For Immediate Release: September 24, 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.
Earlier today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement recommending Pfizer booster shots for certain populations.
CDC recommends that:
For now, those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not eligible for boosters. Data for those decisions is expected in the next several weeks. Many pharmacies around Alexandria are now offering both Pfizer COVID-19 boosters and the flu shot, including the high-dose flu shot for seniors. Consider getting both during the same visit to protect against COVID-19 and the flu. Alexandria Health Department will begin offering Pfizer boosters to those meeting the above criteria by appointment only on Saturday, September 25. Book online at alexandriava.gov/Vaccines to schedule or to find additional date options.
With the increased spread of COVID-19 in Alexandria, individuals are more likely to be identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19. This means that they were within 6 feet of that person for 15 minutes or more total over a 24-hour period, or may have had direct contact with the individual’s respiratory secretions (droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes).The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), and Alexandria Health Department (AHD) recommend that all close contacts quarantine for 14 days from their date of last exposure to someone with COVID-19 unless they are fully vaccinated. Quarantine means that individuals stay home and away from others.
AHD follows a 14-day quarantine timeframe because generally, someone can develop COVID-19 between 2-14 days after close contact. Quarantine prevents those who may develop COVID-19 from spreading the virus. While CDC also recommends a full 14-day quarantine, they have provided guidance for shortened quarantine that depends on a defined set of circumstances and resources. AHD does not recommend a shortened quarantine; however, AHD will not prohibit a school or organization from offering the CDC’s shortened quarantine options to families. If a school, sports league, or employer offers a shortened quarantine option, an individual may be able to return to associated activities before resuming other normal activities (for example, in-person learning, playdates, other extracurricular activities). As a reminder, individuals should still monitor their health for the full 14 days if deciding to use the shortened quarantine option.
COVID-19 deaths in the United States have risen to an average of more than 1,900 a day for the first time since early March. Average deaths per day have climbed 40% over the past two weeks, from 1,387 to 1,947, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
ALIVE! distributes bags of food (groceries, produce, chicken, eggs, bread) at three sites one Saturday per month in the parking lot at each site. ALIVE! food distributions are for City of Alexandria residents. No ID required. The next monthly food distribution is Saturday, September 25 from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m., with drive-through service at the Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria Campus (lot B-1 via Dawes Ave.); walk-up service at the William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave); and both drive-through and walk-up service at Cora Kelly Elementary School (3600 Commonwealth Ave.). View the
ALIVE! Food Distribution Calendar (September 2021) or visit
www.alive-inc.org for more information. Learn more about
additional food assistance resources.
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.
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