Alexandria’s Covid community-level has gone from “low” to “high” this month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Low, medium or high Covid community levels are determined by data on hospitalizations and cases, according to the CDC. Each level comes with steps recommended by the federal agency that people and communities can take to protect themselves and others from potentially severe impacts of the virus.

The city is still experiencing hundreds of new Covid cases monthly, but the numbers are trending down, according to data from the Virginia Dept. of Health. The seven-day average of new cases is now 37.1, down slightly from 39.1 reported at the end of December. There have been 628 new cases reported so far in January.

No new deaths have been reported, and the death toll stands at 224.

Regionally, Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun counties, as well as D.C., have moved from low to medium designations, per the CDC.

When community levels are “high,” the CDC recommends the following:

• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator
• If you are at high risk of getting very sick, consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, and consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors with them
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including recommended booster doses
• Maintain ventilation improvements
• Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19
• Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19
• Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19

Where to find Covid tests

Residents can get rapid COVID-19 test kits at the city’s libraries, and kits are limited to seven per-person. Covid tests can also be found for kids within Alexandria City Public Schools. A list of testing options is available on the city’s website.

2022 was the worst year for new cases

The redesignation comes after a difficult year for new Covid cases.

There were 28,743 new Covid cases reported last year in Alexandria, comprising 64% of the 44,826 total cases since the pandemic began in March 2020, according to the Virginia Department of Health. There were also 49 deaths in 2022.

This time last year, Alexandria was experiencing the worst month of the pandemic. There were 12,822 new Covid cases reported in January 2022, and the seven-day average of new cases peaked at 337.

In many ways, Alexandria went back to business as usual, with community events returning in full force — despite the number of new cases. In November, tens of thousands of people attended Art On The Avenue in Del Ray, as well as last month’s Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town.

The Alexandria Health Department’s last Covid-related release to the public was in June 2022, announcing vaccines for infants.

Below are the monthly totals of new cases for 2022.

• January — 12,822 new cases
• February — 1,227 new cases
• March — 593 new cases
• April — 1,488 new cases
• May — 2,900 new cases
• June — 2,357 new cases
• July — 2,396 new cases
• August — 1,499 new cases
• September — 991 new cases
• October — 526 new cases
• November — 626 new cases
• December — 1,318 new cases

Three more Alexandria residents have died of COVID-19 over the last two weeks, while an uptick in cases has slightly dipped.

There were 32 new cases reported on Dec. 28 (Wednesday) in Alexandria, and the Virginia Department of Health has not updated its figures over the last two days.

The number of reported cases now stands at 44,038, and the seven-day average of new cases is 39, down from 42.7 two weeks ago.

Alexandria’s Community Levels remains low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nine residents have died from Covid in the last 13 weeks. Six of the residents were in their 80s, and the other residents were in their 70s, 50s and 40s. No children or teens in Alexandria have died from the virus.

There have been 1,168 new cases reported so far in December.

• 32 new cases on Dec. 28
• 29 new cases on Dec. 27
• 17 new cases on Dec. 26
• 36 new cases on Dec. 25
• 44 new cases on Dec. 24
• 63 new cases on Dec. 23
• 52 new cases on Dec. 22
• 80 new cases on Dec. 21
• 28 new cases on Dec. 20
• 21 new cases on Dec. 19
• 44 new cases on Dec. 18
• 63 new cases on Dec. 17
• 51 new cases on Dec. 16
• 49 new cases on Dec. 15
• 69 new cases on Dec. 14
• 65 new cases on Dec. 13
• 19 new cases on Dec. 12
• 34 new cases on Dec. 11
• 53 new cases on Dec. 10
• 43 new cases on Dec. 9
• 46 new cases on Dec. 8
• 54 new cases on Dec. 7
• 30 new cases on Dec. 6
• 13 new cases on Dec. 5
• 29 new cases on Dec. 4
• 18 new cases on Dec. 3
• 47 new cases on Dec. 2
• 39 new cases on Dec. 1

Below are the monthly totals for the rest of 2022.

• January — 12,822 new cases
• February — 1,227 new cases
• March — 593 new cases
• April — 1,488 new cases
• May — 2,900 new cases
• June — 2,357 new cases
• July — 2,396 new cases
• August — 1,499 new cases
• September — 991 new cases
• October — 526 new cases
• November — 626 new cases

Where to find Covid tests

Residents can get rapid COVID-19 test kits at the city’s libraries, and kits are limited to seven per-person. Covid tests can also be found for kids within Alexandria City Public Schools and a full list of testing options is available on the city’s website.

