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Coronavirus (COVID-19)
To read Governor Northam's SIXTH AMENDED NUMBER SIXTY-SEVEN (2020) AND ORDER OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY SEVEN PHASE THREE TIGHTENING OF CERTAIN TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS DUE TO NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) issued on November 13, 2020, click here. FOR OTHER FORWARD VIRGINIA GUIDELINES, click here.
For Virginia Department of Health's "Vaccinate Virginia" program, click here.
For information from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) concerning the COVID-19 vaccine, click here.
For more local information about COVID19 vaccinations, click here to access our "Vaccinate Roanoke" page.
Carilion Clinic Chair of Medicine Dr. Paul Skolnik sat down to answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. This guidance is constantly evolving, so for the most up to date information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website by clicking here.
Planned City of Roanoke Reopening Dates
- To see the City of Roanoke’s Full Reopening Plan, click here.
- To read about reopening of City of Roanoke facilities, click here.
Use your phone to fight COVID-19!
After you download COVIDWISE on your iPhone or Android, follow the app instructions to turn on your Exposure Notifications. This allows you to be notified if you’ve likely been exposed.
Virginia Forward Phase 3 will begin on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. For more information, click here.
- For a link to all COVID-19 Executive Orders Issued by the Governor, click here.
- Forward Virginia Guidelines
- COVID19 Actions and Information from the Commonwealth
- Letter from Roanoke City Council to Del. Chris Head: State & Federal Support Needed to Advance Testing & Contact Tracing COVID19
- For frequently asked questions concerning this order in Spanish, click here.
- United Way of the Roanoke Valley Community Response Fund
- Food Resource Map from VA Cooperative Extension
Since the arrival of Coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States, the City of Roanoke has been monitoring the situation and working closely with our partners at the Virginia Department of Health(VDH). Information can be found by clicking here or visiting: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus (this information is updated daily)
VDH has a local COVID-19 hotline serving the City of Roanoke, Alleghany and Central Shenandoah Health District. Call 1-855-949-8378 for information. They also invite those without a PCP to contact their local health district. The Roanoke City Health District is (540) 283-5050.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is also updating information as it becomes available. For more information, click here or visit: https://www.cdc.gov/
Virginia also has a resource located at: https://www.virginia.gov/coronavirus-updates/
For information on the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID19, click here.
Scams - Unfortunately the "bad guys" never take a break even during the current situation surrounding the virus COVID-19. There are several new "scams" circulating the internet and these are not just limited to email, there are phone scams happening as well. So please make sure to take even more precautions when opening emails, answering phone calls, or even clicking on links that say they will provide information regarding the COVID-19 situation. Please make sure to only visit trusted websites/links and never share your personal information.
City Response to Coronavirus (updated July 2, 2020)
Out of an abundance of caution for public health, the City of Roanoke is urging residents and visitors to educate themselves regarding Coronavirus COVID-19 and to practice social distancing. The City of Roanoke is working closely with our neighboring jurisdictions, the CDC, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, local partners and local health officials to compile the most accurate and up-to-date information. A website has been established at www.roanokeva.gov/coronavirus. There you can find links to the most up-to-date information regarding the virus. There are also web pages available for employees, businesses and a page for community resources.
On Monday, July 6, 2020, the City of Roanoke will begin the next phase of the limited reopening of municipal facilities to the public. in accordance with its re-opening plan, as follows: The Municipal Building will be open to the general public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Citizens who need to visit offices in person—other than the Treasurer’s Office and Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office—are strongly encouraged to contact the office in advance and make an appointment, to minimize delays and frustrations. When citizens come inside the building, they will be required to wear a face covering; one will be provided if needed. Hand sanitizer will also be available. For more information, click here or scroll down for departmental information.
For the full reopening plan, click here.
- Department of Human & Social Services
- Treasurer & Commissioner of the Revenue
- Public Safety
- Solid Waste
- Libraries
- Parks & Rec
- Planning, Building & Development
- Berglund Center
- RCACP
The Department of Social Services Office at 1510 Williamson Road NE will reopen July 6 on a limited basis for the general public 8:30 am to 4 pm. We are still able to provide most of our services via phone, e-mail, on the web or with a drop box and you are encouraged to use these if you are able. Once you arrive at our 3rd floor entrance, you will notice some changes designed to keep you and our employees safe.
