Arlington is now just three shy of 3,000 coronavirus cases, as the rate of new cases continues to climb.
The county added 24 new cases overnight, bringing the cumulative total to 2,997. The number of new cases has been above the seven-day moving average — which now stands at 20 cases per day, or 140 per week, the highest point since June 11 — five out of the past six days.
The growth in cases is being monitored by Arlington’s public health office.
“We are following this increase in cases as reported,” said Arlington Public Health spokeswoman Cara O’Donnell. “We saw a similar increase in cases from the end of June/beginning of July until July 14 and then a subsequent decline. We would prefer a continued decline in cases. Only time will tell if this continues to rise.”
O’Donnell said Arlington residents should remain vigilant and continue following precautions, like wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, and physical distancing.
“It is important to remember that even though Virginia has lessened restrictions on gathering, it doesn’t mean Arlingtonians should be relaxing behaviors we know will prevent spread of the COVID-19 virus — things like staying home as the preferred option, keeping 6 foot distances or more when venturing out for essential needs, and wearing face coverings,” she said. “Public Health continues to work with our community to stress the importance of abiding by these personal behaviors given that community-wide spread is still occurring in Arlington and the region.”
“We know and we’re seeing people want to do things like go out to a restaurant or go on vacation,” O’Donnell continued. “While Virginia has lifted restrictions to allow for some of that to happen, COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon as the ongoing cases show.”
Despite the rising case count in Arlington, other metrics are, encouragingly, remaining steady so far.
There have only been five new COVID-related hospitalizations of Arlington residents over the past week, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data, and the PCR test positivity rate remains relatively low at 4.4% with a rise in the number of tests performed.
Additionally, new cases in Northern Virginia as a region have remained steady, with the seven-day moving average of new daily cases currently below 200.
(Updated at 8:20 p.m.) The chairman of the Arlington GOP has been booted from the “Arlington Neighbors Helping Each Other Through COVID-19” Facebook group for threatening to expose those who file complaints about local businesses.
In a post on Sunday, one of the group’s moderators said that Andrew Loposser posted screenshots showing the names and contact information of people who filed complaints about COVID-related violations in Virginia. He also threatened to reveal information others who complain.
“We have removed and blocked the chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, Mr. Andrew Loposser, from Arlington Neighbors Helping Each Other Through COVID-19,” wrote moderator Joshua Farrar.
He continued:
Threatening to dox and protest members of our community who report potential violations of our public health policies, developed and enacted in response to COVID-19, in the interest of public health, is entirely unacceptable. Comparisons of those who support public health restrictions on local business to Nazis are horrid and inappropriate, and diminish the experiences of Holocaust survivors, and are an affront to the memory of the millions of lives upended and extinguished, murdered, by Hitler and his machinery of extermination. We do not know how this individual was able to obtain complaint data and we do not know what other data this individual possesses. As such, we have reported this incident to local authorities.
Loposser appears to have also made a “Nazi” comparison in response to a post about Arlington’s new restrictions on sidewalk gatherings and queues.
Loposser tells ARLnow that he decided to write the post about those filing complaints to combat what he described as a culture of “hysteria” over the pandemic.
“I believe people who are fomenting hysteria across Virginia and in our community should be criticized for creating an unsafe environment surrounding coronavirus guidelines,” he said. “The ‘Arlington Neighbors’ Facebook group is… being driven by misinformed busybodies who are wreaking havoc on businesses they don’t like. I posted about those busybodies, and the partisan admins block people they don’t agree with.”
Though outdoor gatherings are believed to be safer than indoor gatherings during the pandemic, a number of recent posts on the Facebook group have focused on outdoor behavior perceived as risky.
“I was out walking in my neighborhood and a rude runner ran literally right up on me, close enough I felt him breathe on me on an exhale,” wrote one user. “Should I be worried about being breathed on? Ew. I’m obviously annoyed and shaken, especially since I was a bit startled.”
Comments about the encounter were split between those criticizing runners and cyclists who don’t wear masks and those who do not believe such momentary outdoor encounters are likely to spread the disease.
