The COVID-19 pandemic was reported to have reached the U.S. state of Delaware on March 11, 2020, in New Castle County. The following day, March 12, Governor John Carney declared a State of Emergency for the State of Delaware due to a Public Health Threat. As of February 8, 2021, the Delaware Division of Public Health reported 80,594 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 1,208 deaths. As of May 25, 2021, Delaware has administered 904,722 COVID-19 vaccine doses, equivalent to 52.9% of the population. 41.3% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Timeline
March 2020
March 4
On March 4, in preparation for the spread of COVID-19 in Delaware, the Delaware Division of Public Health opened a coronavirus call center at its State Health Operation Center in Smyrna to assist with questions that businesses, schools, and people may have about the disease.
March 11–13
On March 11, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Delaware. The positive case involved a man over the age of 50 in New Castle County who was associated with the University of Delaware.
On March 12, Delaware Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency. This allowed for the Delaware National Guard to take precautionary actions and prepare for further response to the disease, for the state to conduct public meetings electronically, and prevented the price gouging of goods. Governor Carney also recommended that all non-essential public gatherings of more than 100 people be cancelled, following CDC guidelines. Three more positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed on March 12. The patients were two graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware. Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen advised all students to not return to campus until at least April 5. He also announced that all classes from March 18 until April 5 would take place online.
On March 13, the Downtown Dover Partnership announced the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day parade due to coronavirus concerns. Late on March 13, Governor Carney closed all Delaware Public Schools from March 16 to 27. In addition, the University of Delaware announced that all classes after spring break would be moved to an all-online format for the remainder of the semester. All University of Delaware residence halls were to be closed by March 22 at 10:00 pm.
March 14–16
On March 14, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced two more positive cases of coronavirus in the state. The two new patients were both self-quarantining in New Castle County: a woman older than 50 and a man older than 60. This increased the number of total confirmed positive cases in Delaware to 6.
Delaware announced their seventh confirmed case in the state on March 15; the case was associated with the University of Delaware.
The Delaware Division of Public Health announced on March 16 that a woman over 50 in New Castle County was confirmed to have coronavirus. The total number of positive cases increased to eight in Delaware with the addition of this case.
March 17–19
It was announced on March 17 that eight additional positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the state, including the first in Sussex County. Of the patients, four were men and four were women, though their ages were not revealed. This increased the total number of positive cases to 16 in Delaware.
On March 18, the DDHS announced ten more positive cases in the state of Delaware, including the first three in Kent County. All three of Delaware's counties had at least one coronavirus case by March 18. The addition of these cases increased the cumulative number of positive cases to 26 for the state.
Dover Air Force Base declared a public health emergency on March 18, allowing for tighter restrictions on the movement of people on the base, including personnel restrictions and access restrictions to the base's installation. In addition, the emergency allowed isolation and quarantine procedures for the base to go into effect.
On March 19, the number of cases was confirmed to have increased to thirty: 23 in New Castle, three in Sussex, and four in Kent Counties.
March 20–22
On March 20, the state reported 27 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Castle County, five in Kent County and seven in Sussex County, which brought the total to 39, with two people being in critical condition.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) had reported 30 COVID-19 cases in the state just the day before. DPH recommended testing for people with a fever and either a cough or shortness of breath.
September 2020
In its weekly update of health statistics related to corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services announced that the state surpassed 20,000 positive cases on September 25, 2020.
Government agency closures
Schools
On April 24, Governor John Carney made the decision to close all Delaware schools for the remainder of the 2019–2020 academic school year. "Nothing replaces in-person instruction and the services that are delivered in our schools every day, but the health and safety of Delawareans is our first priority," he said.
In preparation for the 2020–2021 school year, Governor Carney signed on August 26 the Twenty-fifth Modification of the Declaration of a State of Emergency for the State of Delaware Due to a Public Health Threat. This Declaration ordered all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to follow instructions from the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE). The order also addressed school notification for COVID-19 positive cases, face coverings for students K-12, in-person education, child care, and other guidelines.
Libraries
On March 17, the Delaware Division of Libraries announced that all Delaware Public Libraries were to be closed until further notice, and were to be evaluated before reopening with adherence to guidelines from public health officials.
Electronic checkout of materials from the Delaware Public Libraries continued without interruption via a digital media services app known as hoopla. By the end of March, outdoor WIFI hotspots were available in the parking lots of New Castle County libraries, parks, and selected government buildings. In June, all three county libraries began offering curb-side pickup to allow patrons to check out books and other library materials without coming into library buildings.
