COVID-19

IMPORTANT – Mask Update – August 22, 2022

The latest COVID-19 county level transmission rates were posted to the CDC website on Friday, August 19.

The transmission rate for Westmoreland County is listed as “High.”

Masks are required in the VCE office in Westmoreland County.

Transmission rates for Essex, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Richmond counties are listed as “Medium.”

Masks are optional in VCE offices in Essex, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Richmond counties.

COVID-19 transmission rates are updated every Friday on the CDC website. The next update will be posted on Friday, August 26.

 

IMPORTANT — Mask Update – August 15, 2022

The latest COVID-19 county level transmission rates were posted to the CDC website on Friday, August 12.

Transmission rates for Essex and Richmond counties are listed as “High.” Masks are required in VCE offices in Essex and Richmond counties.

Transmission rates for Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland counties are listed as “Medium.” Masks are optional in VCE offices in Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland counties.

COVID-19 transmission rates are updated every Friday on the CDC website.  The next update will be posted on Friday, August 19.

 

IMPORTANT — Mask Update – August 8, 2022

Community transmission for all the Northern Neck counties (including Essex County) is at the “medium” rate as of August 5, 2022. Masks are currently optional in all VCE offices and facilities.

 

IMPORTANT — Mask Update – Lancaster and Northumberland VCE Offices – August 1, 2022

IMPORTANT — Mask Update – Lancaster and Northumberland VCE Offices – July 11, 2022

As of the end of last week (July 8), COVID-19 community transmission levels for Lancaster and Northumberland counties were listed as “high.”  The CDC updates this information Friday of each week.

VCE’s current COVID-19 guidelines state that masks will be required in Virginia Tech facilities when the CDC community transmission reaches the “high” level.

Masks are now required in the Lancaster and Northumberland VCE offices when in the office around others. Masks are also required at any meeting or gathering in the office or when someone comes to the office. 

At this time, Lancaster and Northumberland counties are the only counties on the Northern Neck (including Essex County) with a high community transmission level; however, masks are always optional if you wish to wear a mask at other locations.

We will continue to monitor the community transmission level and will let you know when anything changes.

 

IMPORTANT — Mask Update – Lancaster County VCE Office – May 31, 2022

VCE’s last COVID-19 guidelines stated that masks would be required in Virginia Tech facilities when the CDC community transmission reached the “high” level. As of the end of last week (May 27), Lancaster County’s transmission rate was listed as “high.”

Masks are now required in the Lancaster VCE office when in the office around others. Masks are also required at any meeting or gathering in the office or when someone comes to the office. 

If you are in your own space/office, not sharing space with anyone else, then a mask is not required. (Example: working in the Help Desk area by yourself.)

At this time, Lancaster County is the only county on the Northern Neck (including Essex County) with a high community transmission level. Masks are not required in other VCE offices in the Northern Neck; however, they are optional if you wish to wear a mask. The CDC updates this information weekly. We will continue to monitor the community transmission level and will let you know when anything changes.

COVID-19 Updated Guidance for Indoor Youth Education Programs as of February 16, 2022

Specific Children’s Education Guidance:

All EMGs participating in indoor Youth Education programs are required to wear an appropriate face covering/mask regardless of vaccination status. This includes transportation (unless the transport vehicle occupants are from the same household).

Students are governed by their respective school district policy. If the school district policy requires masks, then students should wear masks. If the school district has a mask optional policy, then students are not required to wear masks. Enforcement of that policy belongs to school teachers/staff – not EMGs.

Virginia Department of Health Transmission Status for Local Counties as of February 1, 2022:

• Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Essex, and Westmoreland Counties all continue to be classified as areas of high transmission.

No New COVID -19 Guidance as of December 27, 2021

The Governor’s Office, the Virginia Depart of Health, Virginia Tech, and VCE have not issued any new guidance since the guidance below issued on August 10, 2021. Any new guidance will be posted here.

COVID-19 Update Posted August 10, 2021

Effective August 10, 2021, all individuals at all Virginia Tech and VCE associated facilities located in areas of substantial or high transmission are required to wear a mask in indoor public spaces.  These areas include lobbies, foyers, atriums, hallways, and elevators accessible to the general public.  This mask requirement does not apply to private work spaces, such as an office, work area, or employment meeting space that is not open to the public in the normal course of business.

Specific Children’s Education Guidance:

• All Children’s Education program participants, both youth and adults, are required to wear an appropriate face covering/mask, regardless of vaccination status, when participating in indoor programs. This includes transportation (unless the transport vehicle occupants are from the same household).
• Vaccinated Children’s Education program participants are not required to wear a face covering/mask when participating in outdoor programs where six feet of physical distance can be maintained between individuals. Unvaccinated individuals participating in outdoor programs are required to wear a face covering/mask. A structure will be considered “outdoors” if there are a minimum of two sides that are open air, meaning completely open prior to opening any doors or windows and having no structural features other than support beams or support features.
• The only applicable exception to the face covering/mask requirement is when a medical condition prevents the participant from wearing a face covering/mask.

COVID-19 Update Posted August 3, 2021

VCE just issued updated guidance on mask wearing that reflects the new CDC guidance.  It states:

• Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask in most settings; however, fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. 
• The Virginia Department of Health currently lists Essex, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties as “high transmission” areas.
• Based on the new guidance, all participants should wear a mask at any NNMG in-person gathering held indoors unless the gathering is held in Westmoreland County.  There is no physical distancing requirement at the present time.

