City Of Alexandria: City Of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; VDH Launches QR Codes To Verify Vaccination Status; Demand For Testing

Press release from the City of Alexandria:

Sep 21, 2021 at 6:59 PM

Help end the pandemic by wearing a
mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and
getting vaccinated. Approximately 1 in 20 Alexandrians who have tested positive for COVID-19 have required hospitalization, so without these critical steps, additional lives may be at risk.

VDH Launches QR Codes to Verify Vaccination Status

The Virginia Department of Health
has announced the addition of QR (“quick response”) codes, a type of barcode that can be scanned with smartphones, to Virginia COVID-19 vaccination records. The technology allows anyone to show proof of vaccination with a digital or printed QR code instead of a paper card, and without the need for an app. Free vaccination records are available with a QR code at
vaccinate.virginia.gov for persons who were vaccinated in Virginia. Individuals can download their respective records to a phone gallery, or have them printed on paper or stored in a compatible account. VDH digitally signs the QR code to prevent its alteration or forgery. With the individual’s permission, businesses and employers can verify vaccination status by scanning QR codes with the free
SMART Health Verifier App.

Demand for COVID-19 Testing Increases

COVID testing is in higher demand, partially due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and close contacts, and from increased requirements, such as testing for work and travel. Test results may take up to 72 hours and individuals should factor in this time delay if they are getting tested prior to travel. The City and the Alexandria Health Department offer several resources for testing, including listings of providers, Curative kiosks, and a mobile van. Visit the City’s COVID-19
Get Tested page for more information.

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 Dashboard below includes total doses administered across all facilities, the percentage of residents ages 12 and older who have received at least one dose, 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 through links 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.

This news release is available at
alexandriava.gov/124282.

This press release was produced by the City of Alexandria. The views expressed here are the author’s own.