For Immediate Release: December 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. To stop the spread of COVID-19, the state order and City ordinance require everyone to wear a mask over their noses and mouths 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.
Positive cases of COVID-19 are increasing in Alexandria. Residents who are experiencing symptoms or think they have been exposed to COVID-19 are urged to get tested. AHD and the City conduct targeted COVID-19 community testing events for people who live and work in the immediate neighborhood of each location. Parking may be limited. With support from the Virginia National Guard and assistance from AHD’s Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, 290 people were tested at Witter Field on Saturday, December 5. The City’s “ Get Tested” web page contains a variety of resources, including testing options whether or not you are insured, have been exposed to COVID-19, or are experiencing symptoms. Call or book an appointment online before going to any facility. AHD will continue to identify future sites and coordinate targeted testing events.
AHD will contact residents who test positive for COVID-19, and will assist with contacting everyone who might have been exposed. However, residents can begin the contact tracing process on their own, using the “ What To Do If You’re Sick” checklist to assist the conversation, which is also available in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic and Farsi, and can be downloaded and printed.
VDH announced that, based on information received by the federal government, Virginia will receive 480,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of December. Health care personnel (HCP) and residents of long-term care facilities (LTCF) are most at risk of exposure and severe illness from COVID-19, and will receive the first of two doses of vaccine. This decision follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which the Virginia Disaster Medical Advisory Committee and the Virginia Unified Command agreed to adopt. The first 72,150 doses will arrive by mid-December, require ultracold storage, and will be distributed to HCP, with top priority given to those working with COVID-19 patients. The actual amount of vaccine received in Virginia is dependent on when and how quickly vaccination doses are manufactured. VDH is coordinating future prioritization based on federal guidance. As more vaccine supply is made available, health care systems and public health will ensure more Virginians will have access in a way that is fair, ethical and transparent.
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) offers several workshops to help residents enhance job readiness and improve their job search, including resume building skills, interviewing skills, job searching skills, and networking skills. 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.
The chart below, containing the seven-day moving average number of COVID-19 cases and the daily and cumulative case and fatality counts, provides detailed information about how preventive measures are impacting Alexandria's response to the pandemic. An interactive version is available at alexandriava.gov/114883. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.
AHD estimates that approximately 1 in 15 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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