JUST IN: Alexandria sets October 25 deadline for employees to get COVID-19 vaccine

Alexandria will begin implementing a vaccine mandate on October 25, ALXnow has learned.

City employees who aren’t vaccinated by that time are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, the city said in a statement.

“To limit the potential spread of COVID-19 in the workforce and in the community, City of Alexandria government employees are required to be fully vaccinated,” Kelly Gilfillen, the city’s acting director of the Office of Communications and Public Information told ALXnow. “All employees who are unvaccinated or choose not to disclose their vaccination status will be required to be tested weekly for COVID-19 beginning October 25.”

Gilfillen continued, “Any exemptions would only be considered for the testing requirement as this is considered an accommodation for those who choose not to be vaccinated or not to disclose their vaccination status.”

Fairfax County set a deadline of October 11 and Arlington’s plan has been in place since the end of August.

Alexandria City Public Schools staff have, since August, been required to report their vaccination status or participate in weekly COVID-19 testing.

“This is a vital tool to add to our current health and safety mitigation measures,” said Alexandria City School Board Chair Meagan Alderton. “It is a proactive step we can take to help reduce transmission of the virus in our school facilities and strengthen safety measures to protect our community as a whole.”

Alexandria’s transmission rate has remained high for more than a month, according to the Virginia Department of Health.