For Immediate Release: December 23, 2020
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) strongly urge residents to stay home as much as possible during the current surge of COVID-19 cases in our community. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are increasing in Alexandria. Take immediate and ongoing action to control the spread by wearing a mask over both your nose and mouth, staying home unless it’s necessary to go out, and washing your hands frequently. Without these critical steps, additional lives may be at risk.
Effective January 3, 2021, Metrobus will resume fare collection and front-door boarding. In an effort to protect drivers from crowding and possible exposure to COVID-19, Metro suspended front-door boarding and fare collection. When fare collection resumes, the cost will be $2 per trip by cash or SmarTrip. Contactless payment is available for some mobile devices, with more contactless options coming soon. The return to front-door access and fare collection are consistent with public transportation services of other major U.S. cities.
This daily COVID-19 news release will not be published on City holidays unless there is a major announcement to share. In observance of the Christmas holiday, all City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, and the COVID-19 news release will resume on Monday, December 28. Daily data will continue to be available at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.
A December 22 news release included incorrect contact information. Alexandria landlords who have residents in need of rental assistance should contact Virginia Housing at RMRP@VirginiaHousing.com for assistance or visit virginiahousing.com/rmrp. As of December 15, the centralized Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP) Support Center is now processing all tenant and homeowner applications for assistance paying past due and current rent and mortgages as a result of COVID-19.
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 calling your close contacts if you test positive for COVID-19. Learn who to call and what to say from AHD's “ What to Do If You Get Sick” guidance, which is available in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, and Farsi or this brief video. 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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