Northern VA Enters Phase One with Masks

On May 26th Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Order 63 effective at 12:oo am May29th 2020 requiring all Virginians over age 10 to wear a face covering over their mouth and nose when entering, exiting, traveling through, and spending time inside the settings listed below and as described and recommended by the CDC:

• Personal care and personal grooming businesses 
• All brick and mortar retail businesses
• Food and beverage establishments
• Entertainment or recreation businesses 
• Train stations, bus stations, and intrastate public transportation
• Any other indoor place shared by groups of people
• State or local government buildings

The Virginia Department of Health shall have authority to enforce this Order so for the moment there will be no fines and no jail time. However, the Department of Health can close a business.
The requirement to wear a face covering does not apply to following:

• While eating or drinking;
• While exercising or using exercise equipment;
• While unconscious, incapacitated
• While seeking to communicate with the hearing impaired and for which the mouth needs to be visible;
• When temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to secure government or medical services; and

In addition it was announced that Northern Virginia will enter Phase One of restriction easing on May 29th at 12:00 am. If you recall, on May 8th Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Order 61 effective at 12:00 a.m., May 15, 2020, easing certain restrictions imposed under Second Amended Executive Order 53 and Executive Order 55 (both Orders are now collectively referred to as Phase Zero). Executive Order 61 sets out the Commonwealth of Virginia’s path into Phase One.
With limits on distancing and occupancy and emphasis on recommended cleaning and disinfecting surfaces Phase One allows:

• Restaurants, breweries, distilleries, wineries, and tasting rooms to operate take-out, and outdoor dining and beverage services at 50% of the lowest occupancy load.
• Farmers markets may reopen
• Most brick and mortar retail business may operate at 50% occupancy, provided such businesses comply with the Guidelines in the order.
• Fitness centers, gymnasiums, recreation centers, sports facilities, and exercise facilities may reopen for outdoor activities only.
• Beauty salons, barbershops, spas, massage centers, tanning salons, tattoo shops, and any other location where personal care or personal grooming services are performed may reopen at 50% capacity.
• Religious services may take place with social distancing and at 50% capacity.
• Entertainment venues remain closed and all social gathering of more than 10 people remains banned.

I am excited to get my hair cut and start to get my life back on schedule. You can read all the details in Executive Order 61 and Order 63 at these links.