Covid cases are on the rise as Alexandria heads into the December holidays.

There were 69 reported cases today (Wednesday) in Alexandria, the largest amount of new cases in a single day in more than four months. The number of reported cases now stands at 43,429, and the seven-day average of new cases is 42.7.

The last time the city saw as many cases reported in one day was on August 8.

Cases are also on the rise in Fairfax County, Arlington and Loudoun County, although Community Levels remain low in all of the jurisdictions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Seven Alexandria residents died from Covid in the last 13 weeks and the death toll has risen to 216, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Except for one person in their 40s, all of the residents who died were in their 80s.

No children or teens in Alexandria have died from the virus.

There have been 559 new cases reported so far in December.

• 69 new cases on Dec. 14
• 65 new cases on Dec. 13
• 19 new cases on Dec. 12
• 34 new cases on Dec. 11
• 53 new cases on Dec. 10
• 43 new cases on Dec. 9
• 46 new cases on Dec. 8
• 54 new cases on Dec. 7
• 30 new cases on Dec. 6
• 13 new cases on Dec. 5
• 29 new cases on Dec. 4
• 18 new cases on Dec. 3
• 47 new cases on Dec. 2
• 39 new cases on Dec. 1

Below are the monthly totals for the rest of 2022.

• January — 12,822 new cases
• February — 1,227 new cases
• March — 593 new cases
• April — 1,488 new cases
• May — 2,900 new cases
• June — 2,357 new cases
• July — 2,396 new cases
• August — 1,499 new cases
• September — 991 new cases
• October — 526 new cases
• November — 626 new cases

Where to find Covid tests

Residents can get rapid COVID-19 test kits at the city’s libraries, and kits are limited to seven per-person. Covid tests can also be found for kids within Alexandria City Public Schools and a full list of testing options is available on the city’s website.

Alexandria is gunning for authority to run its own health department.

Every year, Alexandria sends representatives to Richmond to plead its case to the General Assembly. With the city under the yoke of the Dillon Rule — which says that local government can only exercise powers expressly granted by the state — often times those legislative priorities focus on areas where the city wants a little more wiggle room.

This year, as part of the ongoing Covid recovery efforts, the city is hoping for more authority to establish its own health department. There is an Alexandria Health Department, but it’s one of 33 health districts that are part of the state’s health department. Health department leadership is chosen by the state and answers to state leadership. Neighboring Fairfax and Arlington both have independent health departments.

“[Alexandria supports] legislation to provide the City of Alexandria with the authority to establish a locally administered health department, under contract with the Virginia Department of Health,” the draft legislative package says, “and ensure the City’s investment in its public health system is focused on and responsive to the needs of all Alexandrians.”

Other recovery priorities include increasing investment in workforce development initiatives to help workers acquire skills to fill childcare and healthcare jobs — both critically in need in Alexandria. The legislative package cites the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the G3 community college grant program as state-funded programs that benefit Alexandria’s workforce training.

Lastly, in pandemic recovery, the legislative package says investment is needed in programs to help recover from Covid-related learning loss.

“[Alexandria supports investing] in programs to mitigate and recover from COVID-19 related learning loss among Virginia students,” the legislative package says, “especially among students with higher level, more specialized needs, including special education students, English language learners, and students living in economically disadvantaged households.”

The legislative package is scheduled for review at the City Council meeting on Saturday, Dec. 17.

With the holiday season approaching, a prerequisite for some family gatherings could be a negative Covid test. With Curative shutting down its testing kiosks throughout the region that might get slightly harder, but there are other resources.

The kiosks have provided around 195,000 Covid tests, the City of Alexandria said in a release, but demand for kiosk testing has dropped off dramatically since 2021.

“As of December 26, 2022, the private company Curative has chosen to close its Alexandria COVID-19 testing kiosks city-wide,” the City of Alexandria said. “Curative is closing all testing sites throughout the region before the end of the year.”

The postal service had previously offered free rapid home antigen tests, but those were suspended in September.

Several medical facilities offer testing, but require seeing a doctor for testing and can cost between $50 up to $300.

