(Updated at 425 p.m. Tuesday, October 19) Alexandria has reached yet another grim milestone, as the city surpassed 14,000 reported cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
As of today (Monday, October 18), the number of cases has climbed to 14,070, up 171 cases since this time last week.
Months after the majority of Alexandria residents were fully vaccinated, coronavirus precautions now turn toward booster shots aimed at keeping those vaccinations effective.
A Pfizer vaccine booster has already been approved and yesterday a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel authorized booster shots for Moderna’s vaccine.
Alexandria seniors can now get free transportation from Alexandria Yellow Cab to get their COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot.
“The City’s Division of Aging and Adult Services is coordinating transportation for City of Alexandria residents to and from vaccination sites in or outside of Alexandria,” the City reports. “Individuals do not need to be signed up for Senior Taxi for this service.”
There have been four more deaths in Alexandria due to COVID-19 since last week, bringing the death toll from the virus to 148.
In the meantime, Alexandria was praised last week by Governor Ralph Northam for having the highest vaccination rate among teens in Virginia. The city is also currently preparing to provide vaccines for children under the age of 12.
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.
Alexandria seeks input on phase II revision of noise ordinance — “On May 15, the Alexandria City Council adopted phase I technical revisions of the City’s noise ordinance. The City is now seeking public input on a phase II revision that would address policy issues associated with land use, noise levels and changes with noise sources. The objective is to finalize this revision for Council consideration by the end of 2021.” [City of Alexandria]
Alexandria author writes book on 19th century Scottish migrant — “First-time author Ellen Hamilton has spent years working on the story of William Gregory, who settled here in Alexandria in 1807. Now, her first book, ‘A Scottish Migration to Alexandria’, is going into print.” [Alexandria Living]
In a community update yesterday (Thursday), ACPS staff said they’re starting to make progress on plans to vaccinate students in-school.
Currently vaccination is only available for children ages 12 and above. Julie Crawford, chief of Student Services and Equity, said at a meeting yesterday that the teenager category has been one of the most thoroughly vaccinated age groups in the city. Crawford said ACPS is getting ready to offer in-school vaccination as a prelude for when vaccination is allowed for the younger age group.
News of over a dozen school deaths from COVID in Miami has led ACPS to reconsider it’s earlier position of allowing staff to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.
At a School Board meeting last week, the board voted to make it clear that in the coming weeks a plan will be put together on requiring all staff to be vaccinated — unless that falls into the broad category of claiming a medical or religious exemption.
Alexandria’s seven-day average of positive COVID-19 tests is now the lowest in Virginia.
The percentage was 3.1%, as of Tuesday, September 7, even though the city is experiencing a high level of transmission for the third straight week, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
There has been a 155% increase in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Alexandria this month versus July, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
As of August 24, there have been 521 new cases reported this month, a sharp uptick from the 204 new cases reported in July, which was a 343% increase over the 43 new cases in June. There has also been another death — the first since July 13 — and the death toll from the virus now stands at 142.
What a week in Alexandria.
Public uproar over Sunday’s flooding spilled out throughout this week, which continued to be threatened by near-daily flash flood advisories from the National Weather Service.
