For Immediate Release: September 7, 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 over both their nose and mouth at all times in most indoor public settings. Use Virginia Department of Health’s COVIDWISE app to be quickly and anonymously notified of likely exposure to the virus. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you.
Virginians will have access to $4 million in funding for Legal Services for eviction due to lack of payment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City has requested that landlords make every effort to work with tenants who are unable to pay rent and reminds those facing financial hardship of their tenant rights. Landlords are not permitted to shut off utilities or lock residents out without a court order. Residents can ask the court for a delay of eviction due to lost income as a result of COVID-19. Depending on the type of housing and reason for eviction, tenants may be protected by the Coronavirus Aid Relief Economic Security (CARES) Act eviction ban and may qualify for the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief (RFMR) Program, which limits late fees and provides special rules for residents of hotels, motels, or boarding houses. Virginia families facing eviction have a much more successful outcome when represented by Legal Aid lawyers. Visit alexandriava.gov/Housing for more information regarding Housing Resources and Legal Services.
Residents who have lost employment due to COVID-19 are encouraged to review the list of employers who are hiring, which is compiled by the Alexandria Workforce Development Center (WDC). This list is updated with new job opportunities every Monday. WDC also has many free resources, such as Meet the Employer events and workshops to help residents enhance job readiness and improve their job search. Workshop topics this week include interviewing skills, navigating the virtual job fair, transferable skills, one-on-one job coaching and networking. All workshops take place online, are free, and registration is requested. Follow WDC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest flyer, or visit the WDC’s job board for a complete list of job opportunities.
The Virginia Department of Health reported an increase of 17 cases and no fatalities in Alexandria as of September 5; 24 cases and no fatalities as of September 6; and 11 cases and no fatalities as of September 7; bringing the total to 3,511 cases, including 62 fatalities. COVID-19 is spread by people whether or not they have symptoms, and AHD estimates that nearly 9% 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 over both the nose and mouth, 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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