[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; New Isolation and Quarantine Guidance; Curative Holiday Schedule; Governor Recognizes Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers; 2020 Deaths Added to Dashboard

­­For Immediate Release: December 28, 2021

Help end the pandemic by wearing a mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and getting vaccinated. During the current surge in COVID-19 cases as a result of the more transmissible Omicron variant, the City of Alexandria and Alexandria Health Department (AHD) urge everyone ages 16 and up to get a booster for added protection from the virus. To help stop the spread, know when and where to get tested.

New CDC Guidance on Shortened Isolation and Quarantine

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends shortened timelines for isolation and quarantine following an exposure to COVID-19. For people with a COVID-19 infection who are asymptomatic or whose symptoms are resolving, the recommended isolation time decreased from 10 days to five days, followed by five days of wearing a mask when around others. For people exposed to COVID-19, the recommended quarantine time also decreased: 

• For people who are unvaccinated or not recently vaccinated (more than six months after their second mRNA dose or more than two months after the J&J vaccine), CDC now recommends quarantine for five days followed by strict mask use for an additional five days. If the recommended five-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. 
• Individuals who have received their booster shot or are recently vaccinated (less than six months after their second mRNA dose or less than two months after the J&J vaccine) do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for ten days after the exposure.  
• For anyone who is exposed, is it best to get tested for COVID-19 on the fifth day after the last known exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms that symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19.

Curative Holiday Schedule

All Curative COVID-19 testing locations (Charles Houston Recreation Center, Ben Brenman Park, and the mobile van) will be closed for pre-scheduled and walk-up appointments on December 31 and January 1 for the New Year holiday. To reduce wait times, schedule an appointment in advance. Visit curative.com for updated hours and appointment availability. For more information about other COVID-19 testing options in Alexandria, and what to do if you receive a positive test result, visit the City’s Get Tested webpage.

Governor Recognizes Virginia Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers 

On December 21, Governor Ralph Northam issued a proclamation recognizing “VA MRC Day” in honor of the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (VA MRC) volunteers and their effort and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March 2020, Alexandria MRC volunteers have served over 25,000 hours with a value of more than $700,000. Made up of local medical and non-medical volunteers, Alexandria MRC supports the Alexandria Health Department’s contact tracing team and the Alexandria COVID-19 hotline. Volunteers also administer vaccines and provide staffing and logistical support for the City’s public testing and vaccine clinics. 

2020 Deaths Added to Dashboard

The Virginia Department of Health will add four Alexandria residents who died of COVID-19 while in another state in 2020 to their dataset, which will be reflected in the Alexandria COVID-19 Dashboard on December 28. This increase in deaths is due to a reconciliation of older data and is not indicative of a sudden spike in fatalities. 

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 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.