“Hi, does anyone think The Lot in Clarendon is a nightmare and coronavirus mega spreader?” asked another user, regarding the outdoor beer garden, in a post that received more than 100 comments.
“Businesses like The Lot are being constantly harassed… with no regard to state or federal guidelines on outdoor gatherings,” Loposser said. “There are dozens of posts in the ‘Arlington Neighbors’ group driving this ridiculous narrative… The group used to be a net positive in our community, and it’s devolved to ‘Lord of the Flies.'”
Loposser said the Facebook group is private and “can do what they want,” but decried treatment of those skeptical of the prevailing views around ways to prevent COVID-19 infections.
“People with minority viewpoints are constantly personally attacked in this group,” he said. “It’s certainly a microcosm of the kind of intolerance we see in liberal communities like Arlington… Stepping outside the majority groupthink will get you personally belittled and attacked.”
The “Arlington Neighbors” group has been trying to combat toxic discourse that seems endemic to any online forum of a certain size in 2020. In a new post this morning, co-founder Kellen MacBeth outlined new posting guidelines intended to make the group a more welcoming and helpful place.
Among them: no posting photos of people “with the intent to shame” and no “unverified information about businesses or COVID-19 that could cause harm.”
Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com
On July 14th, APS chose the best of a bad series of options by deciding to reopen schools 100% virtually.
Outrage over schools’ inability to fully reopen should not, of course, be directed at schools themselves, but at the public health failure that makes it impossible for most of them to do so.
COVID-19 presents APS with a unique opportunity to take stock of what is working, abandon what is not, and creatively and equitably implement an effective 21st-century education for all.
Instructional and student achievement
Learning to read, spell, and write is a fundamental basis for all school learning, but APS’ reading achievement gap is widening. APS’ 2018/19 reading SOL pass rates by subgroups further prove that our minority communities (Black, Hispanic, Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, and English Language Learners) will be the most impacted by APS’ virtual reopening. Their literacy skills lag behind their White, Asian, and Multiple Race peers (Black – 72%, Hispanic – 66%, White – 94%, Asian – 86%, Multiple Races – 92%, Students with Disabilities – 54%, Economically Disadvantaged – 63%, and English Language Learners – 38%.)
For students struggling to read and/or write, learning new content and demonstrating mastery in any subject area already was challenging in a 100% in-person learning environment. Students with poor literacy skills, who are required to work more independently in the virtual learning environment, will face even bigger challenges for APS to overcome. (more…)
(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Arlington is averaging just over a dozen new coronavirus cases per day over the past week, a relatively low number, but one set against the backdrop of rising cases in other parts of the state.
The county’s seven-day moving average ticked up this morning, with 16 new cases reported overnight by the Virginia Dept. of Health. Arlington’s test positivity rate, however, is pointing down: it’s now 3.9%, as the seven-day moving average of daily tests climbs to 376.
Encouragingly, no new COVID-related deaths have been reported in Arlington over the past week and only one new hospitalization has been reported over the same time period.
A University of Virginia model published last week included Arlington among jurisdictions — about a third of health districts in the Commonwealth — with a surge in COVID-19 cases. That model, however, appears to have been based on data from when new cases were still on the rise in the county.
The latest numbers show that Arlington still has community spread, but the epidemic is being held in check at the moment. That is also largely the case for Northern Virginia as a whole, with new daily cases remaining relatively steady — minus a spike in cases reported today.
Outside of Northern Virginia, however, the state has a rising epidemic, with new cases continuing to climb. That prompted a warning from Gov. Ralph Northam over the weekend.
“We will be watching the public health data closely over the weekend — if the numbers don’t come down, we may have to take additional steps to blunt the spread of this virus,” Northam said Saturday, as quoted by InsideNova.
Statewide, 1,505 new cases were reported overnight — the highest daily total since May 26 and Virginia’s second highest one-day spike since the start of the pandemic.
A 2-3 week rise in new coronavirus cases in Arlington appears to be abating, for now.
The county’s seven-day trailing rate of new cases is back down into the double digits for the first time in a week. It now stands at 90, after topping out at 129 on Saturday — two weeks after the Fourth of July.
