[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Supply Limits Vaccination Efforts; New COVID-19 Strain Spreading; Restaurant Week is To-Go; Weekly Featured Jobs and Training Workshops

­­For Immediate Release: January 19, 2021

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.

Supply Limits Alexandria's Vaccination Efforts  

AHD operates three clinics a week that each vaccinate nearly 1,000 people a day, resulting in almost 3,000 vaccinations per week. In addition to these public health-operated clinics, AHD has been redistributing hundreds of vaccines to several community providers who are vaccinating people who have pre-registered through the online form or by calling the Alexandria COVID-19 Hotline. While AHD has the capacity to scale up these operations, appointments are limited by vaccine availability from the federal and state governments. Please do not visit public health clinics or pharmacies for a COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment; you will be turned away. If you have already registered or pre-registered through the online form, you do not need to submit another entry. Duplicate entries and calls inquiring about vaccine availability slow down AHD's ability to make appointments. 

CDC Warns New COVID-19 Strain Spreading

The CDC has issued a warning that a new strain of COVID-19, first identified in the United Kingdom, has been detected in 10 U.S. states. The more transmissible COVID-19 variant, known as SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.7, could result in further growth in cases. The B.1.1.7 variant makes it even more critical to ensure you are protecting yourself, your family, and the community. Wearing a mask, keeping 6 feet distance from people of different households, avoiding crowds, and getting vaccinated are still the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Scientists believe that current vaccines are just as effective against this new strain. Learn more about vaccination in Alexandria.

Restaurant Week is To-Go

Residents can continue to support local restaurants while preventing the spread of COVID-19 by participating in Alexandria’s Restaurant Week. Restaurant Week To-Go has been extended to two weeks, from January 22 to February 7, and features more than 60 local restaurants offering takeout dinner for two. New this year, many restaurants are also offering dinner for one. View Restaurant Week menus and visit the restaurant listing for details about how to order.

Weekly Featured Jobs and Workforce Training Workshops 

Residents who have lost employment due to COVID-19 are encouraged to review the list of employers who are hiring, which is updated weekly. The Alexandria Workforce Development Center (WDC) has several workshops coming up to help residents enhance job readiness and improve their job search, including Merit America information sessions for adults without Bachelor’s degrees, interviewing skills, networking skills, and applying and interviewing for federal jobs. Residents can also access free “ SkillUp” workplace, business, and IT courses. 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.  

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

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.