[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Weekly Vaccine Updates

­­For Immediate Release: February 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.

Weekly Vaccine Updates

Between February 12 and February 18, AHD administered 1,192 first doses and 792 second doses. These numbers do not include vaccines administered by private providers and pharmacies. This week's inclement weather forced rescheduled events, delayed vaccine shipments, and resulted in lower than expected weekly total of vaccinations. Alexandria continues to receive under 2,000 first doses a week, with about half going to AHD events and half going to private provider partners. 

To date, 17,099 residents have received at least one dose and 5,799 residents have been fully vaccinated. The Virginia Department of Health's vaccine dashboard also includes rates of vaccination by jurisdiction. 

Phase 1b eligible workers who are working almost entirely remotely with no exposure to the public are encouraged to consider waiting to receive their vaccination until a later date when supplies are more plentiful. This can help frontline workers who do not have telework options to obtain vaccine protection while they interact with the public. 

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 20 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.