ROANOKE, Va. – As Virginia reopens, the state health commissioner is warning us that COVID-19 isn’t taking the summer off.
10 News spoke with Dr. Norman Oliver Wednesday morning, who said the risk of the virus is not decreasing.
Now more than ever, Oliver said people need to be cautious.
“The only way to really protect ourselves from the virus is to cut down the spread of it and you do that by wearing your mask, washing your hands and staying socially distant so even though things are opening up, please, please, please do those things,” Oliver said.
Oliver said for Virginia to fully open, we first need a vaccine. There's hope we might have one by early next year.
When a vaccine becomes available, Oliver said the health department will launch a massive campaign to immunize millions of Virginians.