[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Booster Doses Endorsed for Certain Groups; Vaccine Outreach; New Testing Flyer; State of Emergency Extended

­­For Immediate Release: September 17, 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.

FDA Committee Endorses Pfizer Booster Doses for Certain Groups

Earlier today, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted to endorse a booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 65 years and older, or who have conditions putting them at risk for severe COVID-19. This booster dose is recommended no sooner than six months after an individual’s second Pfizer dose. Next, FDA staff will review this recommendation and provide further guidance and clarification, such as whether boosters will also be available for those at high risk of occupational exposure to COVID-19. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet on September 22 and 23 to discuss practice guidelines. The Alexandria Health Department will not begin offering these booster doses until the guidelines are approved by the CDC. There is no indication at this time whether Pfizer boosters will be approved for individuals who initially received vaccines from another manufacturer.

AHD Vaccine Outreach Summary

Over the past nine months, Alexandria Health Department (AHD) staff and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have conducted intensive vaccine outreach and education. The outreach work focuses on combating misinformation and helping residents overcome access barriers such as transportation, digital literacy, and language challenges. Read more about the efforts from December 2020 through August 2021. AHD will use these best practices and experiences to inform future vaccine work and continue building trusted relationships in the community, even beyond COVID-19 work.  

New COVID-19 Testing Flyer Available

The City and AHD have updated information about free COVID-19 testing available throughout Alexandria. A new flyer (also available in  Amharic, Arabic, and Spanish), provides guidelines for individuals who are vaccinated and those who are not vaccinated about when and where to get tested, and how to find information on other testing locations. 

Pop-Up Emergency Food Distribution

ALIVE! provides bags of food to specific neighborhoods or apartments, in collaboration with community partners, in the parking lot at each pop-up emergency food distribution location. The next September pop-up food distribution will take place Saturday, September 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Jefferson Houston Pre-K-8 IB School (1501 Cameron St.). Drive-through and walk-up service availability varies by site. Visit www.alive-inc.org for information about upcoming September food distribution events and pop-up food distributions. 

Alexandria’s COVID-19 State of Emergency Extended

The Alexandria City Council adopted a resolution that extends Alexandria’s COVID-19 state of emergency until January 31, 2022.This extension provides streamlined regulations for logistics coordination and prepares for the possibility of federal and state reimbursement of emergency costs. A declaration of emergency does not mean the level of risk from the virus has changed. Alexandria remains in the category of high COVID-19 community transmission, and all other major Northern Virginia jurisdictions remain under a state of emergency.

The latest on City government operations and changes in services are available on alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.

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.