The county’s test positivity rate is down to 5.6% after reaching 6.6% on July 13. That compares to a low of 2.5% late last month.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19, meanwhile, have gone up. Nine new hospitalizations have been reported over the past week, the highest rate of hospitalizations in Arlington since June 21.
The cumulative total of confirmed cases in Arlington now stands at 2,750, while there have been 431 cumulative hospitalizations, according to the latest Virginia Dept. of Health data.
In response to an inquiry from ARLnow last week, Arlington Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese said the county was not seeing enough evidence to link holiday travel to rising cases. He instead emphasized that Arlington residents should take precautions — staying at home if possible, wearing masks and physically distancing when out — wherever they are.
“People need to recognize that most of the U.S., if not all of the U.S., has community spread,” Varghese said.
New cases in Arlington continued to skew toward younger adults. Over the past week, more than half of new cases are among those ages 20-39. By comparison, only one new case has been reported among those ages 70 and up.
D.C.’s health director has attributed a rise in cases in the District to, according to DCist, “slacking off when it comes to following guidance for social distancing, wearing masks, and only venturing out for essential activities.” Some have wondered whether weekend bar-going crowds in Clarendon contributed to the rise here, though so far local health officials have not singled it — or any other activity — out as a significant factor.
The Starbucks at Penrose Square is closed due to an employee testing positive for coronavirus.
The coffee shop at 2413 Columbia Pike closed over the weekend and is not expected to reopen until Wednesday, a Starbucks representative confirmed Monday afternoon.
“We recently learned that a partner (employee) at the store received a positive diagnosis for COVID-19,” company spokesman Jory Mendes tells ARLnow. “As soon as we learned of the diagnosis, we quickly activated our protocols, closed the store and initiated a deep clean (which has already taken place) following all recommended guidelines from public health authorities.”
“The respective partner and all other partners that were determined to have been in close contact with them are currently self-isolating – all partners affected will be compensated for the time they will miss during the recommended 14 days of self-isolation,” Mendes added. “The store is planned to re-open this Wednesday, 7/22 with partners who were not in close contact with the infected individual.”
Making Room is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.
Like many states throughout the country, Virginia suspended evictions during the public health emergency caused by Covid-19. This was an essential step for protecting vulnerable community members during this pandemic. Evictions are damaging not only because they remove a person from their home, but they also make it difficult for the person to get a lease in the future. To have a resilient community that can survive this pandemic, we need to keep everyone housed.
Advocates like me thought that Arlington evictions would be put on hold until July 21. As late as the July 7 Housing Commission meeting, the people who are generally the most plugged-in thought the moratorium would be extended. Instead, the Arlington General District Court started hearing unlawful detainer (eviction) cases at the beginning of July and there are 112 cases scheduled for Thursday, July 30.
Eviction moratoriums are a stop-gap measure meant to buy time for long-term solutions. At some point, the moratorium will end and the rent will be due in a lump sum, which could mean thousands of dollars owed. On top of this, the additional $600 in weekly unemployment benefits is set to expire on July 31. Preventing a “tsunami” of evictions is imperative. It’s times like this that I wish the United States had guaranteed minimum income. But let’s settle for providing financial assistance to reduce rent owed and give tenants a better standing to negotiate with landlords.
Arlington’s Tenant-Landlord Commission started work last year on plans to reduce evictions, two of which went into effect earlier this year. First, the Clerk of Court is now attaching a one-page summary of eviction prevention resources to the summons sent to Arlington residents who are facing eviction. If tenants know their rights and their resources to stop the eviction process, hopefully we can keep more people in their homes. Second, the Arlington General District Court will hold unlawful detainer (eviction) hearings Thursdays each week. This will allow service providers, such as Arlington’s Department of Human Services (DHS) and legal aid, to deploy staff when they will have the most impact. Caseworkers and attorneys can intervene before docket calls to provide resources and mediation that can divert a tenant from an eviction.
