Department of Labor and Industry Announces 30 Day Comment Period on the Proposed Revocation of the Virginia Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19, 16VAC25-220

                  As Adopted by the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board on February 16, 2022

    On February 16, 2022, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board adopted a proposed finding that there is no longer a continued need for the Virginia Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus that Causes COVID-19, 16VAC25-220, based on emerging scientific and medical evidence that the current widespread variants of the virus no longer constitute a grave danger to employees in the workplace under Va. Code §40.1-22(6a), and as discussed in the U. S. Supreme Court’s decision in National Federation of Independent Businesses, et al., Applicants v. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, et al.

    On February 16, 2022, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board adopted a proposed revocation of the Virginia Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19, 16VAC25-220, and further directed that such proposal be the subject of a thirty day written comment period and public hearing prior to any final vote to revoke the standard.

The Department would like to invite the public to register its comments on the proposed revocation of the Virginia Standard as adopted by the Board by using the comment forum here. The forum will be open for thirty (30) days, from February 17, 2022 to March 19, 2022.