It has been one week since additional restrictions were placed on the Hampton Roads region in hopes to to lower the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Governor Northam’s Executive Order 68 prohibits the on-site sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol after 10:00 p.m. in restaurants, bars, and other food/beverage establishments located in Hampton Roads. Additional details on this new mandate can be found below.
On Wednesday, August 5, Virginia became first in the nation to launch a COVID-19 exposure notification app. Using Bluetooth Low Energy technology developed by Apple and Google COVIDWISE notifies users who have likely been exposed to reduce the risk of infection and help Virginia stop the spread. COVIDWISE does not rely on personal information or location data and participation is on a completely voluntary basis. Users can opt-in by downloading this free app through the iPhone App Store or the Android Google Play Store. COVIDWISE generates an anonymous token for each device that has signed up. These tokens cannot be used to identify users or their locations and change every 10-20 minutes to ensure complete anonymity. I encourage citizens of the Commonwealth to learn more about COVIDWISE by visiting their website and reading the full summary below.
Virginia has joined five other states in entering the first interstate testing compact of its kind with the intention to purchase large quantities of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests. Virginia along with Maryland, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Ohio sent a letter of intent to the Rockefeller Foundation as part of a joint effort to respond to the ongoing pandemic and purchase 500,000 antigen tests for each state. The wide availability of rapid testing is critical to effectively stopping the spread of COVID-19 around the Commonwealth and nation. More information on this bi-partisan effort can be found here.
This week, the Virginia Chamber is pleased to recognize Cox Communications for its vital investments to support COVID-19 relief efforts, helping communities across the Commonwealth.
Cox Communications has long been recognized for their dedication to empowering communities throughout the Commonwealth in many ways. In addition to their continued commitment to keep Virginians connected, Cox Communications has made significant investments in programs, grants, and nonprofits dedicated to supporting our citizens during the ongoing pandemic. Cox Communications has developed the Connect2Compete program to offer low-cost internet for families on government assistance who have K-12 children. With no annual contract, no equipment fee and an easy installation, families can get a broadband connection at home for less than $10 a month. In response to the growing strain on feeding the community during COVID-19, Cox Charities and the James M. Cox Foundation have donated a total $125,000 in grants to local food banks and meal delivery services including Meals on Wheels, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and the Fredericksburg Regional Foodbank.