- When entering, you must wear a face covering. If you need a mask, one will be provided for you.
- Our staff will be wearing face covering or will be serving behind a barrier.
- Hand sanitizing stations are available at the entrance to our lobby. Floor markings and signs are posted to provide reminders for physical distancing.
- Customers who are able to conduct business with the department by phone or online should continue to do so in order to protect the public and our staff. There can be no more than 10 people in the lobby area waiting to be queued for service. Customers who are able to conduct business with the department by phone or online will be provided written instructions and will not be permitted into the lobby.
- Tables will be positioned at our entrance to establish a checkpoint to determine if customers who enter have an appointment with a worker or if a customer is only able to be served in person.
- Verifications, forms, and requests for follow up telephone contact should be submitted by mail, electronic communication, or left in the department drop box located just off the elevator on the 3rd floor at 1510 Williamson Road NE between 8 am and 5 pm.
- You may apply for benefits online at https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/, by phone at 1-855-635-4370, or for Medical Assistance only at 1-855-242-8282 (TDD: 1-888-221-1590).
- For replacement EBT card, you may call 1-866-281-2448 to have the card mailed to you by the EBT vendor. To have the card mailed to you from the department’s issuance office, please contact your worker.
- Citizens may reach staff by contacting their worker via e-mail or by phone. If you do not know your worker’s name, you may call the agency switchboard at 853-2591.
- Child Protective Service and Adult Protective Services referrals can be made by calling our hotline at 853-2245.
La oficina del departamento de servicios sociales que está situado en 1510 en la calle Williamson abrirá al público en una base limitada el 6 de julio, a las 8 y media de la mañana hasta el 4 de la tarde. Todavía podemos proveer la mayoría de nuestros servicios por teléfono, correo electrónico, el internet, o con un buzón en el vestíbulo de la oficina de servicios sociales. Debe usar estas maneras si puede. Cuando llega a la entrada en el tercer piso, va a ver unos cambios para asegurar la seguridad de usted y nuestros empleados.
- Cuando entra en la oficina, debe llevar una cubierta de cara. Si necesita una máscara, una le será dado.
- Nuestros empleados llevarán unas cubiertas de cara o estarán situados detrás de una obstrucción.
- Estaciones de gel antiséptico están disponibles en nuestro vestíbulo. Unas marcas en el piso y sígnales proveen avisos para el distanciamiento físico.
- Los clientes que pueden conducir los negocios con el departamento por teléfono o en el internet, deben hacerlo para proteger la pública y nuestros empleados. No más que 10 personas pueden estar en el vestíbulo para esperar servicio. Los clientes que pueden conducir los negocios con el departamento por teléfono o el internet recibirán instrucciones escritas y no se les permitidos en el vestíbulo.
- Hay mesas en la entrada para crear un puesto de control para determinar si los clientes que entran tienen una cita con un trabajador o si los clientes solo pueden recibir servicio en persona.
- Las verificaciones, formas, y solicitudes para contacto por teléfono deben ser mandadas por correo, correo electrónico, o quedadas en el buzón del departamento, situado en 1510 de la calle Williamson, en el tercer piso, entre las horas de 8 de la mañana y 5 de la tarde.
- Puede aplicar por los beneficios por el internet en el sitio commonhelp.virginia.gov, o por teléfono en el número 1-855-635-4370, o solo por la asistencia medical en el número 1-855-242-8282 (TDD: 1-888-221-1590).
- Para una tarjeta repuesta de EBT, puede llamar el número 1-866-281-2448 para recibir la tarjeta por correo del comerciante de EBT. Para recibir la tarjeta por correo del departamento, por favor llame su trabajador.
- Los ciudadanos pueden contactar los empleados del departamento por teléfono o correo electrónico. Si no sabe el nombre de tu trabajador, puede llamar la centralita de la agencia en el número 853-2591.