These two relatively simple, low-cost strategies can give tenants the information and resources they need to prevent an eviction. Arlington should do more to provide legal representation for tenants during the eviction process. Funding another attorney would be a relatively small cost for an incredibly significant benefit.
What at-risk families need most right now is money to pay their rent. In the past few months, Arlington County has provided $1.9 million to Arlington Thrive to expand its capacity to provide emergency financial assistance for families facing immediate need. Virginia has also rolled out a program to provide grants to families to cover their rent. DHS is working to distribute these funds, regardless of a resident’s immigration status and with no impact on the Public Charge rule.
Governor Northam called a special session of the General Assembly to address the Covid-19 crisis. Now is the time to act before families are forced into crowded, unsafe conditions; pushed further from their jobs and communities; or end up on the streets.
Northam has a responsibility renew the eviction moratorium, as a prelude to a more comprehensive plan for reducing evictions during the pandemic and beyond. VOICE has issued a 4-part test that communities should to pass before resuming evictions. Just as we shouldn’t reopen bars before we have the virus under control, we shouldn’t evict people until they know their rights and our social service agencies are equipped to provide renters the help they are entitled to.
Jane Fiegen Green, an Arlington resident since 2015, proudly rents an apartment in Pentagon City with her family. By day, she is the Membership Director for Food and Water Watch and by night she tries to navigate the Arlington Way. Opinions here are her own.
The Marine Corps Marathon will be held virtually this year, race organizers announced today.
The October marathon usually involves miles of closed streets, tens of thousands of runners grouped together, and large festivals in Rosslyn and Crystal City. That will not be the case for 2020.
Due to the “ongoing public health concerns and the guidelines of local governments,” participants will instead be asked to run 26.2 miles on their own in order to receive their finisher medal, organizers said. Previously, the companion MCM10K and MCM Kids Run were made virtual-only, while the main event was still set to be run on Sunday, Oct. 25.
“We explored various approaches to safely execute a live event and held numerous meetings with Marine Corps leadership, local government and public health officials,” Rick Nealis, director of the Marine Corps Marathon Organization (MCMO), said in a press release today. “We understand this is disappointing news for many, but we could no longer envision a way to gather together in compliance with safety guidelines. While we are unable to celebrate in-person this October, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the 45th anniversary event to the homes of runners around the world through a rewarding and engaging virtual experience.”
“Health and safety are our top priorities during this challenging time,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “The Marine Corps Marathon is a treasured event and tradition in our community that Arlingtonians look forward to each year. As we celebrate the race’s 45th anniversary this year, we will be enthusiastically and virtually cheering on each runner. We can’t wait to welcome these dedicated athletes and fans back to Arlington in person in 2021.”
More from a press release:
The virtual MCM Weekend events including the MCM, MCM10K, MCM50K and the MCM Semper Fun Mile must be completed between October 1 – November 10, the Marine Corps Birthday. All participants will receive the corresponding participant shirt, commemorative bib, patch and/or finisher medal. Runners will also have access to an online event program, personalized finisher certificate, the MCM Audio Experience and several new digital engagement platforms.
Further instructions and a link to the registration change form will be sent this week to the e-mail address provided by participants during registration. The deadline for currently registered runners to take action on the change form is August 5, 2020.
Runners currently in the live MCM or MCM50K category have the option to:
Defer entry to a future year (2021, 2022 or 2023) of the runner’s choice at no additional fee; These runners will have a guaranteed virtual entry available for purchase for 24 hours following initiation of the deferment process.
Request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.
Runners who already deferred to a future year and paid a deferment fee will receive an automatic refund of the $30 fee and have the option to:
Remain deferred for 2021, 2022 or 2023; or
Request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.
Runners who previously transferred directly from the live to the virtual event have the option to:
Request a partial refund of the registration fee minus the $45 virtual entry fee; or
Cancel registration and request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.
Virtual event registration is open to the public. Entry fees are $45 for the MCM and MCM50K; $33 for the MCM10K; and $20 for the Semper Fun Mile.
Refunds of registration fees will be processed beginning on August 6, 2020 and may take between four to six weeks. Processing fees will not be refunded.
