling resources to ensure that our most vulnerable families are receiving help. Virginians are teleworking and supporting our restaurants with carry-out orders. If you have any inquiries or questions, Arlington has established a call center at (703)228-7999. Additional information on community resources or questions can be directed to Virginia’s 211 call center.  Social distancing is now the norm: please continue to practice this.

Thank you for your efforts. Based on requests I have received, I have been advocating for the following with state and federal officials:

• Imploring our Governor and others to secure enough protective gear for our health care workers to conduct the large-scale testing that is needed.

• Requesting enough ventilators and other hospital equipment to appropriately treat critical COVID-19 patients.

• Ensuring that workers, especially low-income wage workers, can receive up to three weeks of paid sick leave, if needed during this emergency (I will continue to advocate for a permanent paid sick leave policy for the Commonwealth).

• Streamlining the unemployment compensation process, so workers do not have to wait weeks before receiving a check.

For the latest information on the virus, please check the CDC and Virginia Department of Health websites. Governor Northam is providing daily briefings via livestream on his Facebook page and further updates and information can be found here.

We’re in this together.

Sincerely,