coronavirus

NEW: Another Covid case record amid huge lines for tests

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of Dec. 30, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) A brief downturn in reported Covid cases in Arlington after Christmas was just that — brief.

With people returning from their holiday trips and testing locations back open, the Virginia Dept. of Health reported a new local  record today for the seven-day moving average of daily cases.

There were 633 new cases reported in Arlington today, the second-highest single day total of the pandemic, after the 687 cases reported on Christmas Day. That brought the seven-day average to 424 daily cases, a new record.

About 1.25% of the Arlington population has tested positive for Covid over the past week, a number that does not include those who are sick but testing with at-home kits or skipping getting tested altogether amid huge lines and shortages.

Arlington Public Library ran out of its latest supply of 2,000 at-home test kits within 20 minutes of beginning distribution today, while the county is advising residents getting tested at county-sponsored testing booths that they must be in line at least an hour-and-a-half before closing time.

https://twitter.com/ReadyArlington/status/1476217281193598978

The good news is that reports of serious illness from the current Omicron variant wave remain low in highly-vaccinated Arlington County. The seven-day moving average of new Covid-related hospitalization ticked up slightly today to around 1.5 per day.

Hospitalizations in Arlington as of Dec. 30, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Five Covid deaths were reported on Tuesday, but the state health department said those were mostly attributable to backdated reports of Arlington residents who died from Covid while out of state. Excluding those, two Covid deaths have been reported over the past week.

The county’s test positivity rate, meanwhile, continues to climb, suggesting that the increase in cases is not just due to higher levels of testing. As of today the test positivity rate was up to 16.2%, after rising every day since hitting 3.3% on Dec. 3.

Test positivity rate in Arlington as of Dec. 30, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said in a statement yesterday that the big rise in cases is “not a reason for panic.” He and other elected leaders continue to urge vaccination as a way to avoid the worst health impacts of a Covid infection.

From Northam’s statement:

The COVID case numbers are a reason for concern, but not a reason for panic. It’s important to understand why.

We have all studied the “number of cases” for many months now, but this data point means something different today, compared to this time last year.

One year ago, vaccines had just become available, so nearly no one had gotten a shot. Today, more than 14 million shots have been given in Virginia. Only nine states have given more shots, and those states are all larger than Virginia. That’s good news, and it’s thanks to a lot of hard work by Virginians.

Vaccinations are keeping people safe, even as the omicron variant spreads. Data from around the world show that if people have gotten vaccinated, and then get COVID, then symptoms are likely to be minor. That’s how the vaccines are designed to work, and it’s more good news.

As the virus becomes endemic, it’s now time to study not only the number of cases, but also the severity of symptoms and the number of people going to the hospital.

The data are clear: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID is unvaccinated. This is entirely avoidable, if everyone gets their shots.

This is really important, because people working in hospitals are exhausted–nurses, doctors, and everyone. They have worked tirelessly for months to care for people who have gotten sick. Please go to the hospital only if you believe you really need to. It’s not fair to put even more pressure on hospital workers to care for people whose hospitalization is avoidable.

Arlington County says more test sites are coming soon, given high demand. The county is strongly encouraging residents to make appointments for testing.

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APS sticks to in-person instruction amid Omicron concerns

By Jo DeVoe

Arlington Public Schools will open its doors for regular in-person instruction next week amid concerns about the Omicron variant and record-high rates of new Covid cases.

Buildings will open on Monday, Jan. 3 with normal schedules for in-person instruction and Extended Day programs, APS said in an email to families yesterday (Wednesday). Free COVID-19 testing at schools will resume Monday as well.

“I know there are many concerns about the spike in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant,” Superintendent Francisco Durán wrote. “I have received questions from staff and families about how the recent spikes affect our return to school. My priority remains to keep our schools safe and open for in-person instruction.”

As a precaution, however, APS will pause in-person athletics and extracurricular activities, starting today (Thursday) until Friday, Jan. 14.

“Limiting non-essential in-person gatherings as we return is one measure to keep school open for instruction,” Durán said. “We will revisit this and provide an update on or before Jan. 14.”

In the last seven days — which includes the holiday break — there have been 74 student COVID-19 cases and 37 employee cases reported to APS, according to the school system’s coronavirus dashboard.