COVID-19 Update Posted June 7, 2021

As of an email from Lonnie Johnson on Friday, here are the most updated guidelines:

• There are no longer any group size restrictions.
• The programming checklist is no longer required, but encouraged to ensure safety.
• Those full vaccinated are not required to wear a mask.
• Those who are not vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask.

In 4-H and Children’s Education programs (any programs with youth):

• Indoor— everyone must wear a mask
• Outdoor— Those who are full vaccinated do not have to wear a mask, but should stay 6 feet from others.  Those not vaccinated should wear a mask. 

COVID-19 Update Posted May 24, 2021

Overall VCE guidelines

Capacity limits: 50% of occupancy limits or 1000 people, whichever is less; with 6 feet of physical distancing

Masks and Face Coverings

Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask or face covering in most settings (indoor or outdoor) according to the most recent CDC guidance. A “fully vaccinated individual” means an individual has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 

An exception is indoor congregate settings; however, the interpretation of “congregate settings” does not include normal EMG or NNMG meetings and indoor in-person programming lasting 4 hours or less.  If indoor programming is expected to last more than 4 hours, please contact the Heathsville VCE office for guidance.

Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks in all settings.

Children’s Education programs.  VCE continues to require EMGs to wear masks during children’s programming (this is also a 4-H requirement).  This requirement is in place because children under 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine and children between 12 and 17 have recently become eligible to receive the vaccine. 

COVID-19 Update Posted May 14, 2021

Face covering requirements remain in effect

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated individuals would no longer need to wear face coverings or masks indoors. Virginia Tech officials are evaluating the impact these changes will have on current polices and protocols. Face coverings requirements remain in effect as we wait for further state guidance from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia Department of Health. Virginia Tech students, faculty, volunteers, and staff are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wear masks indoors, and follow all other public health guidelines that remain in effect. This is particularly important because there are still many people in the New River Valley region and throughout Virginia who have not yet been vaccinated. Thank you for your continued support and efforts to reach a safe and successful end to the spring semester.

COVID-19 Update Posted May 12, 2021

Face coverings/masks are required for both indoor and outdoor programs and during transportation (unless the transport vehicle occupants are from the same family). 

All in-person program participants, youth and adult, are required to wear an appropriate face covering/mask outdoors.  For the Extension Master Gardener program, examples would be EMGs staffing plant clinic or information booths at farmers markets, conducting SEP site evaluations, and while working in teaching and demonstration gardens.  (The only applicable VCE exception to the requirement is when a medical condition prevents the participant from wearing a face covering/mask.)

The CDC’s guidance for “no masks outdoors” is currently for fully vaccinated individuals and only in situations where social distancing can be maintained and no at-risk individuals are present.  This is very difficult for an organization such as VCE to assess and ensure compliance.  Please remember to wear an appropriate mask or face covering while participating in both indoor and outdoor EMG activities.

COVID-19 Update Posted April 28, 2021

Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands issued a statement regarding the new guidance from the CDC regarding wearing masks while outdoors. Dr. Sands stated that in accordance with guidance from the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Tech is relaxing the face-covering requirement outdoors unless you cannot distance yourself 6 feet from others. Face coverings are still required indoors and outdoors in situations where 6′ physical distancing is not possible and/or when 6′ distancing is not observed.

Participating in Events not Sponsored or Controlled by VCE or EMGs
We have received clarification about participating in events not sponsored by VCE and where VCE cannot control how the event is conducted as far as COVID-19 protocols are concerned. For Extension Master Gardeners, this would be events such as plant clinics at farmers markets, information booths at local community events, appearing as a speaker for another organization’s meeting or event, etc.

Participating in events where VCE does not have the ability to control the environment and/or ensure that proper COVID guidelines are being followed is allowed under the following guidance.

• Check with event organizers to ensure that the organizers are following state and local COVID regulations and determine if participation can be done safely.
• When participating in events not organized by VCE, employees and volunteers should adhere to recommended and mandated public health guidelines when interacting with co-workers and clientele. Examples include: physical distancing such as 6’ personal spacing; hand washing; physical barriers where feasible; and use of PPE.
• Employees and volunteers must use their best judgement with COVID-19 protocols if the organizers have not planned well. This may include not participating.

Extension Master Gardeners should not participate in any event if the organizers do not plan to follow current state or local COVID regulations or guidance.

VCE/EMG Controlled Programming
Face-to-face programming is allowed in Phase III in accordance with the following in-person programming guidance.
In-person programming is only allowed if certain requirements can be met and the event/program is conducted in accordance with current State and local guidelines in Phase III of the Forward Virginia plan. In addition, in-person programming is limited to:

• Indoor programming: Group size maximum is 30% occupancy of the event space with a maximum of 500 participants (including staff) where physical distancing of six feet apart is maintained. Some regions may have restrictions that further limit participant numbers.
• Outdoor programming: Group size maximum is 30% occupancy of the event space with a maximum of 500participants/structure or assigned area (including staff) where physical distancing of six feet apart is maintained.

All in-person program participants, youth and adult, are required to wear an appropriate face covering/mask. Face coverings/masks are required for both indoor and outdoor programs. When a medical condition prevents the participant from wearing a face covering/mask. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact your local extension office to discuss accommodations at least 5 days prior to the event.
Specific event guidance/checklist can be found on the VCE COVID site.
The event checklist must be completed, signed, and maintained in the local files.