Constituent Newsletter - May 10th, 2021

Dear Jack,

I hope you and your family are doing well during these tough times. We'll be sending out weekly Bulletins to update you on all the information you need in the 13th District. Please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have regarding legislation or state policy. If you are having trouble with a state agency, such as the VEC or the DMV, we are happy to assist you and be your advocate. You can call our office at 571-367-9080, or email us at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Senator John J. Bell
Senator of Virginia
13th District

COVID Restriction Updates

Last week, Governor Northam announced that in light of falling COVID case rates and rising vaccination rates, we are now looking towards lifting current capacity and social distancing restrictions in Virginia on June 15th. The mask mandate would not be included in this, and would be addressed separately. This is contingent on case rates remaining low -- if we start to see cases rise, the plan will need to be re-evaluated.

This announcement means that we are getting closer and closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. Please, continue to get vaccinated as soon as you can, and continue to wear masks indoors or where social distancing is not possible.

Early Voting Reminder

Early voting for the June 8th primaries is underway! The last day to register to vote in the June primaries or update your information is May 17th -- one week from today. The offices that will be on the June 8th ballot are:

Democratic primaries for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General
Democratic and some Republican primaries for House of Delegates seats
Democratic and Republican primaries for some local seats

The Republican Party will be choosing its statewide candidates (Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General) via a convention on May 8th. These offices will not be on the June 8th primary ballot.

For Loudoun County, the only early voting location that is currently open is the Loudoun Office of Elections, 750 Miller Drive SE Leesburg, VA 20175. Additional early voting locations will open in May. Additional information can be found at the Loudoun County Office of Elections website.

In Prince William County, three early voting locations are currently open. You can find locations and hours at the Prince William County Office of Elections website.

You can request your absentee ballot at the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Vaccine News

Today, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was granted emergency use authorization by the FDA for use in 12-15 year olds. Studies have shown that the vaccine was safe and highly effective among children in this age range. At this time, we are hoping that vaccinations for 12-15 year olds will begin by the end of the week. Once counties are authorized to extend vaccinations to this age group, you will be able to make appointments for your children through the Loudoun and Prince William County systems.

Both Loudoun and Prince William County are making vaccine appointments through the county health department with no waitlist. You can schedule a vaccine appointment at Dulles Town Center in Loudoun County, or for multiple locations in Prince William County. Additionally, some locations in Prince William County are accepting walk-ins -- you can visit here for more information.

The federal government has also launched a new website -- Vaccines.gov. This website makes it easy to find vaccine appointments at pharmacies and clinics near you. For Spanish speakers, you can visit Vacunas.gov.