Virginia's COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted Heading Into Memorial Day

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was joined by President Joe Biden Friday morning at a rock-climbing business in Alexandria where the two talked about the state’s progress in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor told the audience — composed mostly of teachers and students — that Friday marked another major step toward pre-pandemic life as Virginia lifted almost all of its coronavirus restrictions, including indoor capacity limits and social distancing requirements.

The policy change followed the decision by Northam two weeks ago to lift the state’s indoor mask mandate, except in certain circumstances, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines saying that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask.

“Today we mark a tremendous milestone in our fight against COVID-19,” Northam said at the visit to Sportrock Climbing Centers on Eisenhower Avenue in the West End of Alexandria. “As of 12:01 this morning, for the first time since March 2020, there are no limits on capacity or distancing in Virginia’s restaurants, businesses, offices, or other venues. That’s something that we can all be proud of.”

Northam noted that 66 percent of adults in Virginia have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and that 54 percent of adults in the state are fully vaccinated.

Biden has set a goal of 70 percent of Americans getting at least one dose of the vaccine by July 1. “I am confident we will reach that goal,” the governor said of Virginia.

In his comments, Biden noted that 165 million of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine while 51 percent of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated.

“We’re not done yet,” Biden added, noting that the vaccine is much easier to get today than it was earlier in 2021. “We still have five weeks left to hit our goal.”

Biden said Virginia has one of the highest rates of vaccinations among all states in the country and told Northam: “You’re one of the best governors in the country in taking this on.”

In Virginia, daily reported cases of the coronavirus are at their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic. Hospitalizations for treatment of COVID-19 have also hit new lows in the state since the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association started reporting the data in April 2020.

“As governor, I can tell you that having a partner in the White House makes a huge, huge difference, setting clear goals as he has done and supporting us with the resources we need to meet those goals," Northam said Friday. "As a doctor, I know it also makes a big difference when leadership respects science and follows its lead."

In accordance with Executive Order 72, declared by the governor on May 15, fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks in most situations. Businesses can still require employees and customers to wear a mask.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, a business can ask a person about their vaccination status without it being a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. And masks are still required for everyone in schools, given low rates of vaccination among children.

The federal government also still requires masks to be worn when using public transportation, including on buses, trains and airplanes.