City Of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Updates To Executive Order 72; Now Scheduling For Vaccine Appointments

Press release from the City of Alexandria:

Apr 22, 2021 at 7:49 PM

City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Updates to Executive Order 72; Now Scheduling for Vaccine Appointments

­­For Immediate Release: April 22, 2021

Help end the pandemic by wearing a
mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and
pre-registering to receive the vaccine. 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.

Updates to Executive Order 72

Governor Ralph Northam amended
Executive Order 72 (EO 72), which contains COVID-19 restrictions. One set of amendments takes effect immediately and a second set will be effective May 15.

EO 72 changes taking effect immediately:

• Entertainment venues: Bar service can resume as long as groups maintain 6 feet of distance between them. Distancing requirements for entertainment and public amusement venues, swimming pool seating, graduations, and recreational sporting events changed from ten feet for spectators to six feet. Musicians are allowed to remove their masks when playing brass and wind instruments and the prohibition on karaoke has been lifted.
• Recreational sporting events: The maximum size of starting groups in outdoor races and marathons increased from 50 up to no more than 100.
• Educational settings: Guidance for school performances has been defined as capacity of 30% or no more than 500 indoors or 1,000 outdoors. Groups of students, teachers, administrators or other school staff can gather for educational instruction. Other school gatherings, like club meetings and dances, are still required to follow social gathering restrictions.
• Personal care and leisure: The requirement for personal care and personal grooming studios to maintain appointment logs and contact information has been removed, along with the prohibition on splash pads, hot tubs, saunas, etc.

EO 72 changes taking effect May 15:

• Social gatherings: The maximum number of individuals permitted in a social gathering will increase to 100 people for indoor settings and 250 people for outdoor settings. Social gatherings are currently limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
• Entertainment venues: Indoor entertainment and public amusement venues will be able to operate at 50% capacity or 1,000 people, up from 30% capacity or 500 people. Outdoor venues will be able to operate at 50% capacity, up from 30%, with no specific cap on the number of attendees.
• Recreational sporting events: The number of spectators allowed at indoor recreational sporting events will increase from 100 to 250 spectators or 50% capacity, whichever is less. Outdoor recreational sporting events will increase from 500 to 1,000 people or 50% capacity, whichever is less.
• Alcohol sales: Restaurants may return to selling alcohol after midnight, and dining room closures will no longer be required between midnight and 5 a.m.

AHD notes that while many restrictions are being lifted, there is still significant community spread in Alexandria and the
City’s mask ordinance remains in effect. Residents should continue to take precautions against COVID-19 and
pre-register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Now Scheduling for Vaccine Appointments

Everyone eligible in Phase 1a, 1b, or 1c who pre-registered prior to April 19 should have received an invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment. If you have not received an invitation to schedule, first check your spam folder. If you have not been contacted, please
complete this form. Provide the exact name and email address or phone number you used to pre-register, and your date of birth.

Everyone who pre-registered by April 5 as part of Phase 2, which is any resident ages 16 and up who is not eligible in Phase 1, has been contacted for an appointment. Anyone who does not have email or internet access should contact the Alexandria COVID-19 Hotline weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 703.746.4988.

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

The seven-day moving average chart below shows the number of COVID-19 cases and the daily and cumulative case and fatality counts, and provides detailed information about how preventive measures are impacting Alexandria's response to the pandemic. An interactive version is available at
alexandriava.gov/114883. The vaccination chart includes total doses administered across all facilities and the percentage of residents ages 16 and older who have been partially and fully vaccinated, and is available at
alexandriava.gov/120654. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at
alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.

One COVID-19 death was removed from Alexandria’s count today due to a misreport. VDH reviews vital records and death certificate data daily. It was determined that one person was a resident of another jurisdiction and has been reallocated from Alexandria’s count to the correct jurisdiction.

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.

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This news release is available at
alexandriava.gov/121846.

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