For Immediate Release: July 15, 2020
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) remind everyone that you are safest at home. Older adults, persons with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women are at greater risk for severe disease and are advised to minimize potential exposures as much as possible. Please keep at least 6 feet of distance from others. Everyone is required to wear a face covering in most indoor public settings. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you to stop the spread of COVID-19.
New brand names have been added to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of hand sanitizers that should be avoided due to the use of the toxic ingredient methanol. Many of these brands list ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) among their ingredients, but have tested positive for methanol, which can have many toxic effects, such as changes in vision, vomiting, nausea, headache, or neurological symptoms. Consumers who may have been exposed to methanol and are experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. The public is strongly urged to review and discontinue use of any products that appear on the FDA list. The FDA also reminds the public that some hand sanitizers do not contain the minimum 60% ethyl alcohol required for effectiveness, and some brands are making misleading claims that their products are FDA approved or that hand sanitizers offer prolonged protection from bacteria or viruses. Hand sanitizer should only be used to replace hand washing when water and soap are not available. Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds remains the most effective way to sanitize and disinfect your hands and is one of the Six Steps to Stop the Spread of COVID-19.
Tickets for family open swim at outdoor pools are now available to Alexandria residents. In accordance with “Forward Virginia” Phase Three guidance, family open swim is permitted when 10 feet of physical distance is maintained between swimmers of different households. A maximum of three family open swim tickets can be purchased per week, with no more than one ticket per day. Each ticket reserves 45 minutes of swimming time and accommodates four people (Old Town Pool) or eight people (Warwick Pool) per family unit.
Lap swim tickets for the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility’s indoor pool are now also available to nonresidents. Swim times are limited to persons age 60 and older Monday through Friday, from 8 to 10 a.m., and available to all ages Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All pool tickets are released on Thursdays at 9 a.m. for the following week. Visit alexandriava.gov/Aquatics to purchase tickets and for information about pool guidelines, including arrival time, use of locker rooms, lane assignments, use of equipment, mask usage, and inclement weather procedures. For additional assistance, or to reserve a ticket by phone, call 703.746.6909.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Alexandria is now 2,486, including 57 fatalities. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, is available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus. The virus that causes COVID-19 is spread both by people who are symptomatic and by those who do not know that they are infected. Everyone is safest at home. This is especially true for those in high-risk populations (such as older adults, persons living in long-term care facilities, and those with serious underlying medical conditions). If you must go out, please maintain 6 feet of distance from others, wear a cloth face covering, and always carry hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol with you. Everyone must do their part to stop the spread.
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