After a reported uptick in flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses in the city, the Alexandria Health Department is recommending the flu shot and and other preventative measures to stay healthy.
Flu-related emergency department visits more than tripled in Alexandria during the last two weeks of December, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. Alexandria’s current flu vaccination rate is low, sitting at less than 30% of the population, AHD spokesperson Eve Elliott told ALXnow.
Virginia is moving to ensure residents have quick access to the latest COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the fall respiratory illness season, with State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton signing a statewide standing order this week that expands pharmacy vaccination authority.
The order, signed Tuesday and announced Thursday, allows pharmacists across Virginia to administer the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine formulation to residents 65 and older, as well as adults aged 18-64 with underlying medical conditions, without requiring individual prescriptions.