- Para hacer las referencias de los servicios de la protección infantil y los servicios de la protección adulta, llame la línea directa en el número 853-2245.
Treasurer & Commissioner of the Revenue
June 8th - Reopening of Municipal Building for transactions with the Treasurer’s Office & the Commissioner of the Revenue. Public Hours will be 8:30am-4pm. To see a video outlining what the building will look like, click here.
*When you enter the building from Church Ave., you must wear a face covering. We will have masks available IF NEEDED (if you have one, please bring your own). When you enter the building you will be reminded to also sanitize your hands and maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet. All other areas of the building will remain closed to the public.
We still urge you to do any transactions that you can online or submit payment by check to our dropbox located on Church Ave. For more information, call 540-853-2561 or visit: https://www.roanokeva.gov/1260/Treasurers-Office
On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, DMV Select services will resume at the City of Roanoke Municipal Building located at 215 Church Ave., SW. Here’s some information that you need to know before you come to the building.
- The hours that DMV Select Services will be available to residents is 8:30am-3:30pm. We are anticipating a large amount of people that will take advantage of this service, so expect delays.
- Due to social distancing guidelines, we can only have 10 people in line at one time inside of our building. Any number over this will be staged outside of the building.
- When you come inside of the building you will be required to wear a face covering. One will be provided for you if you need one. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
- For a list of services provided by DMV Select, visit: https://www.roanokeva.gov/2230/DMV-Select *DMV Selects do not issue Driver’s Licenses, Learners Permits or Identification Cards
- Many DMV services can be accessed online by visiting: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/#/
Thank you for your patience during this time.
Learn more about DMV’s response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) at www.dmvNOW.com/COVID19.
COMMISSIONER OF THE REVENUE - IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
1. Real Estate Tax Relief Program for the Elderly & Disabled - you can complete applications by phone at 540-853-2523.
2. Personal Property Tax - you are encouraged to call 853-2521 or visit: https://www.roanokeva.gov/630/Commissioner-of-the-Revenue & use email link to request changes, add vehicles etc.
*If you have mobility issues you can enter the building on the 2nd St., SW side of the building and take the elevator to the 2nd Floor.
EFFECTIVE JULY 6, 2020
The Roanoke Police Department Lobby will open on July 6, 2020. We ask that our community members still use the teleservice line as much as possible, but the option for you to file a report in person is now available. Please continue to use 911 to report emergencies.
The Roanoke Police Department Property Room will also be open, but we ask that you call (540)853-2484 to speak with property room personnel before you stop by the building. This will ensure an easy, faster process for you to retrieve your personal items. Also, we ask that you wear a face mask if you have one -- if you do not have one, there will be some available in the lobby as you enter. Thank you for helping us keep our staff and other community members safe and healthy.
Roanoke Fire-EMS tours/events/child passenger safety seat checks/public visitors postponed are still on hold. Fire-EMS Administration is closed to the public. To obtain fire and medical reports, please call (540)853-2327.They have also changed response protocols. Click here for the video.
Due to the health concerns involving COVID-19, the lobby of the Roanoke Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Civil Process Division will be closed to the public to protect the health of our employees and the citizens.
If you have questions regarding a civil paper, please call (540) 853-2721
If you need Sheriff Allen or the admin team, please call (540) 853-5347
Thank you for your patience and understanding—we apologize for the inconvenience.
Normal Solid Waste Collection at your residence or business will still take place.
Roanoke City Public Libraries are still closed to the public. Here are some details on what you can expect:
- Prepare for reinstatement of curbside Feed & Read program which will start June 16th.
- Curbside book pickup will start July 6th. (The library buildings will still be closed to the public).
Community pools will remain closed for the FY20-21 season.
- Shelter reservation program will reopen June 15th.
- Greenway & park restrooms will reopen June 15th.
- Summer youth program promotion to begin June 15th.
- Summer youth program staff recruitment to begin June 8th.
- Summer youth program activities to begin July 6th in the following locations - each will be limited to 8 youth:
- Preston
- Eureka #1 & Eureka #2
- Discovery Center
- Garden City #1 & Garden City #2
- Mountain View
- Grandin Court
- For programs that traditionally involve transportation look to meet youth at identified location as alternative.
