Virginia's COVID-19 State Of Emergency Comes To An End

VIRGINIA — Virginia’s COVID-19 state of emergency officially ended at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday after Gov. Ralph Northam chose not to extend the order.

Northam declared the state of emergency on March 12, 2020. Its end follows Northam's decision in May to lift nearly all restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 4.3 million people in Virginia are fully vaccinated, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Last week, Virginia reached President Joe Biden's goal to get 70 percent of the state’s adult population at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

With the emergency order now lifted, a Virginia law that bans people from wearing face coverings in public will go back into effect in some cases.

While the state law prohibits wearing a mask for the purpose of concealing one’s identity, it does not prohibit wearing a mask for the purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Northam’s office has said it will communicate with law enforcement to make sure no one is arrested for wearing a face mask. The governor also is expected to ask lawmakers to address the issue when they reconvene for a special session in August.

When it comes to wearing masks, Virginians should continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which encourages all unvaccinated people to wear one.

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Under federal law, masks are still required when riding Metro trains and buses and at all indoor stations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, owners of private businesses can choose whether to require customers to wear a mask. Legally, a business also can ask customers to give proof of their vaccination. Government agencies also can still require masks to be worn inside their buildings.

Virginia ended almost all mitigation measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on May 28. Although the state of emergency is ending, Virginia has a long way to go with vaccinations. As of Wednesday, only 50.7 percent of Virginia residents were fully vaccinated. Among adults in Virginia, 61.7 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the VDH.

Children between the ages of 12 and 15 are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve a vaccine for children five and older in the next few weeks.

The state of emergency also offered protection against evictions. Tenants who were facing evictions during the state of emergency could get their cases extended for 60 days if they can prove that they did not pay rent as a result of COVID-19. That protection will expire in 90 days from June 30.

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