In addition to marking its 45th anniversary, this year’s MCM commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima by featuring actual volcanic ash collected at that site within the event medal.
(Updated at 10:20 p.m.) The Overlee Community Association pool closed after a reported COVID-19 case and possible outbreak this week.
The private swim club was shuttered last night, with a sign on the door saying: “Closed, see email from Board coming soon.” Multiple sources tell ARLnow the closure is due to COVID-19. Members are reportedly being told that the pool was closed as a precaution after one person who recently visited the pool tested positive.
Two people independently described the situation to ARLnow as people getting COVID-like symptoms following a swim meet over the weekend.
“Overlee pool has a big outbreak on their swim team with coaches, kids and parents with symptoms and positive tests,” said one tipster, whose children work at another private swim club in Arlington. “We’re worried COVID cases are being concealed, endangering pool staff and guests.”
“Seems like Overlee pool has had a significant COVID outbreak after holding an intrasquad swim meet on Saturday,” said another tipster. “Lots of cases in the community. Expecting a message this afternoon.”
Thus far, neither the association nor the county has provided additional information about the situation to ARLnow.
An email to the Overlee Community Association’s board president last night has not been returned. A spokeswoman for Arlington’s public health department declined comment.
Arlington’s seven-day rate of new coronavirus cases rose to 124 today, the highest point since June 13. Two of the county’s indoor public pools, in Washington-Liberty and Yorktown high schools, reopened on Saturday.
Coronavirus is believed to spread primarily through respiratory droplets in the air, not in the water.
A number of readers have criticized ARLnow following the publication of this article, which has since been updated with new information provided to us.
“I implore you to remove the Overlee swim club article. It is not accurate,” wrote one. “There is no outbreak. The county worked with the pool to notify individuals that may have been at risk after one member reported a positive test.”
“Most of the facts and anonymous tips were completely untrue and unbelievable as member of Overlee and a member of the swim team I am hear to tell you that all these anonymous tips are actually just straight false information from other rival swim teams,” wrote another person, in an anonymous tip. “The meet held on Saturday was very small and everyone was social distancing and was required to wear masks.”
Overlee members were subsequently sent an email Thursday night, referencing “a local website’s erroneous article,” but also revealing that three Overlee members have tested positive.
A person with knowledge of the outbreak, who spoke to ARLnow on the condition of anonymity, said that even that number is understated — multiple members of multiple families have tested positive, we’re told. The positive cases appear to be linked to an intrasquad swim meet on Saturday, the person said.
The Overlee email is below.
Overlee Membership –
Due to concerns regarding a local website’s erroneous article about Overlee, we are providing the information below as clarification and to be as transparent as possible to our Overlee Community members.
As stated in Tuesday’s email to members and due to HIPAA restrictions, Overlee is not allowed to divulge any information, including date and time of possible exposure, to entities other than health departments and healthcare officials. Overlee is working with the Arlington County Health Department and providing them with information as requested, which includes the day and times the individual(s) were at the pool. The ArlCo Health Department will contact any members they determine to be a “close contact” during the investigation. Please cooperate with their investigation, if contacted.
Upon notification on Tuesday by the first member testing positive for COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, we closed the pool immediately. Subsequently, we’ve been notified by 2 other members about their positive results (neither of whom were at the pool after it was disinfected).
The entire facility was disinfected and deep-cleaned several times and reopened Thursday. The ArlCo Health Department has been entirely supportive of the Overlee pool remaining open and of the protocols Overlee has taken and continues to take for the health and safety of staff and members, to include the masks/face coverings and physical distancing policies.
Management and swim team coaches have been tested and their results are all negative. The staff has been following Overlee’s strict safety procedures at all times.
If you and your family members were following the protocols while at Overlee – more than 6 feet of spacing from others, conversations less than 15 minutes, and mask/face covering on at all times – your exposure level is considered “very low” and you are not considered a close contact, according to the ArlCo Health Department.
We thank these members for being forthcoming with their results regarding the health and safety of our staff and members. We send them our best wishes and hope each of them has a quick and full recovery.
