health department

Arlington Sees Highest One-Day Coronavirus Case Total Since May

By ARLnow.com

Thirty-four new cases of COVID-19 in Arlington were reported overnight, a one-day case total that’s the highest since late May.

The new cases bring Arlington’s trailing seven-day case total to 110, the first time that figure has been in the triple digits since mid-June. No new hospitalizations nor deaths were reported overnight, however.

Arlington has now recorded a cumulative total of 2,660 coronavirus cases, or about 1.1 cases for every 100 residents. That compares to 1.6 and 1.3 cases for every 100 residents in neighboring Alexandria and Fairfax County, respectively, according to an analysis of Virginia Dept. of Health Data.

Meanwhile, a clear picture is emerging of who has been getting sick in Arlington in recent weeks: younger people.

In late May, the number of cases among those ages 20-29 and 50-59 was nearly the same in Arlington. Since then, 2.5 times as many people 20-29 have tested positive as those 50-59.

That follows a nationwide trend of new coronavirus cases in cities skewing younger. While younger people are generally less susceptible to the most severe COVID-19 complications, they can easily spread the disease to those who are older and more at risk.

In Arlington, the prevalence of the disease remains especially high among the Latino population: 51.6% of cases in which patient ethnicity is known are among Latinos, who comprise 15.6% of the county’s population.

The pandemic recently struck close to home for ARLnow. A positive case was reported in our coworking space in Ballston, though ARLnow’s employees have all been working remotely since March and will continue to do so through 2021.

Dr. Reuben Varghese, Arlington’s Public Health Director, said in an interview Monday afternoon that while new cases appear to have ebbed regionally, the disease is still spreading locally. Residents, he said, should continue to wear masks when in public and remain “safer at home” whenever possible.

“The virus is here,” Varghese said. “We’re going to have to do things in a safer manner.”

Teachers Call for Online-Only Return to School

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) An increasingly vocal group of parents and teachers are calling on Arlington Public Schools to scrap plans to have most students return to classrooms twice per week.

The current APS “hybrid” plan calls for two cohorts of students each going into school two days per week, while wearing masks and practicing physical distancing. It also allows parents and students to opt for online-only learning.

Nearly 2,000 people have signed an online petition that instead pushes for a “#OneAPS” model that starts all students with online-only classes in the fall and eventually allows a return to school for teachers and students who opt to do so.

“This will keep APS as one, united school system; protect the health and safety of students, teachers and staff; will not force teachers into options that might precipitate mass resignation; and support our most vulnerable learners,” says the petition, an excerpt of which is below.

Under the #OneAPS model:

  • APS will create a robust online learning platform and provide training for how to teach virtually. (See this article and Driver #3.)
  • All students begin school online and receive synchronous (live) online instruction four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) after Labor Day. The delayed start allows for intensive teacher training.
  • Mondays remain planning days for teachers, intervention days for small groups and asynchronous (independent) learning days for the majority of students.
  • When public health officials deem conditions safe to reopen, survey teachers to see who is comfortable returning to school for in-person support. NO teacher will be forced into this option.
  • Depending on the number of teachers available for in-person support, calculate the number of seats available. Allot those seats to our most vulnerable students

Other groups of teachers and parents have been organizing in opposition to a return to classrooms in the fall, similarly citing health and safety concerns.

One group — which is”advocating for a full distance learning model until Arlington County sees 14 days with no COVID-19 cases” — is planning a protest of Thursday night’s School Board meeting.

A Twitter account called “APS 14 Days No New Cases,” meanwhile, has been posting what it says are pleas from school staff not to reopen Arlington schools in the fall.

On the opposite side of the spectrum from the #OneAPS petition, a new group called “Arlington Parents for Education” has been formed to oppose the hybrid plan and push for five-day-per-week, in-person classes. The group argues that not returning to in-person schooling on a full-time basis disproportionately hurts low-income and single-parent households, and carries “economic and educational performance” risks.

A recent unscientific poll conducted by ARLnow found that a plurality of respondents — just below 40% — support the APS hybrid plan, with the rest nearly split between those favoring five-day-per-week classes and online-only classes.

(The “APS 14 Days” account, mention above, criticized ARLnow for conducting the poll. “Shame on you for farming the reopening crisis for clicks,” the anonymous account tweeted.)

A recent Arlington Public Schools survey found that only 7% of school staff were comfortable, with no reservations, about returning to school on a normal schedule, while 39% were “not comfortable at all” and 54% were either “comfortable with concerns” or “somewhat comfortable.”

