[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; August and September COVID-19 Case Analysis; FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Booster Doses

­­For Immediate Release: October 15, 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.

August and September COVID-19 Case Analysis

The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) conducted an analysis of August and September COVID-19 cases by age group. Children ages 0-11 had more cases of COVID-19 than expected when compared to their percentage of the population. Children under 12 years old are not yet eligible for vaccination, which is likely a contributor to this result. View details of case counts and vaccination rates as compared to percentage of population. Case counts of less than five have been removed from this analysis to protect privacy. Anyone eligible for vaccination is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. In advance of an anticipated authorization this fall, AHD is collaborating with schools and community partners to finalize plans to vaccinate children ages 5-11. 

FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Booster Doses

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted to recommend both a booster of the Moderna and a booster of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. For the Moderna vaccine, the booster dose is recommended no sooner than six months after an individual’s second Moderna dose, and like the Pfizer booster, only recommended for certain higher-risk people. For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a booster dose is recommended as soon as two months after receiving the single dose vaccine. Both of these recommendations will require additional steps from the federal government before implementation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet on October 21 to discuss guidelines for these additional doses. Healthcare providers, including AHD, will not begin offering booster doses until their respective Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) are granted and guidelines have been approved by the CDC. There is no information at this time about when, or whether, boosters will be approved for individuals who initially received vaccines from one manufacturer and wish to receive a booster from a different manufacturer.

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.