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City of Covington Provides Covid-19 Update

 
Covington, VA (Dec. 31, 2020) - The City of Covington would like to take this opportunity to reach out to everyone and say Thank You. We know that 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone not only our citizens but throughout the world. We commend everyone for doing their part keeping themselves and their neighbors as safe as possible. We would like to give all of our essential workers a huge shout out and thank you for your services. Your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed.

We appreciate all of our citizens and their understanding as we work through this pandemic. Our city officials and staff has been effected by the COVID-19 virus and we all have rallied together to perform our day to day operations and provide services to you our citizens. We will continue to update everyone on important information as it becomes available. As we proceed into 2021 we encourage everyone in the continued use of face coverings, remembering to keep social distancing of 6ft apart from each other and ask for everyone to continue the efforts of safety precautions set in place by safety and health care officials to help slow the spread of COVID-19. This pandemic has taken its toll on everyone but here is to moving forward, staying safe, and healthy as well as looking forward to a new and prosperous year in 2021.

To Remain in effect from November 24th, 2020, The City will continue the below measures to ensure the safety of all with regards to services and facilities. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. Remember we are #AllInThisTogether and would like to wish everyone a Happy & Safe New Year!

GOVERNOR'S MANDATE:

• Effective: 12:01 a.m. on Monday, December 14, 2020

• Modified Stay at Home Order: All individuals in Virginia must remain at their place of residence between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Exceptions include obtaining food and goods, traveling to and from work, and seeking medical attention.

• Universal mask requirement: All Virginians aged five and over are required to wear face coverings in indoor settings shared with others and when outdoors within six feet of another person. This order expands the current statewide mask mandate, which has been in place since May 29, and requires all individuals aged five and over to wear face coverings in indoor and outdoor public settings outside of their own household. These changes are consistent with new CDC guidelines, released December 4, which recommend the universal wearing of face coverings.

• Reduction in social gatherings: All social gatherings must be limited to 10 individuals, down from the current cap of 25 people. Social gatherings include, but are not limited to, parties, celebrations, or other social events, regardless of whether they occur indoors or outdoors. This does not apply to religious services, employment settings, or educational settings. Restaurants and retail stores are already governed by strict social distancing requirements and are not included in this limit.

• Continued limits on dining establishments: Virginia restaurants are currently governed by strict social distancing and sanitization requirements, which remain in place. The on-site sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol remain prohibited after 10:00 p.m. in any restaurant, dining establishment, food court, brewery, microbrewery, distillery, winery, or tasting room. All restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, and tasting rooms must close by midnight.

• Teleworking: Employees that can telework are strongly encouraged to do so.

NEW YEARS INFORMATION:

• City of Covington New Years Information:

- City of Covington offices will be closed on January 1, 2021. We will be available

by phone and e-mail on Monday, January 4, 2021.

- Refuse collection for Friday, January 1, 2021 will be collected on Thursday,

December 31, 2020. The offices will be closed on Friday, January 1, 2021. o The Peters Mountain Landfill will be closed on Friday, January 1, 2021.

- Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns that you may have to the

Public Works Office at 540-965-6321 or 540-965-6322.

- All offices will be available by phone or e-mail on Monday, January 4, 2021.

REMAINING IN EFFECT:

• The Departments within Covington’s City Hall

- Will remain closed to the public until January 19, 2021. On January 19,

2021 Offices within City Hall will be available with modified schedules by appointment, general walk-ins will still remain discouraged until further notice.

- Offices will continue teleworking outside of the building through Friday, January 15, 2021.

• Anyone in need of assistance is asked to please contact those offices, via telephone or email. Numbers and email addresses for City Hall Offices are located on the City’s Website: www.covington.va.us

- Payments for Utilities and other items such as taxes can be made by placing them in the dropbox on the side of City Hall. We urge citizens to leave a check or money order, please no cash. Payments over the phone will continue.

• The Covington Public Works Department will remain closed to the public until further notice.

- The Department will be running a skeleton crew and teleworking, through January 19, 2021, pending COVID case counts.

- The City will be answering Emergency Public Works Requests with a limited capacity.

- If you need assistance, please contact the Office at (540) 965-6321 or (540) 965-6322.

- If an emergency arises we encourage you to contact Covington Dispatch at (540) 965-6333 anytime 24/7.

- Towards the end of January, the City will reevaluate the status of COVID- 19 cases and will update our citizens and businesses on what if any services changes can be made safe for all.

• City of Covington Facilities & Sponsored Events

- The City of Covington will not have any events that take place within any

of the City’s Facilities until further notice pending case counts and other guidelines as indoor gatherings with individuals outside one's house remains high risk for transmission.

• These include Jackson River Sports Complex, All Park Shelters, Red Train Depot, The Jeter-Watson Center, etc... We apologize for any inconvenience but we must take steps to keep everyone healthy, and safe.

• With the Governor's mandate placing a capacity on gatherings of no more than 10, the City will no longer be booking any events at our facilities until after the mandate is lifted and case counts descend.

- Towards the end of January, the City will reevaluate the status of COVID- 19 cases as well as the Governor's Mandate and will update the citizens, in the direction that the City will take with events and other efforts, as our goal is health and safety for all.
 
 
 

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