Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia news coming right up.
But First…
Virignia’s law decriminalizing marijuana takes effect on July 1. If you’re curious about how this works and what marijuana’s future in the commonwealth is, read Dogwood’s guide here.
Five Things You Need to Know Today
- Virginia Has One Thousand New Coronavirus Cases in 24 Hours- With a rise of over a 1,000 cases since yesterday, Virginia’s coronavirus case count has reached 16,901 statewide, an increase of 6%. So far, 2,416 people have been hospitalized and 581 people have died due to the virus. In total, 105,648 people have been tested in the commonwealth, an increase of 14,805 since Thursday. — Dogwood
- Virus-Killing COVID-19 Mask in Production in Virginia Beach- An innovative virus-killing copper mask is in production in Virginia Beach. The material was pioneered by the Richmond-based company, Cupron, and has been used in Sentara Healthcare for years for everything from blankets to gowns to towels. At peak production, the shop can assemble tens of thousands of masks each week. — WAVY
- Vaccinations are Dropping in Virginia During the Coronavirus- Virginia doctors are seeing a drop in children’s vaccinations during the coronavirus pandemic and warning that this could make the state vulnerable to outbreaks of other diseases in the future. According to the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, mumps and rubella vaccines given to infants dropped 30% from March to April. “The two, four and six-month-olds…are most vulnerable to illnesses,” pediatrician Dr. Douglas Mitchell, “These diseases have potentially devastating outcomes.”– Dogwood
- Eviction Freeze in Effect in Virginia, Protesters Rally for Rent Cancellation- An eviction and foreclosure freeze is currently in effect statewide, but some are calling for legislators to take it a step further and cancel rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. May 1 is the second round of rent due during Virginia’s stay-at-home order. The freeze is scheduled to end 90 days after the governor’s “State of Emergency” expires, currently scheduled for June 10. — WRIC
- Virginia’s Seafood Industry Hit by the Coronavirus- Several Virginia restaurants were forced to shut their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic and as a result, the seafood industry was hit hard. Companies, like White Stone Oysters, state that their demand for seafood has decreased significantly, especially for oysters. Fish prices fell by 75% to 80% according to fisherman Wayne France. — Richmond Times-Dispatch
