[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; What to Expect With a COVID-19 Case at School or Daycare

­­For Immediate Release: August 27, 2021

Help end the pandemic by wearing a mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and getting vaccinated. 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.

What to Expect With a COVID-19 Case at School or Daycare

With increased COVID-19 transmission in Alexandria, there may be cases identified at your child’s school or daycare. Prepare in advance by learning what to expect. Your child’s school or daycare should send a general notification letter indicating that there was an exposure and they will work with the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) to identify close contacts. Close contacts are people who were within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case during their infectious period for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period; or people who had direct exposure to the infected person’s respiratory secretions (e.g., from coughs or sneezes). However, if both students were wearing masks and other prevention strategies were in place, there is an exemption for K-12 classrooms, which uses 3 feet rather than 6 feet. This exemption only applies to children because they produce fewer respiratory aerosols and droplets compared to adults. AHD will call or email all close contacts to ask whether your child is experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, to provide guidance on how to quarantine safely, advise when to get tested, and to answer any questions you may have. Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by answering the call. 

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

The Alexandria COVID-19 Dashboard below shows the daily change in the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths and 7-day average, as well as the cumulative totals. The chart focuses on the past 90 days and provides context for the CDC transmission levels. An interactive version is available at alexandriava.gov/114883. The Alexandria COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard below includes total doses administered across all facilities, the percentage of residents ages 12 and older who have received at least one dose, the number partially and fully vaccinated, and progress toward Alexandria’s and the state’s vaccination goals. Vaccination charts are available at alexandriava.gov/120654. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus. 

At least one dose: Total number of people who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including those who received one dose of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. This metric includes all people who have received only one dose and those who received at least one dose.

Fully Vaccinated: Total number or percent of people who have completed the recommended series of a given vaccine product (i.e., two doses of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine).

Partially Vaccinated: Total number of people who have received the first dose of a two-dose vaccine course but have not yet received the second dose. 

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.