[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Alexandria has Virginia’s Highest Rate of Vaccinated Teens; Studies Show Effectiveness of School Masking Policies

­­For Immediate Release: September 28, 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.

Alexandria Has Virginia's Highest Rate of Vaccinated Teens

More than 95% of Alexandria's 12-17 year-olds have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Alexandria currently has the highest vaccination rate for children in the state. In anticipation of vaccine authorization for the 5-11 age group, Alexandria Health Department is working closely with Alexandria City Public Schools; private schools; pharmacies; and private providers, including pediatrician offices, to ensure equitable access to vaccines and proactive education for families.

Studies Show Effectiveness of School Masking Policies

On September 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released three studies on the effectiveness of school masking policies. These studies found that layered prevention strategies protected participants in in-person education settings. Without a universal masking requirement, school districts had more COVID-19 outbreaks, while counties nationwide showed a doubled rate of pediatric COVID-19 cases. A summary of the studies follows. The links provide further details, including limitations in study methods.

• One report from Arizona revealed that schools in two of the state’s most populous counties were 3.5 times more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks if they did not have a mask requirement at the start of school, compared with schools that required universal masking on day one.
•  Another report found that, during the first two weeks of school, the average change in pediatric COVID-19 case rates was lower among counties with school mask requirements (an increase of 16.32 cases per 100,000/day) than for counties without school mask requirements (an increase of 34.85 cases per 100,000/day).
• A third report found that, despite an estimated 1,801 school closures so far this school year, 96% of public schools have been able to remain open for full in-person learning.

Masking is one of the infection prevention measures recommended in the CDC’s Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools. Promoting vaccination of eligible persons, mask wearing, and screening/testing are all proven methods to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.