The top concern of APS staff, according to the survey, is “public health regulations not being followed.”

Among other major D.C. area school systems, Montgomery County public schools are expected to start the school year fully online, while Fairfax County public schools are planning a hybrid model but facing teacher pushback.

Monday afternoon, after the initial publication of this article, the Arlington Education Association, which represents Arlington teachers, issued a statement calling for remote learning to start the school year.

The Arlington Education Association Executive Board believes re-opening Arlington Public Schools this fall puts students, educators, and staff, at an exponential risk of COVID-19 that can lead to illnesses and death. We believe, this fall, all learning should continue online from home. This is the only way to keep all educators and students safe and healthy.

According to the recommended guidelines from the CDC and plans chosen by Arlington Public Schools the plans will not protect the health and safety of all students and staff. While the plans sound good, they and have not been proven safe and there are too many unknowns.

AEA further urges APS to look at professional development for all educators, to provide a consistent platform for virtual teaching and learning. Professional development is needed immediately, and instructional assistants must be included as it will be their responsibility to reinforce lessons and skills taught by teachers.

APS families have until next Monday, July 20 to select either the hybrid option or the distance learning-only option for the return to school on Aug. 31.

Report: Trump Campaign HQ in Rosslyn Shuts Down Due to Coronavirus Case

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:20 a.m.) President Donald Trump’s campaign headquarters in Rosslyn temporarily shut down last week after a campaign official tested positive for coronavirus, Politico reported Friday afternoon.

The campaign was chided by local officials last month after Vice President Mike Pence visited and was photographed with a sea staffers, all without masks. Now comes word that the office was recently deep cleaned due to a positive COVID-19 test and worries about the virus spreading in the open floor plan office.

More from Politico:

Inside the Trump campaign’s headquarters this week, a team of cleaners scrubbed down surfaces and disinfected equipment — a recognition that coronavirus has found its way into the heart of the president’s reelection bid, regardless of Donald Trump’s public dismissals of recent risk.

The campaign’s headquarters — located on the 14th floor of an Arlington, Va., office building that shares space with multiple businesses — is normally packed with dozens of staffers, often sitting in close proximity to conduct phone calls and other urgent campaign business, said three people with knowledge of its operations.

But the office was shut down for its first deep cleaning in weeks after a senior campaign official tested positive for the virus. The decision to conduct the cleaning came after two months of flouting the Trump administration’s own public health guidance: There are no face coverings or temporary barriers between desks at headquarters, and leaders have limited efforts to implement social distancing.

The article goes on to note that masks are encouraged for staffers outside of the office — “in case they’re spotted by reporters” — but not inside.

“You get made fun of, if you wear a mask,” one unnamed person told Politico, which is also based in Rosslyn. “There’s social pressure not to do it.”

The article then quotes Arlington and Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, who said last month — in response to the Pence photo — that violations of coronavirus-related safety orders are to be enforced by the state Dept. of Health, not local law enforcement.

Dehghani-Tafti told POLITICO this week that she wasn’t aware of any efforts by Virginia officials to enforce safety protections at the Trump campaign’s Arlington headquarters.

“I remain focused on the health and safety of all Arlingtonians and continue to encourage all to social distance, wear face masks, avoid large gatherings and maintain a rigorous regimen of hand washing,” Dehghani-Tafti added.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a fierce Trump critic who represents Arlington in Congress, criticized the campaign again for its reported lax stance toward a pandemic that keeps getting worse in the U.S.

An additional 44 coronavirus cases were reported over the weekend in Arlington, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health, bringing the seven-day trailing rate of new cases to 93 — the highest point since June 14.

File photo via Twitter

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Online Forums Devolve into Shouting Matches — Falls Church News-Press columnist Charlie Clark writes about how a Nextdoor post about kids not wearing masks during a baseball game erupted into a barrage of insults and debates among neighbors. Nextdoor is not alone in becoming a forum for heated local debates on hot button issues: last month the popular Fairlington Appreciation Society Facebook group shut down after flame wars broke out over issues related to the Black Lives Matter protests. [Falls Church News-Press]

Virtual ‘Arlington Cares’ Event Tomorrow — “This free, virtual event will recognize the 2020 Community Service Award Winners and remind us of the importance of serving others. A heartwarming opportunity for all ages that will celebrate the overwhelming goodness that is within our community.” [Event Calendar]