The most affordable way to get testing kits in Alexandria is from the library. Alexandria libraries carry rapid COVID-19 test kits available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a limit of seven kits per person, and the city advised locals to call the library branch to check availability.

Those phone numbers and addresses are:

• Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street): 703-746-1702
  Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen Street): 703-746-1703
  Burke Branch Library (4701 Seminary Road): 703-746-1704
  Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue): 703-746-1705

Scheduled Covid tests are also available for public school students and staff through Alexandria City Public Schools.

A full list of testing options is available on the city’s website.

Nine Alexandria residents died of COVID-19 over the last month, bringing the death toll from the virus to 210.

The number of cases is still declining, and the city’s Community Level remains low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The seven-day average of new cases is now 10.7 — down from the mid-30s at around this time last month.

There have been 385 cases reported so far in October, and as of Monday (October 24), there have been 42,133 total reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The new fatalities include six Alexandrians in their 80s, one in their 70s, two in their 60s and one in their 50s.

There were 991 new cases in September, making last month the second-lowest month for new infections in 2022.

• January — 12,822 new cases
• February — 1,227 new cases
• March — 593 new cases
• April — 1,488 new cases
• May — 2,900 new cases
• June — 2,357 new cases
• July — 2,396 new cases
• August — 1,499 new cases
• September — 991 new cases

Below are numbers of new cases this month:

• 26 new cases on October 24
• 11 new cases on October 23
• 9 new cases on October 22
• 13 new cases on October 21
• 8 new cases on October 20
• -1 new cases on October 19
• 9 new cases on October 18
• 36 new cases on October 17
• 22 new cases on October 16
• 23 new cases on October 15
• 16 new cases on October 14
• 7 new cases on October 13
• 24 new cases on October 12
• 4 new cases on October 11
• 14 new cases on October 10
• 19 new cases on October 9
• 16 new cases on October 8
• 19 new cases on October 7
• 19 new cases on October 6
• 16 new cases on October 5
• 19 new cases on October 4
• 14 new cases on October 3
• 22 new cases on October 2
• 20 new cases on October 1

Vaccine Update

• There are 22,515 unvaccinated Alexandria residents
• About 86% of residents (134,936 people) are fully vaccinated
• 61,950 residents got their first booster shot
• 11,827 residents got their second booster shot

With summer heat in full swing, Covid cases are trending downward in Alexandria.

As of Monday (August 8), there are 39,692 reported cases, according to the Virginia Department of Health. There have been 196 deaths.

The seven-day average of new cases is now 54.1. At around the same period in July, the seven-day average of new cases was 70.9 — exactly the seven-day average on June 20.

The city currently has a Medium community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been 434 new cases reported so far this month. Below are monthly totals for 2022.

• January — 12,822 new cases
• February — 1,227 new cases
• March — 593 new cases
• April — 1,488 new cases
• May — 2,900 new cases
• June — 2,357 new cases
• July — 2,396 new cases

The Alexandria Health Department’s last update was on June 21, to announce the availability of vaccine shots for kids older than six months of age. The city’s two-and-a-half-year-long state of emergency expired on June 30.

Vaccine Update

• There are 24,138 unvaccinated Alexandria residents
• About 77% of residents (120,881 people) are fully vaccinated
• 85% (133,313 people) of residents got at least one dose
• 61,950 residents got their first booster shot
• 11,827 residents got their second booster shot

This month, VDH reported the following new cases in Alexandria:

• 31 new cases on August 8
• 32 new cases on August 7
• 48 new cases on August 6
• 68 new cases on August 5
• 65 new cases on August 4
• 69 new cases on August 3
• 66 new cases on August 2
• 55 new cases on August 1

Covid rates have increased during Alexandria’s midsummer.

As of Monday (July 25), there are 38,779 reported cases, an increase of 605 cases since this time last week, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The seven-day average of new cases is now 86.4, up from 77.1, and the seven-day positivity rate for Covid tests is now 22.3%, up from 19.2%.

There have been 195 deaths, according to VDH.

The city currently has a Medium community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far this month, there have been 1,917 new cases reported. January saw the most new cases with 12,822 reported, followed by 2,900 cases in May, 2,357 cases in June, 1,488 cases in April, 1,227 cases in February and 593 cases in March.

The Alexandria Health Department’s last update was on June 21, to announce the availability of vaccine shots for kids older than six months of age.