Under Virginia law, APS can only revert to virtual learning temporarily for a classroom or school after consulting with Arlington’s health department, should there be elevated COVID-19 transmission levels in a classroom or school, the announcement said.

As Covid cases rise, some Maryland schools have reverted to online education, while D.C’s public school system is requiring every student and teacher to report a negative rapid antigen test before returning next week.

In response to these changes, Virginia governor-elect Glenn Youngkin told WJLA he will not support virtual instruction or mandate masks for kids.

“I believe children need to be in the classroom five days a week,” Youngkin said. “And I also believe we can in fact balance the needs of our children with the health and safety of our children. And I don’t believe that mandating masks in school is the right way. I believe in making sure we have protocols when children don’t feel well that we in fact don’t have to send them home the entire time. That we can in fact allow them to pursue their education in a different facility or a different place in the school building.”

Teachers and some parents, for different reasons, are pushing back against the APS plans.

A tweet saying that “pausing activities and sports in Arlington makes zero sense” received a dozen retweets and more than 30 likes, a notable amount of engagement for a local post on Twitter.

The Arlington Education Association (AEA), which represents APS teachers, said in a statement early Thursday morning that the school system should either provide testing to everyone returning to schools or go virtual-only until Jan. 18.

“Despite a lack of testing capacity, Covid-19 infection rates are setting local, state, and national records with no peak in sight. APS is about to return to full-day instruction with no reasonable, testing plan to ensure educators spending hours in close contact are not infected,” AEA said. “APS must acquire more testing capacity to safely return to schools on January 3rd. The AEA calls on APS to provide testing to every student and staff member prior to returning to the classroom and/or remain virtual until January 18, ensuring mitigations are in place resembling our neighbors in the DMV area.”

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Geese clean themselves in Boundary Channel (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Hotel Redevelopment Plan Paused — “The redevelopment of one of Arlington’s oldest hotels looks to be on hold indefinitely, as the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic disrupt the hospitality-focused project. Grant Investment Properties is asking county planners for more time to complete its overhaul of Rosslyn’s old Best Western Iwo Jima, now known as the Red Lion Hotel Rosslyn Iwo Jima, at 1501 Arlington Boulevard. A site plan for the project projected that it would be finished by March 2022, but the Chicago-based firm filed papers last week to ask for an extension through March 2025.” [Washington Business Journal]

Proposed APS Changes Questioned — “Based on feedback from the Arlington School Board, the Arlington Public Schools system is focusing on what they call more equitable grading practices. The preliminary proposal calls for: No late penalties for homework… No extra credit… Unlimited redoes and retakes on assignment… No grading for homework.” [WJLA, Washington Post]

Hit and Run Crash in Bluemont — From yesterday afternoon: “Several lanes of Wilson Blvd and N. George Mason Dr are closed after a reported hit-and-run crash in the intersection. Police and Fire Dept. on scene.” [Twitter]

Video: Crash on I-395 — From Dave Statter: “Watch: Another left turn in the middle of an interstate ends badly. 1p, I-395S at Rt 1. Third one recorded at this spot in the last month.” [Twitter]

Toby’s May Be Expanding to Vienna — “Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream, which saw a boost in sales over the summer thanks to the debut of its cicada sundaes, appears to be branching out. The Arlington-based shop, located along a Washington Boulevard in the Westover neighborhood, plans to open a new location at the Cedar Park Shopping Center in Vienna, according to Fairfax County permit data.” [Washington Business Journal]

Nearby: Fire and EMS Staffing Stretched — ” Fairfax County saw its largest-ever increase in coronavirus cases among fire and emergency medical responders this month, mirroring a surge in case rates compared to 2020. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department data shows that there are 53 positive cases and 14 in quarantine, all staying at home to curb the spread of COVID-19.” [FFXnow, DCist, Twitter]

Crash and Arrest Block the Pike — Columbia Pike was blocked at S. Greenbrier Street yesterday evening after a crash in which one of the drivers reportedly refused police commands to exit the vehicle and was later tased. [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — There will be drizzle and possible fog before 2 p.m. on an otherwise cloudy day, with a high near 55. Sunrise at 7:26 a.m. and sunset at 4:54 p.m. Tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve, expect mild weather, with cloudy skies, a high near 60 and a low around 51. [Weather.gov]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Signs for the I-395 Express Lanes (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