Reduction in Homelessness Prior to Pandemic — “For the 20th consecutive year, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee has conducted a regional Point-in-Time (PIT) enumeration of the area’s residents experiencing homelessness and those who were formerly homeless. This year’s enumeration and survey occurred on January 22, 2020. Arlington saw a 7-percent reduction in overall homelessness, down from 215 persons in 2019 to 199 in 2020.” [Arlington County]

More Flood Damage in Waverly Hills — “After countless floods in Arlington’s Waverly Hills neighborhood soaked his basement, Tom Reich finally ordered a custom-made waterproof door to protect his home’s bottom level.
On Tuesday, the day before it was scheduled to arrive, yet another storm dumped buckets of rain on the region — and especially on 18th Street North. There, overwhelmed storm water mains sent three feet of water coursing down the street.” [Washington Post]

Beyer Furious at Response to Shooting Inquiry — “‘For nearly three years Bijan Ghaisar’s family and community have sought answers from federal authorities about why these officers killed Bijan and what consequences they will face. This response which tells us nothing after an eight-month delay is an insult to the people we represent,’ said [Rep. Don] Beyer. ‘The contempt such a pathetic answer shows for public transparency and accountability is unacceptable and will further damage the standing of the U.S. Park Police at a time when the region’s trust in them is already at an all-time low.'” [House of Representatives]

Report Businesses Flouting the Rules, Gov. Says — “As Virginia starts seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Ralph Northam reiterated Friday what has become a familiar message about limiting crowds, washing hand frequently and wearing face coverings. But he added a new fourth point: Report businesses flouting the rules to the local health department.” [InsideNova]

Freddie’s Closes Temporarily — “Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to close temporarily. One of our employees has tested positive for COVID-19. We are actively reaching out to customers and staff who may have been in contact since Wednesday July 8. We are beginning the process to have the restaurant fully sanitized so we may safely reopen as soon as possible.” [Facebook]

Nearby: MoCo Starting School Year Online — “Montgomery County students will begin the next academic year online, with a phased approach to bring them back to school buildings part-time by the end of November, according to the school district’s draft plan released Saturday.” [Bethesda Magazine]

Morning Poll: Should APS Students Go Back to Class Full-Time in the Fall?

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Public Schools is planning to start the fall semester with most students spending just two days a week in classrooms.

The “hybrid” model would see students spending the other three days a week leaning remotely, from home, a plan similar to that just announced by the country’s largest school system.

Arlington parents will also be able to opt their kids out of physical school entirely, in favor of full-time remote learning. For those students going to schools, however, masks and physical distancing will be required.

There are parents, however, who say that the APS plan is inadequate, and students should be going back to school full-time. A new volunteer coalition, Arlington Parents for Education, has formed to advocate for just that. From the group’s website:

The group recently penned a letter, sent to local news outlets, arguing that “the average citizens of our county will be worse off and those with the fewest resources will be left significantly further behind” if APS does not fully reopen.

The decision the members of the Arlington County School Board will make regarding the Fall semester will be the single most consequential decision they ever make. Superintendent Durán stated that a plan for full-time instruction was his preference. He needs to make it his priority. The need to protect Teachers and Students is tremendously important, but this decision must be made with the fullest picture of health and safety in mind. Unclear references to teacher and student physical and mental health are not a sufficient explanation for failing to provide a full-time option.

Full-time instructions is not some outlier position and should be possible given Virginia’s final phase guidance. Massachusetts, New Jersey and numerous districts all over the world are figuring how to manage their risks and are making plans for students to return in the fall. Considering all the factors, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advocates that: “all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.” Arlington needs to follow suit. Conditions on the ground can change and we need to be prepared to meet those conditions. However, that is not an excuse for failing to provide a full-time plan given the current information at hand.

There has been no substantive assessment of why full-time instruction was not selected, and no public guidance from the county on what standards, if any, need to be met to get kids back in school. Even more concerning, there was no assessment provided about the consequences of the superintendent’s proposed plan. APS owes its citizens a breakdown of the expected cost of their plan on the mental, economic, and educational well-being of students and their families. It’s unsound policymaking to offer vague one-sided justifications without being transparent about the consequences their decision will have. This is particularly important when discussing our most vulnerable populations.

Among the advocates for five-day-per-week schooling in the fall: President Trump, who is threatening to cut off funding to school districts that do not physically open in full.

Those who want a full return to classrooms are not alone in their critique of APS. ARLnow has also heard from parents and teachers who do not believe any return to classrooms this fall will be safe.

