For Immediate Release: June 4, 2020
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) remind everyone that you are safest at home except for essential trips such as food purchases and medical care. If you must leave your home, wear a cloth face covering around others and keep at least 6 feet apart from others whenever possible. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Businesses are invited to apply through June 8 for the Alexandria Back to Business (ALX B2B) grants program, a partnership between the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership and the City. Grants are available to Alexandria-based, for-profit businesses with two to 100 employees, who have experienced losses in revenue of 25% or greater due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants of $10,000 to $20,000 will be awarded based on business size. Applications will be accepted through Monday, June 8 at 5 p.m. For more information and to apply, visit the Alexandria Back 2 Business grants webpage.
Courts, which have been largely closed since early April, are reopening and will begin to catch up on the backlog of dockets delayed since closing. Some eviction and foreclosure proceedings postponed during the closure may resume as soon as June 16. A number of resources are available for Alexandrians who are facing eviction and foreclosure, including short-term emergency rental assistance through the COVID-19 Emergency Rent Relief Assistance Program. The General Assembly also passed legislation earlier this year that gives tenants and property owners an additional 60-day continuance of an eviction or foreclosure proceeding, if they provide proof to the courts that their income has been adversely affected by COVID-19. Visit the City’s Web page for additional information about resources available to Alexandrians facing eviction, foreclosure, or housing insecurity.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) have provided updated guidance for people who own pets and other animals. Until more is learned about how COVID-19 affects animals, pets should be treated like human family members to protect them from a possible infection. Because there is a small risk that people with COVID-19 could spread the virus to animals, pet owners should limit their pets’ interaction with people outside their households.
The new guidelines include recommendations regarding dog walking and dog parks. Dogs should be walked on leashes, maintaining at least 6 feet from other people and animals. Pets and their owners should not gather in groups or and should stay out of crowded places. Fenced dog parks in Alexandria remain closed.
Face coverings on animals may harm them and should not be used. Do not wipe or bathe a pet with chemical disinfectants or products not approved for animal use. Talk to a veterinarian if a pet gets sick, or there are any concerns about a pet’s health. For more information, see the CDC’s Pets and Other Animals, and VDH’s Animals and COVID-19.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Alexandria is now 2,031, including 46 fatalities. Detailed data is available through the links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus. Now that Northern Virginia is in Phase One of the Forward Virginia blueprint, it is important to note that there is still community transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 and everyone is safest at home. This is especially true for persons at higher risk for severe illness, including those over the age of 65 and those with underlying medical conditions. Those who do go out are reminded to remain 6 feet apart from others; wear a cloth face covering when physical distancing cannot be maintained outdoors and at all times in indoor public spaces; and wash hands frequently.
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