Gift Wrap Recycling FYI — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Unfun Post-Holiday Fact: If wrapping paper has a thick glossy finish, it can’t go in the blue recycling bin. Same for anything with glitter.” [Twitter, Arlington County]

More Big Lines at County Testing Sites — “Walk-in #COVID19 tests at County @curative kiosks may not be available due to holiday volumes and weather-related shipping delays. Appointments are strongly encouraged.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Testing at Pharmacy Snarls Traffic — “Scanner: ACPD responding to Preston’s Pharmacy at 5101 Langston Blvd for reports of traffic issued caused by Covid testing.” [Twitter]

N. Va. Lagging D.C. in Test Options — “Shortages in COVID-19 testing availability have become acute lately, as the highly contagious omicron variant surges and area residents scramble to get tested before and after holiday gatherings. In Northern Virginia, where free public testing availability has frequently lagged behind the options in D.C., capacity is particularly strained.” [DCist]

ACFD Ambulances Dispatched to Maryland — From public safety watchdog Dave Statter: “Not sure what’s going on right now in Prince George’s County (I imagine @PGFDNews is slammed on the EMS side), but recently heard @ArlingtonVaFD’s Medic 105 sent to Hillcrest Heights.” [Twitter, Twitter]

It’s Tuesday — Today it will be mostly cloudy with a high near 56 and a slight rain chance in the afternoon. Sunrise at 7:26 a.m. and sunset at 4:54 p.m. Tomorrow expect light rain throughout the day, with a low of 47 and a high of 54. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

County libraries to offer more free at-home COVID-19 rapid tests this week

By Jo DeVoe

This week, Arlington Public Library will once again be giving away at-home COVID-19 test kits.

Starting Thursday at noon, some 2,000 kits will be available across all seven library locations, the library system announced Monday evening.

“Test kits are dispensed on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be picked up from the service desk at each Library location,” the library announcement says. “Neither proof of County residency nor a library card is required, and the kits are free of charge.”

The distribution follows a similar effort two weeks ago in which people snapped up the 360 available rapid antigen test kits in a few hours. Another round of test kit giveaways last week lasted less than an hour.

Initially, Arlington Public Library estimated new tests wouldn’t come until the new year.

Visitors can pick up test kits, supplied by Virginia Department of Health, for themselves and household members, the announcement says. It advises folks to act quickly.

“Due to increased demand, test kits at library locations are expected to be out of stock very quickly,” the library said. “Please check back for updates.”

Masks are required in all library buildings. The library asks those with COVID-19 symptoms to send someone else to pick up their test for them.

Demand for COVID-19 tests in Arlington has picked up with the holiday season and the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, resulting in long lines and even heavy vehicle traffic as people try to get swabbed.

https://twitter.com/VictoriaBroehm/status/1473411681346895874

For those who can’t get an at-home test kit from the library, Arlington County has three testing kiosks open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

They’re found in the Arlington Mill Community Center parking lot (909 S. Dinwiddie Street), the Courthouse Plaza parking lot (2088 15th Street N.) and the Virginia Highlands Park parking lot (1600 S. Hayes Street).

The kiosks will close at 2 p.m. on Friday and will be closed Saturday, New Year’s Day.

VDH also has a list of testing locations.

Rise in new Covid cases in Arlington takes a Christmas break

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of Dec. 27, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

A pre-Christmas testing bonanza helped contribute to a steep, record-breaking rise in Covid cases in Arlington last week, but the holiday managed to bend the curve.

A more modest 126 cases were reported today, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data, bringing the seven-day moving average down slightly to 364 daily cases. Reports of serious illness remain muted, with an average of one hospitalization per day.

After nearly three weeks without a reported Covid death in Arlington, two fatalities have been reported since Christmas day.

Covid hospitalizations in Arlington as of Dec. 27, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The state health department does not break out other details locally, such as whether any of the serious illness and death in Arlington was attributable to the new, quickly spreading Omicron variant.