- Specialty camps begin July 6th and limited to 8 participants.
- Large venues, gatherings will remain closed.
- For more information, visit Play Roanoke’s web page by clicking here.
Check out Play Roanoke’s Happiness Project for some great ideas! Click here for all of the info.
- Adoptions and owner surrenders will be conducted by appointment ONLY! Please do not come into the building unless you have made prior arrangements by calling (540)344-4922.
- No one from the public will be admitted to the front lobby or the interior of the building. Visitors to the building will stay in the vestibule to receive assistance from staff. If someone is in the vestibule, other visitors are asked to return to the parking lot to wait until the person has left the vestibule. An intercom is in the vestibule to reach staff quickly.
- Since this is a rapidly changing event, sometimes our circumstances change very quickly. If you are considering surrendering your pet due to lack of food or needed vet care that you cannot afford, please call us at 540-344-4922 so that we can help connect you with resources that can help keep your pet in your home. One of our rescue partners, Angels of Assisi has generously offered to help provide discounted vet care when we report there is a need. We want your animals to stay in their loving homes.
- We will provide pet food to those in need in our community for as long as we have food to distribute. We may need to ration how much pet food each family receives. If residents would like to donate to the pet pantry, donations can be left at the front doors and we will move the food into the building.
- Finally, we are anticipating at some point we may need emergency fosters should we have to clear the shelter quickly. If you can open your home to a dog or cat in need, please contact Meghann Cords at mcords@rcacp.org.
Governments Declare Local Emergencies.
State Courts in Roanoke, Roanoke Co. & Salem remain open but will reduce operations & restrict access to courthouses pending further order.
COVID-19 Law Enforcement Reference
A Message from PARK Roanoke
Calm the Fear
Other Resources:
Preventing the Spread In A Variety of Settings in Your Community
https://carilionclinic.org/coronavirus
Lewis Gale Regional Health System
Virginia Western Community College
https://www.vaemergency.gov/coronavirus
Free Communication Resources from the CDC
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Takeout Maps
How to Talk to Your Children About Coronavirus
Flattening the Curve: Social Distancing
United Way COVID19 Community Response Fund
Welcoming America has provided us with COVID-19 Fact Sheets in various languages:
#welcomingroanoke
COVID19 Fact Sheets in Different Languages
- Corona Virus Videos in Multiple Languages.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_AMHARIC.pdf
- 2019 covid Hmong.pdf
- 2019 covid info Bengali sheet.pdf
- 2019 covid info Hindi fact sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov Greek info sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov Italian poster.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet Korean.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_BURMESE.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_Japanese.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_KAREN.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_NEPALI.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_Punjabi info sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_TIGRINYA.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet_VIETNAMESE.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet-chinese.pdf
- 2019-ncov-factsheet-spanish1.pdf
- 2019-ncov-FAQ-Cambodian.pdf
- 2019-ncov-French info sheet.pdf
- French stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020 (1).pdf
- KAREN_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_KAREN.pdf
- Karen_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs_KAREN.pdf
- Pashto stop-the-spread-of-germs 3.11.2020.pdf
- portuguese stop-the-spread-of-germs 3.11.2020 (1).pdf
- portuguese stop-the-spread-of-germs 3.11.2020 .pdf
- Ukrainian - Stop-the-spread-of-germs 3.11.2020 .pdf
- Urdu stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020.pdf
- Vietnamese_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_VIETNAMESE.pdf
- Vietnamese_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs_VIETNAMESE.pdf
- Amharic_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_AMHARIC.pdf
- Arabic stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020.pdf
- Amharic_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs_AMHARIC.pdf
- Burmese_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_BURMESE.pdf
- Chinese_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet-Chinese.pdf
- Farsi stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020 (1).pdf
- Farsi stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020 .pdf
- 2019-ncov-Haitian Creole info sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov-poster_Hebrew.pdf
- 2019-ncov-Hindi info sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov-Khmer info sheet.pdf
- Kinyarwanda stop-the-spread-of-germs 3.11.2020 .pdf
- Korean CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet Korean.pdf
- Korean_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs Korean (1).pdf
- Nepali_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_NEPALI.pdf
- Nepali_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs Nepali re.pdf
- 2019-ncov-poster_Polish.pdf
- 2019-ncov-Russian info sheet.pdf
- Swahili stop-the-spread-of-germs poster 3.11.2020.pdf
- 2019-ncov-Tagalog info sheet.pdf
- 2019-ncov-Thai info sheet.pdf
- Tigrinya_CDC_TCHD_sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet_TIGRINYA.pdf
- Tigrinya_CDC_TCHD_stop-the-spread-of-germs_TIGRINYA.pdf
During Social Isolation, you might wonder what can I still do? Do I have to stay inside of my home 24/7? Maybe not.... Medical experts say fresh air and exercise are important for your physical and mental health, but use caution! Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you determine what is safe for your family to do during this time. For the entire story from USA Today, click here
Can I go to a park?
