Richmond mayor gets exemption from Virginia reopening schedule

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) asked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Thursday to either provide more comprehensive coronavirus testing data or exempt the state capital from Friday’s planned phase one reopening, a delay that Northam later granted.

In a letter to Northam, Stoney said state officials have yet to provide the testing data he requested, and that the latest data Richmond has indicates the city’s COVID-19 cases doubled over the last week.

“While I am hopeful that this increase is in part due to the expanded testing we have worked collaboratively to provide for our community, without access to total testing data and the ability to watch that trend over time, I cannot conclude that Richmond’s percent positivity ratio is moving in the right direction,” Stoney wrote.

The governor signed an executive order closing businesses March 23, and a separate stay-at-home order that was originally set to last through June 10, though much of the state is set to reopen at the end of this week.

Stoney said more robust testing is particularly needed for minority communities, noting that 16 of 18 deaths in the city have been African Americans even though the city’s population is just over 50 percent African American. Latinos, who only comprise about 7 percent of the city’s population, are 23 percent of positive cases.

“To be clear — I want to reopen our city,” Stoney wrote. “However, we should only take that step when there are adequate protections for our most vulnerable communities.”

Northam later announced reopening would be delayed for at least two weeks for both the city of Richmond  and for Accomack County on the Eastern Shore.

“As I have said previously, Virginia’s Phase One guidelines represent a floor, not a ceiling,” Northam said. “I have encouraged local leaders to request exemptions when appropriate, and I am pleased to grant the delays for both Accomack County and the City of Richmond.”

Phase one of Virginia’s reopening process will allow nonessential businesses to reopen with social distancing measures in place, including allowing customers to get haircuts by appointment and restaurants and gyms reopening with reduced capacity. Northern Virginia, which has seen an outsized portion of the state’s COVID-19 cases, will remain locked down through at least May 29.

—Updated at 5:30 p.m.