Government response
March 2020
Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency on March 12, allowing for the Delaware National Guard to prepare for the spread of COVID-19. He closed all public schools in the state on March 13.
The City of Dover cancelled all permits for event gatherings of more than 100 people on March 13, citing the governor's recommendation.
On March 16, all public libraries within Delaware closed until further notice. Restaurants were ordered to stop dine-in services at 8:00 pm, moving to take-out and delivery-only services.
On March 17, cash tolls were suspended at the mainline toll plazas along Interstate 95 and Delaware Route 1, with all tolls collected electronically through the high-speed E-ZPass lanes. Motorists without E-ZPass were billed by mail.
On March 23, Governor Carney issued the stay-at-home order to stop the spread of COVID-19. All non-essential businesses were ordered to close. Governor Carney issued the order Sunday night, set to go in effect Tuesday morning at 8:00 am, stating "All non-essential businesses are closed. All Delawareans are instructed to stay in their homes, except when they are going to and from their place of business if it's permitted to stay open." This shelter-in-place order will remain in effect until May 15. Additionally, Delaware schools were to remain closed through May 15 to fight the spread of COVID-19.
On March 29, Governor Carney ordered all travelers from outside the state to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Delaware. Exemptions from the self-quarantine requirement included people only traveling through Delaware, people traveling to an essential job, and people traveling to care for family members.
April 2020
On April 17, Governor Carney announced that schools in the state would remain closed until May 18, with updates coming if necessary. He also mentioned that there was not yet enough information to make a decision regarding the remainder of the year.
On April 24, Governor Carney announced that schools in the state would remain closed for the remainder of the school year. Schools would continue to use remote learning.
On April 25, Governor Carney announced that Delaware residents were required to wear face coverings in public, including when shopping, visiting a medical office or using public transportation.
May 2020
On May 5, Governor Carney announced that the state would start testing all residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
On May 7, the presidential primary election, which had been postponed from April 28 to June 2, was further postponed to July 7 by Governor Carney. He also announced that absentee ballot applications would be mailed to all voters.
On May 8, Governor Carney allowed retail stores to open for curbside pickup. He also allowed barbershops and salons to reopen with restrictions.
On May 21, collection of cash tolls resumed at the mainline toll plazas along Interstate 95 and Delaware Route 1.
On May 22, Governor Carney allowed Delaware Beaches and community pools to reopen ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Social distancing was enforced while masks were required on the boardwalk.
June 2020
On June 1, Delaware entered Phase 1 of its reopening plan. In this reopening phase, many businesses were allowed to reopen at 30 percent capacity, including restaurants, retail stores, shopping malls, museums, barbershops, salons, gyms, and casinos. In addition, outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people were allowed. With the move to Phase 1, the ban on short-term property rentals along with the 14-day self-quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers were lifted.
On June 8, tattoo shops, massage parlors, and nail salons were allowed to reopen at 30 percent capacity.
On June 15, Delaware entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan. In this reopening phase, businesses open in Phase 1 were allowed to increase their capacity to 60 percent. In addition, childcare services were allowed to open to everyone after having previously been restricted to children of essential workers.
On June 25, Governor Carney delayed entering Phase 3 of its reopening plan, explaining that "too many Delawareans and visitors are not following basic public health precautions."
On June 30, Governor Carney ordered bars at Delaware Beaches to close indefinitely, beginning on July 3, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. During the month of June, cases spiked in Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach. Bars were prohibited from allowing customers to sit or stand at the bar, however, bars remained open to prepare drinks to be served to customers sitting at tables.
July 2020
On July 24, Governor Carney allowed driver education services to resume and also allowed for senior centers to reopen at 30 percent capacity.
August 2020
On August 4, Governor Carney announced that schools in Delaware could reopen for the upcoming school year in a hybrid model that would use a mix of in-person and online instruction and that schools would be required to follow health and safety precautions.
September 2020
On September 1, hospitalization rates were the highest they had been since July. The state's rolling average was recorded at 5.2 percent for the seven-day period, higher than the mark of 5.0 percent or below recommended by the World Health Organization. In his weekly press briefing Governor Carney said, "We want to be below percent [and] we want to be going the other direction." Governor Carney also reported that he had spoken with Dr. Anthony Fauci on a White House Coronavirus Task Force call with other governors that past Monday, August 31. Fauci stressed exerting caution when it came to gatherings for the upcoming Labor Day weekend.
On September 4, bars at Delaware beaches were allowed to reopen ahead of Labor Day weekend. Bar seating was required to be spaced out for social distancing, reservations were required for seating at the bar, and customers who wished to sit at the bar were required to order food.