Dear Friends & Neighbors,

The Governor has just announced that he has issued a mandatory stay-at-home order for the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Here’s the text of the Governor’s order: 

"All individuals in Virginia shall remain at their place of residence, except as provided below by this Order and Executive Order 53. To the extent individuals use shared or outdoor spaces, whether on land or on water, they must at all times maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any other person, with the exception of family or household members or caretakers."

Individuals may leave their residences for the purpose of:

• Obtaining food, beverages, goods, or services as permitted in Executive Order 53;

• Seeking medical attention, essential social services, governmental services, assistance from law enforcement, or emergency services;

• Taking care of other individuals, animals, or visiting the home of a family member;

• Traveling required by court order or to facilitate child custody, visitation, or child care;

• Engaging in outdoor activity, including exercise, provided individuals comply with social distancing requirements;

• Traveling to and from one’s residence, place of worship, or work;

• Traveling to and from an educational institution;

• Volunteering with organizations that provide charitable or social services; and

• Leaving one’s residence due to a reasonable fear for health or safety, at the direction of law enforcement, or at the direction of another government agency.

Additional Closures:

• All public and private in-person gatherings of more than ten individuals are prohibited.

• Institutions of higher education shall cease all in-person classes and instruction, and cancel all gatherings of more than ten individuals. 

• Effective April 1, 2020 at 11:59 p.m., cessation of all reservations for overnight stays of less than 14 nights at all privately-owned campgrounds.

• Closure of all public beaches for all activity, except exercising and fishing.  

What we know so far regarding the spread of the infection:

• As of this afternoon,1020 positive cases of COVID-19 infection have been identified in the Commonwealth. Thus far, 12,038 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Virginia.

• Of those cases, 136 patients have been hospitalized and 25 patients have died, including two residents of Arlington County.

• Fairfax County leads Virginia in the number of cases by jurisdiction, with 224 identified cases. Arlington County has 86 identified cases.

 ❗The Governor’s office is holding live public briefings at 2:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. All briefings are broadcast on the Governor’s Facebook page.

 RESOURCES & MORE INFORMATION

For more information about coronavirus and ways you can protect yourself from the virus, please see the following resources and links:

• CDC Homepage for Coronavirus

• Virginia Department of Health Coronavirus Homepage

• CDC Guidance for Households

• Preparedness Checklist in the Event of a Pandemic - for Individuals and Families

Arlington COVID-19 Call Center:

Arlington County is expanding its ability to respond to inquiries and questions from the public by establishing a new call center. This additional call center will free up resources to help the County effectively minimize the public health risk posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Community members who cannot find the information they need on the County’s website or through other resources, should call 703-228-7999 for assistance, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday.  

Free School Meals for Arlington Children 2-18

Meals are being provided free of charge from Monday-Friday (11 am - 1 pm) at the sites as follows:

• Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road

• Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School, 3500 S. 23rd Street

• Barrett Elementary School – Beginning Wed, March 25, 4401 N Henderson Rd

• Campbell Elementary School – Beginning Wed, March 25, 737 S Carlin Springs Rd 

• Randolph Elementary School – Beginning Wed, March 25, 1306 S Quincy St 

APS will provide one lunch for that day and one breakfast to take home for the following day. 

Free School Meals for Fairfax Children

For information about the many ways to acquire free or reduced price meals in Fairfax County, please visit their website here.

Food Assistance Centers in Arlington: 

Small Businesses Guidance & Loan Resources

The U.S. Small Business Administration has released further guidance on resources available to small businesses to assist with combatting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click on the following links to view more information: 

• Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

• SBA Express Bridge Loans

• Guidance for Businesses and Employers

• SBA Products and Resources

• Government Contracting

• Local Assistance 

Sincerely,