While a rise in testing leading up to Christmas likely helped to inflate case counts, a big drop in testing reports sent to VDH during the holiday weekend appears to be a primary contributor to the drop in new cases. Through it all, the county’s test positivity rate has continued to rise, reaching 12.4% today.

That’s the highest test positivity rate since May 2020, during the pandemic’s first wave.

Covid testing in Arlington as of Dec. 27, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

JUST IN: New Covid case records for Arlington, but serious illness remains at pre-wave levels

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of 12/23/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

There’s good news and bad news on the Covid front in Arlington.

The bad news is that the graph of new Covid cases continues going up and to the right. Arlington set fresh single-day and seven-day case records today, with 359 new cases reported today and a seven-day moving average of 258 cases per day, well exceeding the previous records — set yesterday.

Just over 1% of Arlington’s population has tested positive for Covid over the past two weeks, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

The good news is that there has still been no corresponding increase in serious illness beyond the pre-Omicron wave levels.

Covid hospitalizations in Arlington as of 12/23/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

No new hospitalizations were reported today in the county, bringing the seven-day average daily hospitalization rate back down below one. The last Covid-related death in Arlington was on Dec. 3, according to VDH.

The lack of severe illness in the face of a major wave of infections may somewhat be explained by a lag time between testing positive and getting severely sick, but likely is better explained by Arlington’s relatively high vaccination rate. More than 93% of the adult population has received at least one vaccination shot, while 81.5% of adults in Arlington are fully vaxxed.

Amid massive lines at local testing centers, both the number of tests performed and the test positivity rate have been going up. More than 2,000 PCR-based tests per day have been performed over the past week, while the test positivity rate has more than doubled over the past two weeks, to 8.8% today.

Test positivity rate in Arlington as of 12/23/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

“As the transmission increases, Public Health leaders in Northern Virginia are encouraging residents to maintain their vigilance in curbing the spread of COVID-19 to minimize hospitalizations and deaths during this winter surge,” Arlington County wrote in a COVID-19 update on Tuesday.

The county is urging residents who contract the virus to answer the call from contact tracers.

“If you test positive for COVID-19, please answer the phone call from Arlington Public Health to receive further guidance,” the county wrote. “If we don’t reach you, we will leave a message. In the meantime, please call your known close contacts to let them know they may have been exposed and encourage them to get tested, regardless of their vaccination status.”

Morning Poll: Which are you more worried about?

By ARLnow.com
People in line for Covid testing in Courthouse, where the line wrapped around the block (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On Tuesday Arlington’s seven-day moving average of Covid cases set another record.

Just shy of 200 people are testing positive for the virus in Arlington each day, on average, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. Lines for local Covid testing sites stretch around multiple blocks. And yet, people are (mostly) still traveling for the holidays, dining at restaurants and generally living their lives.

Also, while local cases are skyrocketing — amid the Omicron variant wave that’s sweeping across the country — Covid-related hospitalizations remain at modest levels: just over one per day, on average, in Arlington. Hospitalizations are a lagging indicator, but the lack of a big spike is an encouraging sign that the vaccines are working and, perhaps, Omicron is not as deadly as past variants.

Meanwhile, there’s another worry on the minds of people this holiday season: inflation. Rising prices in the grocery store, at the gas pump and even the pizzeria elsewhere have put a squeeze on many people’s finances.

“U.S. inflation is at its highest rate in nearly four decades this fall, reaching 6.8% in November from a year ago,” the Wall Street Journal recently reported. “Consumers are seeing prices rise sharply for a variety of goods and services because of persistent supply and labor shortages and strong demand.”

Some of the price increases are being partially offset by rising wages, but there are still worries that inflation could continue and, together with rising real estate prices, make it tough for some households to make ends meet.

