[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; New Health Equity Dashboard; Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities; Alexandria COVID-19 Data Update

­­For Immediate Release: November 19, 2021

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

New Health Equity Dashboard

This week, the Virginia Department of Health launched a Health Equity Dashboard that displays vaccination, case and hospitalization disparities by race and ethnicity. The dashboard includes a dropdown menu that allows users to examine disparities within individual cities and counties. In Alexandria, Asian or Pacific Islanders, Black, and Latinx residents have higher vaccination rates than White residents. While the gap has narrowed, communities of color in Alexandria continue to experience higher rates of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations compared to White residents. The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) defines the most vulnerable residents related to COVID-19 as older adults, those with underlying health conditions, those who live in crowded conditions, and people without sick leave or health insurance. In Alexandria, this burden predominantly falls on those in long-term care facilities, congregate living facilities, and communities of color. Learn more about how AHD and the City focus on equity during the COVID-19 response.

Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities

In advance of the coming holidays, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) visitation and safety guidelines for long-term care facilities (LTCF), such as nursing homes, have changed. Visiting LTCF residents is allowed unless the visitors themselves currently have COVID-19 or they are unvaccinated and should be in quarantine because they were exposed to COVID-19. Visiting loved ones during the holidays can be critical for emotional and mental health, and everyone should continue practicing responsible visitation—especially when indoors—to protect older adults. For more information and to see the full list of changes, visit the CMS website.   

Alexandria COVID-19 Data Update

The City's demographic dashboard now includes the vaccination rate for residents ages 5-11. As of November 17, more than 21% of Alexandria children ages 5-11 have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

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 Status dashboard below includes the percentage of residents ages 5 and older who are fully vaccinated, 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 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.