[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Guidance for Social Gatherings; Taking Medication Before Vaccination

­­For Immediate Release: April 20, 2021

Help end the pandemic by wearing a mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and pre-registering to receive the vaccine. 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.

Guidance for Social Gatherings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated guidance about social gatherings. To decrease your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19, CDC recommends that you do not gather with people who do not live with you. Whether you have been vaccinated or not, attending social gatherings increases the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus. The CDC Personal and Social Activities webpage offers guidance for how to be safer in specific settings, including restaurants and bars, hosting gatherings and cook-outs, attending an event or gathering, using gyms or fitness centers, going to a nail salon, visiting a library, traveling overnight, and visiting parks. Whether vaccinated or not, consistently wearing a mask in public spaces, maintaining 6 feet of physical distance, and self-isolating if sick remain the best ways to slow the spread of COVID-19.      

Taking Medication Before COVID-19 Vaccination

Prepare for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment by understanding what medications you should or should not take before receiving the vaccine. The CDC recently updated their guidance on taking medications before getting vaccinated. You should not receive a COVID-19 vaccine if you have received another vaccine in the last 14 days. In addition, wait 14 days before getting any other type of vaccination, including a flu or shingles vaccine.

Taking over-the-counter medicine such as ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, or antihistamines to try to prevent side effects before your appointment is not recommended. However, if you regularly take these medications for underlying medical conditions or other reasons, you should keep taking them before being vaccinated. If you have questions about the medications that you are taking, talk to your doctor.

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.