Given all of that, we’re wondering this morning — while acknowledging the incredible human toll of the pandemic overall — whether Arlington residents are currently more worried about the rises in Covid or inflation.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The departures lanes at Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More Huge Covid Testing Lines — “This is the current situation at VA Highlands Park #COVID19 testing center! How do they expect people to preemptively get tested if that means standing in the bitter cold for hours?” [Twitter]

Libraries Run Out of At-Home Tests — “And Arlington libraries are out of tests, less than an hour after doors opened. No more tests until at least after Jan. 1.” [Twitter]

Arlington Band Gets Another Grammy Nod — “When the nominations for the Grammy Awards were announced on Tuesday, featured among the artistes up for the Best Reggae Album is the American band SOJA. The band was nominated for their seventh studio album Beauty in the Silence which was released on September 24 on ATO Records. It is not their first time to the party having been nominated on two previous occasions for their 2017 project Live in Virginia and Amid the Noise and Haste released in 2015.” [Jamaica Observer]

Teen Arrested for Armed Robbery — “The victim was walking in the area when he was approached by the two juvenile male suspects. Suspect One allegedly brandished a firearm and demanded the victim give them his belongings, while Suspect Two stole his backpack, cell phone, wallet and car keys. The two suspects then fled the scene on foot. A description of the suspects was broadcast and a short time later, officers located Suspect One in the area of S. George Mason Drive and Columbia Pike. During a search of his person incident to arrest, officers recovered the victim’s belongings, as well as a firearm.” [ACPD]

Our Holiday Wish — Despite being repeatedly cited as a source on Wikipedia, ARLnow does not currently have its own Wikipedia entry. The online encyclopedia frowns upon you creating a page for yourself, so our holiday wish is for someone to see fit to finally create one that briefly tells our story.

It’s Winter — It’s officially winter, after yesterday’s winter solstice. On the plus side, the days will only get longer and lighter from here on out. Today will start cloudy in the morning before becoming sunny in the afternoon. It will be breezy, with a high of 45. Sunrise at 7:23 a.m. and sunset at 4:50 p.m. Tomorrow will be clear throughout the day, with a high of 42 and a low of 27. [Capital Weather Gang, Darksky]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Ballston Quarter’s outdoor Christmas tree (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Shot Fired in Buckingham — “At approximately 3:04 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of shots heard in the 4200 block of 2nd Road N. Upon arrival, it was determined that the male victim exited an apartment, encountered the two suspects in the hallway and confronted them. A physical altercation ensued, and one suspect produced a firearm. During the struggle, a shot was fired, causing damage to the door of an apartment. The suspects then fled the scene. Responding officers recovered the firearm.” [ACPD]

Driver Strikes Child in Falls Church — “At approximately 4:15 p.m., Falls Church Police and Arlington County Fire and Medical units were dispatched for a report of vehicular crash with injuries involving a pedestrian, approximately 3 to 4 years old. The victim was taken to Fairfax Hospital and is currently listed in critical condition. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. The preliminary investigation is still underway with no additional details at this time.” [City of Falls Church, Twitter]

Huge Covid Testing Line Monday Evening — “The Court House Curative kiosk COVID-19 testing line is probably 100+ people long right now.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Fairlington Fire Station’s Future in Flux — “The Arlington government three years ago closed Fire Station #7 over concerns about the structural integrity of its flooring. It has since been determined that it would be too costly to upgrade the facility to resume its original function, but competing planning priorities coupled with the COVID crisis have left the building’s future unclear. A community process to determine the future of Fairlington’s 1940s-era, one-bay fire station has been on hold during the COVID crisis, but may be tackled in early 2022.” [Sun Gazette]

Fire Departments Struggling With Staffing — From public safety watchdog Dave Statter “Alexandria isn’t alone. Area fire department staffing is impacting the number of fire & EMS units available at a time when Covid is surging. There’s also significant impact on EMS availability due to hospital staffing leaving ambulance crews stuck at EDs with patients.” [Twitter]

Local Scholarship Application Now Open — “Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) launched its 2022 scholarship application today, providing Arlington high school students with an opportunity to compete for more than 70 scholarships worth over $525,000 in student aid. A single, common application gives students an easy way to apply for an award from more than 55 individual scholarship funds.” [Press Release]

Marymount Now Requiring Booster Shot — “On Monday, Marymount University administrators shared with its community members an enhanced COVID-19 vaccination policy that will require a booster shot for all students, faculty and staff who will be physically present on campus during the upcoming semester, a precautionary measure designed to ensure the best possible protection against the virus.” [Press Release]

It’s Tuesday — Today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Sunrise at 7:23 a.m. and sunset at 4:49 p.m. Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high near 48 and wind gusts as high as 24 mph. [Weather.gov]

BREAKING: Covid cases rocket upward, shattering record, with hospitalizations low but growing

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington on 12/20/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

(Updated at noon) It’s a tale of two Covids: the rate of new cases has shattered the previous record in Arlington, but so far there has been no significant increase in reported hospitalizations.

