Gov. Northam takes questions on COVID-19 issues including about when he thinks masks can come off – WAVY.com

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) On Friday, 10 On Your Side met with Gov. Ralph Northam while he was at Fort Monroe in Hampton.

10 On Your Sides Andy Fox asked Northam some of the pressing questions, including why it took so long to launch a statewide vaccination registration system, and why some health districts still dont have directors during a pandemic.

And finally, the question that many Americans are also wondering: When can the masks come off?

There are 10 healthdistricts in Virginiawhere the director isforcedto dodouble duty and manage multiple departments.That includes Dr.Demetria Lindsay,who isdistrict health director for Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

There are nine other directors just like Lindsay. Hampton and Newport News share a district health director, as do Portsmouth and the Western Tidewater Health District, which covers 1,500 square miles.

This pandemicis the likes we have never seen in decades,so we have been stretched thin, the governor said when 10 On Your Side inquired about the shortage of directors.

Some critics argue everything appears thin,from vaccinations to leadership at the top of some health districts.

We asked thegovernor why,during the worst global health crisis of our lifetime, do we have so many health districts without their own director? Does it look like we are not prepared?

Well,wevemade a lot ofmodifications. Wearein a very good place now compared to a year ago. We still have alot of work to do, Northam acknowledged.

And why donthealth districts,especially larger urbanones, havetheir own leadership?

The governor did not give a why when asked by 10 On Your Side.

10 On Your Side also pressed Northamabout therocky start to the statewide pre-registration vaccination website that crashed the morning it was launched. People in droves complained to WAVY.com.

As the site crashed, those residents also couldnt get their answers because Virginialaunched a help hotlinethe day after they launched the pre-registrationsite.

What about those issues?

We have had over300,000who havesuccessfully enrolled,and wehave transferred information from those who haveenrolledpreviouslythroughthehealthdepartmentinto the new system, Northam said.

So, is therelight at the end of the long, dark COVID-19 tunnel?

We havebeen at this a year. Numbersshowwe are moving in the right direction.Our positivity rates are going down, our number of vaccinations are going up, he said.

What about thisquestion: When does he think the masks can comeoff?

Hopefully, byearlyor mid-summer, we willhave folksvaccinatedand getto the herd immunity that we need to put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, he said.

But when will we be able to not wear masks anymore?

As theGovernor walkedaway to the next meeting, he declined to say.

Ill call you and let you know, Andy.In themeantime,keep it on.he told Andy Fox.

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Gov. Northam takes questions on COVID-19 issues including about when he thinks masks can come off - WAVY.com