[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Cancel Unneeded Curative Appointments; Emergency Order to Expand Hospital Capacity; At-Home Tests Will Be Free With Insurance

­­For Immediate Release: January 11, 2021

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

Cancel Unneeded Curative Appointments

Due to the current surge of the Omicron variant, demand for PCR testing is currently very high and appointment availability is limited. If you have an appointment at a Curative site that you no longer need, please cancel it so that someone else in need of a test can schedule an appointment. Visit curative.com/manage or use the links in a Curative confirmation email to cancel an appointment. 

Emergency Order Expands Hospital Capacity

Governor Northam issued an emergency order Monday to increase Virginia’s hospital capacity in response to record numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations, mostly among those still unvaccinated. The order is a limited 30-day order to expand the number of available hospital beds, increase staffing capacity at hospitals and nursing homes, and allow public health agencies greater flexibility in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The limited duration is based on modeling that suggests the number of cases of the virus will peak in the next few weeks. 

At-Home Tests Will Be Free With Insurance

The Biden Administration announced this week that health insurers will be required to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 testing kits starting January 15. Insurance companies and health plans will be required to cover the cost of eight over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month by either directly paying the cost or via reimbursement. Information about when to get tested and PCR testing locations in Alexandria can be found on the City’s Get Tested webpage.

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. 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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