Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a new COVID-19 action plan Thursday and promised choices instead of mandates.
The Republican governor’s plan includes increased vaccine education and testing allocation guided by “science and commonsense.”
“[The plan includes] empowering Virginians with choices, not mandates,” Youngkin said.
The newly sworn-in governor also directed the state health commissioner to implement new guidelines for when COVID-19 tests are used.
“The Governor will discourage mass testing for the purposes of pre-screening, discourage asymptomatic individuals from testing, and urge healthy individuals with mild symptoms to stay home and use discretion on testing,” the plan stated.
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE ADDRESS GLITCH DELAYS FREE COVID-19 TEST DELIVERIES
The new Virginia plan prioritized COVID-19 tests for students who need them to remain in school and healthcare and essential workers who need to test to return to work. Additionally, tests should be reserved for vulnerable individuals with serious medical conditions, those over the age of 65, and those advised to test after consulting with a healthcare provider.
The plan also included hosting a minimum of 120 statewide COVID-19 vaccine events and deploying mobile vaccine units to rural communities.
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Youngkin’s announcement reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Virginia’s hospitals and healthcare facilities through Executive Order 11.