The Virginia Dept. of Health reported 286, 193, and 232 new daily cases over the past three days, respectively. Arlington’s previous single-day case record was 193 on Jan. 9.

The seven-day moving average of new daily cases currently stands at 172, well above the previous high point of just over 120 cases per day in January. The average was below 100 cases per day just three days ago.

Covid cases in Arlington on 12/20/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Arlington’s test positivity rate, meanwhile, is rapidly increasing and currently stands at 6.5%, more than triple the positivity rate at the beginning of November, though lower than the current 9.3% rate statewide.

Long line outside a private Covid testing location in Ballston on Sunday morning (staff photo)

Testing shortages and long lines at testing sites are being reported in Arlington and around the region. Only one county-sponsored testing kiosk is open today “due to unexpected shipping delays of COVID-19 test kits,” Arlington County said today. A huge line could be seen this morning outside the lone county test site that remains open, in Courthouse.

Arlington Public Library, meanwhile, says it is out of at-home tests and has not received new shipments from the state.

“When VDH makes a delivery, we will update the status on our web site and post to our social media channels,” a library spokesperson told ARLnow this morning. “Please check back tomorrow.”

Similar testing shortages and lines have been reported in D.C. and in Alexandria.

The World Health Organization said over the weekend that it’s seeing rapid growth in cases due to the new, more contagious Omicron variant.

“COVID-19 cases detected with the newest variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in areas where there is community spread, WHO said,” according to Axios. “Coronavirus cases are surging across Europe, largely driven by the Omicron variant… Cases in the U.S. are rising rapidly, with both New York and Washington, D.C., reporting record daily numbers Friday — and there’s no reason to think they’ve peaked yet.”

Arlington Public Schools, meanwhile, is reporting 105 positive tests among public schools countywide over the past seven days, according to its online Covid dashboard. The school with the most positive cases during that time period is Washington-Liberty High School, with 19.

On Saturday, the school sent an email to families saying that 15 new cases had been reported.

“Three Grade 9 students, five Grade 10 students, and two Grade 11 students, and five Grade 12 students at Washington-Liberty have tested positive for COVID-19,” said the email, obtained by ARLnow. The email added that close contacts of each of those students may need to quarantine, depending on several factors including mask usage.

“We want to assure you that the health and safety of our students, staff and families is a top priority for APS,” the email said.

Late last week, Northern Virginia health districts urged “vigilance” in the face of a “surge” of cases. From a press release:

As disease transmission increases, Public Health leaders in the Northern Virginia region (Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Arlington Counties, including all towns and municipalities- and the City of Alexandria) are encouraging residents to maintain their vigilance in curbing the spread of COVID-19 to minimize hospitalizations and deaths during this winter surge.

Since the start of this pandemic almost two years ago, there have been more than 2,600 COVID-19 deaths, 9,000 hospitalizations, and 230,000 cases in northern Virginia. Many of the hospitalizations and deaths occurred during last winter’s surge.

Hospitalizations in Arlington have risen modestly over the past week, but remain relatively low. Two additional hospitalizations were reported today, bringing the seven-day moving average to just over one per day for the first time since the start of October.

At the height of the initial pandemic wave, in the spring of 2020, reported Covid hospitalizations peaked at more than a dozen per day.

The last reported Covid-related death in Arlington was on Dec. 3, more than two weeks ago.

Covid hospitalizations in Arlington on 12/20/21 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

One expert said over the weekend that Omicron does not appear to cause more serious illness, despite its greater transmissibility.

“What we’ve seen in South Africa in particular, is a decoupling between the cases and hospitalizations,” former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said on CBS’s Face the Nation. High levels of vaccination and immunity from prior infection may be helping to tamp down on serious illness from Covid, he added.

Mike Silverman, chief of the emergency department at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, wrote in his weekly public Facebook post on Friday that the hospital is seeing more people falling ill from Covid.

(more…)

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