[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Updated Guidance for Testing; FEMA Announces COVID-19 Funeral Expense Assistance

­­For Immediate Release: March 25, 2021

The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) strongly urge residents to stay home as much as possible, wear a mask over both your nose and mouth, and wash your hands frequently. Pre-register to receive the vaccine and you’ll be notified once appointments are available. AHD estimates that approximately 1 in 20 Alexandrians who have tested positive for COVID-19 have required hospitalization, so without these critical steps, additional lives may be at risk. 

Updated Guidance for Testing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated their guidance on COVID-19 testing. Their “ Overview of SARS-CoV2 Testing” includes expanded descriptions of the categories of tests; choosing a test; the intended use of testing; health equity considerations for testing; equitable testing access and availability; the expanded availability and use of screening tests to reduce asymptomatic spread; the testing of vaccinated individuals and how to interpret test results; and links to setting-specific testing guidance. 

While doses of vaccines for COVID-19 currently remain limited, a comprehensive approach to reducing the spread of the coronavirus can include symptom screening, testing, and contact tracing, which can help to identify individuals who are infected and minimize virus spread. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan as part of the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness to increase screening testing for schools, $2.25 billion to assist with testing vulnerable communities, and to update guidance on asymptomatic screening testing in schools, workplaces, and congregate settings. The City’s “ Get Tested” webpage contains information about AHD- and City-supported, free testing kiosks, which use high-sensitivity, high-specificity PCR tests; provides local guidance about how and when to get tested; and what to do when there is a positive test result.

FEMA Announces COVID-19 Funeral Expense Assistance 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that assistance funds will be available for some COVID-19 related funeral expenses, beginning in early April, to help ease some of the pandemic’s financial stress and burden. The program will cover up to $9,000 per funeral since January 20, 2020, and requires that the death certificate clearly indicate that COVID-19 contributed to the cause of death. For information about the program and to apply, visit the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance webpage.

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

The seven-day moving average chart below shows the number of COVID-19 cases and the daily and cumulative case and fatality counts, and provides detailed information about how preventive measures are impacting Alexandria's response to the pandemic. An interactive version is available at alexandriava.gov/114883. The vaccination chart includes total doses administered across all facilities and the percentage of residents ages 16 and older who have been partially and fully vaccinated, and is available at alexandriava.gov/120654. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus. 



Continue following measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 even after vaccination. Get tested if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. If you test positive, help loved ones and neighbors by informing your close contacts using “ What to Do If You Get Sick” guidance, which is available in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, and Farsi or this brief video.