For Immediate Release: August 19, 2020
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) remind everyone that you are safest at home. Older adults and persons with underlying medical conditions 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. Download Virginia Department of Health's COVIDWISE app, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to quickly and anonymously notify users who have likely been exposed, enabling you to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you.
Although there is no clear evidence to date that COVID-19 has spread through Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, ventilation is a secondary prevention strategy to consider. COVID-19 is primarily spread to others through an infected person’s respiratory droplets, which are released when a person sneezes, coughs or talks. The droplets land in the mouths, noses or eyes of others nearby; are transferred by touching infected surfaces; or are inhaled into the lungs. Droplets are relatively large, whereas aerosols are much smaller respiratory particles that can remain suspended in the air and have the potential of traveling much longer distances. Ventilation strategies become increasingly important when infectious particles spread via aerosols, also known as airborne transmission. Tuberculosis and measles are examples of infections known to be transmitted by airborne transmission. Research is still confirming the degree to which the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads via airborne transmission.
Staying home when ill, the use of face masks, maintaining physical distancing of 6 feet or more, frequent hand washing, utilization of acrylic barriers, and frequently sanitizing commonly touched surfaces have been shown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and remain the primary components of a comprehensive approach. When ventilation is used as one component of a comprehensive strategy, HVAC systems should follow minimum standards published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Other considerations include improved filtration and ventilation practices for homes or businesses, including recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency. Some of these strategies include increasing natural ventilation, running the HVAC system continuously, and upgrading to the highest-rated filter that the HVAC unit can accommodate. AHD reminds residents that increased ventilation is not enough to protect from exposure to COVID-19 and must be used in conjunction with other best practices.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new warning about hand sanitizers that have tested positive for 1-propanol contamination and are now included on a list of unsafe hand sanitizer products. Hand sanitizers normally contain 2-propanol, also known as isopropanol or isopropyl alcohol, but 1-propanol can be toxic and life threatening if ingested. Symptoms of 1-propanol exposure can include confusion, decreased consciousness, slow pulse and breathing, and eye or skin irritation. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these symptoms occur after using a hand sanitizer product suspected of 1-propanol contamination. Young children and adolescents are most at risk of ingesting these products. The FDA recommends checking the regularly updated list prior to the use or purchase of unfamiliar hand sanitizers and properly disposing any unsafe products, including these toxic chemicals.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Alexandria is now 3,165, including 61 fatalities. COVID-19 is spread by people whether or not they have symptoms, and AHD estimates that 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 at least 60% ethyl alcohol. 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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