For Immediate Release: July 22, 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 mask in most indoor public settings. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you to stop the spread of COVID-19.
As part of AHD’s proactive work to protect Alexandrians, the Environmental Health team has worked with businesses throughout the Alexandria to help them understand and comply with Executive Order 63 regarding masks and Executive Order 67 regarding crowding. Noting that outbreaks in other regions of the state and nation have stemmed from overcrowding in indoor environments, AHD has notified Alexandria's restaurants and bars that AHD will be conducting unannounced inspections beginning this week. AHD's Environmental Health team will focus enforcement on businesses that are blatantly ignoring the rules, including suspending permits for those AHD regulates. AHD is committed to helping and collaborating with all businesses to adhere to the executive orders to ensure that Alexandria can successfully remain in Phase Three of reopening.
More than 350 businesses and organizations have registered their interest and commitment to safety best practices through the ALX Promise program, a voluntary accreditation initiative to train and support facilities. Everyone has a role in keeping our community safe - if you see a business that is not adhering to reopening guidelines, follow the suggested steps to resolve the issue.
In an effort to provide equitable access to family open swim time slots at outdoor pools, the City has established a lottery system to replace the existing first-come, first-served ticketing system. Each Thursday and Friday, residents may request swim times for the following Monday through Sunday. Alexandria households may request a maximum of three time slots per week, with no more than one time slot per day. Each Saturday, requests will be processed through a lottery, and households will receive an email notifying whether they have been enrolled or added to a waitlist for each of their requested timeslots. Each confirmed request reserves 45 minutes of pool time and accommodates four people per family unit at Old Town Pool (1609 Cameron St.), or eight people per family unit at Warwick Pool (3301 Landover St.). Swimmer admission fees are due upon arrival at the pool.
Lap swim tickets for Old Town Pool and Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility’s indoor pool (3210 King St.) continue to be reserved through the existing ticketing system. All pool tickets are released on Thursdays at 9 a.m. for the following week. Visit alexandriava.gov/Aquatics or call 703.746.6909 for more information.
Registration for August classes and activities offered by the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) is now open for Alexandria residents and opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 24, for nonresidents. Programs for a variety of interests are available for ages 6 months through adult. Summer camp registration is also open. Out of School Time Full Day Modified Summer Camps take place daily through August 14, Half Day Summer Fun Camps take place August 3-14, and Friday Fun Days take place on July 24 and July 31. Visit alexandriava.gov/116332 for more information. Once Alexandria City Public Schools confirms their schedule, RPCA will make the necessary programmatic adjustments to provide information about School year Out of School Time programs.
All COVID-19 related health guidelines for staff and participants will be met for all RPCA programs, including symptom screening, use of face masks, enhanced cleaning, and physical distancing protocols specified for each type of program. To ensure the safety of participants and prevent the spread of COVID-19, indoor locations will have limited capacity.
Register online at alexandriava.gov/Recreation. For in-person registration, call the Registration and Reservation Office at 703.746.5414 to schedule an appointment. Additional program information will be provided after registration.
The City encourages residents who use the DASH bus system to participate in a survey to gauge customer preferences and attitudes about public transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this survey will be used by DASH to improve public confidence in the safety of using the DASH system. The survey is open until August 9 and feedback is appreciated. Participants who complete the survey will be entered to win one of several $50 VISA gift cards.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Alexandria is now 2,618, including 56 fatalities. Today's count is the highest number of cases reported in one day since late May. COVID-19 is spread by people whether or not they have symptoms, and nearly 10% of infected Alexandrians have required hospitalization. Everyone must do their part to stop the spread: maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others, wear a mask, and carry and use hand sanitizer. With a recent increase in cases, you are more likely to encounter someone who is infected. Be prepared to answer a call from the Alexandria Health Department in case you are identified as a close contact. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, is available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.
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