Editor’s note: ARLnow previously reported on COVID-19 outbreaks at local long-term care facilities, with the help of anonymous sources. We made the decision to do that reporting, despite repeated refusals to release information by county and state authorities, in the interest of providing a fuller picture of the spread of the virus in the community. Reports of large outbreaks at such facilities turned out to be accurate. As an organization, we will continue to provide information on COVID cases we believe to be well-founded, even in the absence of official confirmation, which has unfortunately proved nearly impossible to receive in most cases.
Va. to Step Up Restaurant Enforcement — “Recognizing an increase in COVID-19 cases in parts of the state, particularly in the Hampton Roads area, Gov. Ralph Northam is increasing enforcement of the state’s rules around the coronavirus… State licensing agencies will be conducting unannounced visits to establishments, as needed, and the state health department is shifting an additional 100 staff members to its existing team of 500 inspectors.” [InsideNova]
Barrels Fail to Stop Rogue I-395 Driver — Someone stopped their car on a highway, got out, and moved an orange barrel in order to avoid a slight delay while driving from Arlington to D.C. on I-395. [Twitter]
County Board to Approve Arts Grants — “Arlington County Board members on July 18 are slated to approve approximately $216,000 in annual grants for arts organizations… Each of the 21 organizations that requested funding saw at least part of their request fulfilled; in addition, two of four individual artists seeking funding garnered a grant.” [InsideNova]
Local National Merit Scholars — Nine Arlington students are among the National Merit Scholarship winners for 2020. [Patch]
Arlington Students Ace Latin Exam — “According to Arlington Public Schools about 130,000 students across the country take the [National Latin Exam] which focuses on vocabulary, grammar, Roman cultural history and mythology. Nineteen students in the school system were among the few who achieved perfection.” [WJLA]
Arlington County employees who are currently teleworking will likely continue doing so well into the fall, County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a memo last week.
The internal memo, obtained by ARLnow, announced that the county will continue its current approach to operating during the pandemic — which includes an emphasis on telework for non-front-line workers — through Oct. 1.
“I am fairly certain that our current approach to doing business will continue much longer into the future beyond October 1,” Schwartz added, noting that the “need to allow space for absentee voting for the upcoming Presidential election… will most likely make a return prior to November 3 infeasible.”
Telework among county employees is up 15-fold since the start of the pandemic.
“County employees logged nearly 118,000 telework hours in late May/early June compared with about 7,700 hours in late February,” Arlington County spokeswoman Erika Moore said in response to an inquiry from ARLnow.
The county has been working hard to provide services to residents as safely as possible, Moore said.
“County employees have continued to work at a high level throughout the pandemic, providing government services to the community using virtual and other innovative and creative strategies,” she wrote. “Many services are available online and virtually, including permitting, inspections, and our call center operations. Arlington Public Library has developed many virtual options, along with e-books and grab-and-go services.”
“There are some important services that cannot be done virtually, including street and water maintenance, trash and recycling services, and public safety operations,” Moore added. “Those continue with specific public health protocols in place to protect both employees and the community.”
The full memo from Schwartz is below.
From: EmployeeUpdate
Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2020 2:07 PM
To: All County Employees
Subject: Memo from the County Manager: Update on COVID-19 & County Operations
Thank you. Thank you for your commitment to serve our community throughout this pandemic. I am inspired every day by the creativity you have demonstrated over the past four months — allowing us to continue to serve our community in new and innovative ways. I wanted to update you on County operations and offer thoughts on what the next months may look like.
As of today, our public health officials note that there is still community wide spread of COVID in Arlington, in Northern Virginia and the wider region. While the number of patients in our hospitals infected with COVID continues to drop, we are far from “normal.”
I am announcing that we will continue our current approach to providing services through at least October 1. Knowing what has
happened over the past four months, I am fairly certain that our current approach to doing business will continue much longer into the future beyond October 1. We also will need to allow space for absentee voting for the upcoming Presidential election — and this will most likely make a return prior to November 3 infeasible. I will be back to you with more direction on how the rest of the calendar year is looking as we get closer to October.