YES! It’s important to get outside but remember to go to parks that offer enough space for social distancing. You can bike, hike, fish or jog but avoid doing these activities with groups. Contact activities such as frisbee, football or other sports should only be played with immediate family members. You can also virtually visit some of our National Parks by clicking here.
What about playgrounds?
It’s not recommended to use playgrounds during social distancing. Coronavirus can live on playground equipment.
Are beaches safe?
It’s not so much the water that’s unsafe but the crowds that are usually at the beach. It’s not likely that coronavirus is spread through ocean water, but only go to beaches with smaller crowd keeping a safe distance from others.
A neighborhood walk?
YES! Take your children or dogs for a walk around the block is safe in more suburban areas. Just keep a safe distance from others.
Some other great ideas......
- Relax!
- Continue education....many schools have sent out packets of info for the kiddos and are also using online meeting tools like Zoom, Loom or GotoMeeting.
- Watch videos to learn or practice a new skill - perfect time to learn a new language or master knitting!
- Learn a musical instrument.
- Read a book!
- Look for great virtual things to do online like tours of museums, parks, storytimes and others. Use google or YouTube for lots of great information.
- Learn and/or practice meditation.
- Cook something new.
- Exercise!
- Work on spring cleaning.
- Play video, card or board games with your family.
- Paint or do a craft.
- Garden
- Use social media to communicate with friends and loved ones - but be careful and not use social media too much!
- Make a scavenger hunt for your kids.
- You know that scrapbook you’ve been working on? Complete that with help from your family.
- Draw with sidewalk chalk outside - get creative!
- Write a letter and mail to a friend or older adult that might be isolated at home or at a senior center.
- Call or video chat a friend that you haven’t talked to in a while.
- Learn a new dance routine.
- Binge watch that show you’ve been wanting to check out!
- Buy gift cards to small businesses to use at a later date.
- Support small businesses and listen to some great music with "Rock to the Rescue" sponsored by Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges! More info will be shared, but make sure to visit the Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges Facebook Page by clicking here. Check out the news article here.
- Go to the opera- Virtually! Click here for info from the Met!
- Visit an Historic Site virtually! Click here for a link.
- Virtual Tour 12 museums by clicking here.
- Also, check out Play Roanoke’s Happiness Project for some great ideas! Click here for all of the info.
- Roanoke Libraries are offering story times and other great ideas on their YouTube Channel. Click here for info.
- Tips to Remain "Sane & Safe" During Social Distancing
- If you have children, grandchildren, or other family members/friends with Roanoke City Public Schools, you can click here for the latest news on how they are operating during the coronavirus pandemic. Make sure to follow them on social media as well for some heartwarming stories of how the school system is serving our community.
REMINDER: Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patients have experienced mild to severe respiratory illness. Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath (symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.) If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms or are having an emergency, please call 9-1-1 and answer all questions as prompted.
TIPS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw tissue in the trash.
- There have been a few cases of COVID-19 showing up in cats. For ACCURATE information, visit the CDC's website by clicking here.
The City will provide updates as they become available via social media and online at www.roanokeva.gov/coronavirus. For specific questions, email: communityengagement@roanokeva.gov