Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has eased restrictions on restaurants and gatherings in the Hampton Roads area, bringing them back in line with the rest of the state, his administration announced Thursday.
Following a surge of cases in the region in late June and early July, Northam ordered restaurants to limit capacity at 50% and stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m. and close at midnight. In addition, he banned gatherings of more than 50 people. Elsewhere in the state, restaurants have been able to operate at full capacity, provided social distancing guidelines are followed, and gatherings of up to 250 people are allowed.
The region’s seven-day average of new cases peaked at 483 on July 25, just a few days before the restrictions became effective, and has fallen steadily since, averaging 163 on Thursday.
“Hampton Roads residents, businesses, and health officials have worked together to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” Northam said. “New cases have dropped by more than half, hospitalizations have declined, and percent positivity has fallen below the statewide average. But we cannot let our guard down—we all must continue practicing social distancing, wearing facial coverings, and following all public health guidelines. If we want to keep moving forward, we must stay vigilant and do the things that we know will keep our communities safe.”
The impacted localities include the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Williamsburg, Newport News and Poquoson as well as James City County and York County.
This story originally appeared on OBXToday.com. Read More local stories here.
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