Vaccine Update

• There are 24,578 unvaccinated Alexandria residents
• About 77% of residents (120,381 people) are fully vaccinated
• 84% (132,873 people) of residents got at least one dose
• 61,950 residents got their first booster shot
• 11,827 residents got their second booster shot

This month, VDH reported the following new cases in Alexandria:

• 75 new cases on July 25
• 55 new cases on July 24
• 94 new cases on July 23
• 86 new cases on July 22
• 92 new cases on July 21
• 112 new cases on July 20
• 91 new cases on July 19
• 24 new cases on July 18
• 98 new cases on July 17
• 97 new cases on July 16
• 80 new cases on July 15
• 99 new cases on July 14
• 65 new cases on July 13
• 77 new cases on July 12
• 45 new cases on July 11
• 72 new cases on July 10
• 64 new cases on July 9
• 90 new cases on July 8
• 106 new cases on July 7
• 58 new cases on July 6
• 61 new cases on July 5
• 70 new cases on July 4
• 66 new cases on July 3
• 63 new cases on July 2
• 77 new cases on July 1

Another Alexandria resident has died from Covid, and cases continue to steadily increase.

As of Monday (July 18), there are 38,174 reported cases, an increase of 540 cases since this time last week. The seven-day average of new cases is now 77.1, up from 70.9, and the seven-day positivity rate for Covid tests is now 19.2%, up from 17.4%.

There have been 196 deaths.

So far this month, there have been 1,312 new cases reported. January saw the most new cases with 12,822 reported, followed by 2,900 cases in May, 2,357 cases in June, 1,488 cases in April, 1,227 cases in February and 593 cases in March.

The city currently has a Medium community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Alexandria Health Department’s last update was on June 21, to announce the availability of vaccine shots for kids older than six months of age.

Vaccine Update

• There are 24,942 unvaccinated Alexandria residents
• About 76% of residents (120,124 people) are fully vaccinated
• 84% (132,509 people) of residents got at least one dose
• 62,447 residents got booster shots

This month, VDH reported the following new cases in Alexandria:

• 24 new cases on July 18
• 98 new cases on July 17
• 97 new cases on July 16
• 80 new cases on July 15
• 99 new cases on July 14
• 65 new cases on July 13
• 77 new cases on July 12
• 45 new cases on July 11
• 72 new cases on July 10
• 64 new cases on July 9
• 90 new cases on July 8
• 106 new cases on July 7
• 58 new cases on July 6
• 61 new cases on July 5
• 70 new cases on July 4
• 66 new cases on July 3
• 63 new cases on July 2
• 77 new cases on July 1

The state of emergency might be over, but the pandemic remains in Alexandria.

Following a two week blackout period, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reporting four more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 195.

The CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) did not return death certificates for “coding purposes” for two weeks — starting June 6.

“For a few weeks after the blackout period, you should expect to see a higher number of COVID-19-associated deaths added to the dashboards and data sets,” the Virginia Department of Health said. “This is because NCHS will be sending back newly-coded and re-coded death certificates to VDH that were put on hold during the blackout period.

As of Monday (July 11), there are 37,634 reported cases, and the seven-day average of new cases is steady at 70.9 — the same number it was on June 20.

There have been 772 new cases reported in the first 11 days of July alone, and the seven-day positivity rate for Covid tests is 17.4%.

January saw the most new cases with 12,822 reported, followed by 2,900 cases in May, 2,357 cases in June, 1,488 cases in April, 1,227 cases in February and 593 cases in March.

The city currently has a Medium community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Alexandria Health Department’s last update was on June 21, to announce the availability of vaccine shots for kids older than six months of age.

Alexandria’s two-and-a-half-year-long state of emergency expired on June 30.

Vaccine Update

• There are 21,733 unvaccinated Alexandria residents
• About 78% of residents (120,032 people) are fully vaccinated
• 86% (132,147 people) of residents got at least one dose
• 63,414 residents got booster shots

This month, VDH reported the following new cases in Alexandria:

• 45 new cases on July 11
• 72 new cases on July 10
• 64 new cases on July 9
• 90 new cases on July 8
• 106 new cases on July 7
• 58 new cases on July 6
• 61 new cases on July 5
• 70 new cases on July 4
• 66 new cases on July 3
• 63 new cases on July 2
• 77 new cases on July 1