Neighborhood Health Holds Community Testing Event In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Neighborhood Health is leading the way for expanding coronavirus testing in Alexandria to people regardless of symptoms. While overall testing has been limited to symptomatic individuals, Neighborhood Health held a community testing event with the Alexandria Health Department Saturday as part of a pilot program.

The Saturday, May 16 testing event was held in coordination with Arlandria-based nonprofits Casa Chirilagua, Community Lodgings, and Tenants and Workers United. ZIP code data released by the Virginia Department of Health showed 22305 had a higher positivity rate and case rate than other Alexandria ZIP codes. The ZIP code includes the Arlandria/Chirilagua neighborhood, where activists called for widespread testing from the state.

The community testing event was the first step in expanding community testing in the city as capacity improves in the future. There were 236 samples collected at the testing event.

The Alexandria Health Department will contact individuals with positive and negative results, while Neighborhood Health will contact individuals with a positive result if they do not have a health care provider. The Alexandria Health Department provided personal protective equipment and medical reserve corps volunteers to help with patient flow. The city government provided logistics support for vehicle-side testing, informational materials, signage, traffic and parking control, and emergency medical support.

Neighborhood Health, which serves, low-income, uninsured and underinsured residents, conducts COVID-19 screening and testing for its patients. Patients who need an evaluation should call 703-535-5568. Alexandria residents with a health care provider should contact their doctor to ask about an evaluation or testing.

The Alexandria Health Department is hiring for several positions during the pandemic: communications officer, senior epidemiologist, and two public health nurses in the areas of sexual reproductive health and tuberculosis/wewcomer health. The Virginia Department of Health is also hiring 1,300 contact tracers statewide among other positions. Contact tracers will be distributed in different regions of Virginia, including Northern Virginia.

As of Monday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 1,510 cumulative coronavirus cases, 162 hospitalizations and 34 deaths. The rate of cases is 941 per 100,000. The 80 and up age group accounts for 43.8 percent of deaths, followed by the 70 to 79 age group with 28.1 percent of deaths, 50 to 59 age group with 21.9 percent of deaths and 20 to 29 and 60 to 69 age groups with 3.1 percent each.

In a virtual town hall last Thursday, Mayor Justin Wilson said there were 64 presumed or confirmed patients currently hospitalized at Inova Alexandria Hospital, and overall capacity stood at 69 percent.

Here are the latest case and testing numbers for Alexandria ZIP codes:

• 22206 (Arlington County and Alexandria): 120 cases, 548 tested, 21.8 percent positive rate
• 22301: 54 cases, 349 tested, 15.4 percent positive rate, 15,171 population
• 22302: 156 cases, 522 tested, 29.8 percent positive rate, 20,238 population
• 22304: 450 cases, 1,578 tested, 28.5 percent positive rate, 54,003 population
• 22305: 431 cases, 832 tested, 51.8 percent positive rate, 16,095 population
• 22311 (Alexandria and Fairfax County): 277 cases, 774 tested, 35.7 percent positive rate, 16,898 population
• 22312 (Alexandria and Fairfax County): 313 cases, 960 tested, 32.6 percent positive rate, 6,901 population
• 22314: 138 cases, 830 tested, 16.6 percent positive rate, 47,826 population

SEE ALSO:

• Alexandria ZIP Code Among Top For Coronavirus Cases In Virginia
• Face Coverings To Be Required On Alexandria's DASH Buses