For Immediate Release: November 2, 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. To stop the spread of COVID-19, the state order and City ordinance require everyone ages 10 and older to wear a mask over their nose and mouth in indoor public places and when at least 6 feet of physical distance cannot be maintained between those of different households in outdoor public places, with limited exceptions. Your neighbors and loved ones are counting on you.
In an effort to minimize exposure and possible spread of COVID-19 on Election Day, 56 Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers will be stationed at in-person polling locations on Tuesday, November 3. MRC volunteers will encourage voters and staff to wear masks, use hand sanitizer, and stay 6 feet apart from each other. They will also monitor opportunities to reduce transmission, including increasing ventilation and encouraging staff to frequently sanitize high-touch surfaces. The Alexandria MRC is a team of medical and non-medical volunteers who are trained and ready to respond to emergencies that impact public health. Alexandria's MRC volunteers have put in thousands of hours in support of AHD's COVID-19 response efforts.
AHD and the City recently conducted a targeted COVID-19 testing event in partnership with Neighborhood Health, Alexandria's federally qualified health center. Nearly 90 residents were tested at William Ramsay Recreation Center on October 31, with assistance from AHD's MRC volunteers. In addition to testing, each participant received a packet of health and support service information. AHD will continue to identify future sites and coordinate targeted testing events. Neighborhood Health is a provider of primary care and COVID-19 testing for residents with or without insurance. Make an appointment online or call 703.535.5568.
Residents who have lost employment due to COVID-19 are encouraged to review the list of employers who are hiring, which is updated weekly. This week, the Alexandria Workforce Development Center (WDC) is offering several workshops to help residents enhance job readiness and improve their job search, including job interviewing skills and preparing for the virtual job fair. All events and 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.
This daily news release will now include a chart to provide context and more precise data about how preventive measures are impacting Alexandria’s response to the pandemic. Click or tap the chart to view an interactive version that provides details of the seven-day moving average number of COVID-19 cases, and the daily and cumulative case and fatality counts. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.
AHD estimates that approximately 1 in 13 Alexandrians who tested positive for COVID-19 have required hospitalization. An estimated 66% of Virginia adults who become infected never have symptoms. The best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 remain wearing a mask in public, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others, and frequently washing your hands or carrying and using hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethyl alcohol. Help your loved ones and neighbors by answering a call from AHD if identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19, and download the Virginia Department of Health’s COVIDWISE app to be quickly and anonymously notified of likely exposure to the virus.
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