APS, for its part, recently sent a School Talk email to parents further explaining the rationale for the hybrid back-to-school model and answering other parent questions.

Why APS is not offering a full-time in-school option: We understand there are difficult decisions to be made with both models. The full-time in-school scenario is not possible at this time, due to physical distancing requirements issued by the CDC, Virginia Department of Health and local health officials. Physical distancing limits the number of students and staff who can be inside a school at any one time, so the hybrid model allows half of students to be in school part of the week in order to reduce capacities in classrooms and on buses.

What APS will do if health conditions improve: If health conditions improve and physical distancing and other health requirements are adjusted in a way that would allow APS to resume in-person instruction for all students, we would reassess our operating status at that time.

What APS will do if health conditions worsen: We continue to monitor COVID-19 guidance from the CDC and state and local health officials on a daily basis. Our hybrid in-school model is contingent upon the school year beginning in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan. If health data and recommendations from the Arlington County Public Health Division necessitate closing schools, students and staff participating in the hybrid model will transition to full time distance learning similar in substance to the existing full time distance learning model which will include a blend of teacher-led/synchronous instruction and asynchronous instruction.

Do you think APS should change its plan for the fall?

Arlington Urges Caution With Start of Phase 3 Reopening

By ARLnow.com

Virginia’s Phase 3 reopening starts today, with relaxed rules for restaurants, stores, fitness studios and social gatherings.

But as new coronavirus cases continue to surge in the South and West, the reopening raises the specter of Virginia’s waning epidemic returning.

Unlike New Jersey, which recently postponed the return of indoor dining, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is opting to continue reopening indoor, communal settings. He announced yesterday, however, that bar seating will be prohibited inside restaurants.

Arlington County, meanwhile, is encouraging residents to stay “safer at home” and to continue social distancing, telecommuting, and wearing masks in indoor public settings.

“Because Arlington is an urban, high-density area — and because there is still community spread of the virus — the County is going to similarly move forward with caution in the hopes of continuing to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety and well-being of the entire community,” the county said in a press release today.

The press release notes that fitness rooms and gyms will reopen at four community centers — Fairlington, Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Langston Brown — next Friday, July 10.

The good news for Arlington is that the current level of coronavirus spread remains low: five new cases were reported overnight, for a seven-day total of 46. The seven-day rate of new hospitalizations stands at just three, a new low since such data started to be reliably reported by the Virginia Dept. of Health.

The county press release about the reopening is below.

Arlington County, along with the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, is transitioning to Phase 3 of the Forward Virginia plan on Wednesday, July 1.

In Phase 3, Arlington will maintain a Safer at Home strategy with continued recommendations for social distancing and teleworking, and the requirement that individuals wear face coverings in indoor public settings. All businesses should continue to follow physical distancing guidelines, frequently clean and sanitize high contact surfaces and keep enhanced workplace safety measures in place.

As part of a cautious approach to entering Phase 3, Governor Northam on Tuesday announced that bar seating will remain prohibited in restaurants to reduce the likelihood of patrons gathering in bar areas without observing social distancing guidelines. The Governor added he is prepared to implement tighter restrictions if needed.

Because Arlington is an urban, high-density area — and because there is still community spread of the virus — the County is going to similarly move forward with caution in the hopes of continuing to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety and well-being of the entire community.

Arlington will continue to open government facilities gradually to ensure adequate space for social distancing and follow public health guidelines. […]

Playgrounds and Outdoor Restrooms Now Open, Select Fitness Rooms to Open July 10

Continuing its gradual reopening, in according with public health and safety guidelines, Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation reopened playgrounds and outdoor restrooms, including playgrounds located at Arlington Public Schools, effective Friday, June 26. Additionally, athletic field and court lighting returned to regular schedules.

Park users must continue to social distance and comply with the appropriate usage guidelines. Learn more on the Reopening Arlington Parks FAQ page.

Starting Friday, July 10, fitness rooms and gyms will reopen in four of DPR’s centers: Fairlington, Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Langston Brown.

Community and nature centers and spraygrounds remain closed.

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Coronavirus Cases Continue to Slow, But Death Count Jumps

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) Despite a mass-testing event a week ago, that saw nearly 1,000 people tested in one day, only 53 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Arlington over the past seven days.

That’s the lowest seven-day total since March 28, when only 75 cases had thus far been confirmed in the county as the outbreak got underway and testing was scarce.

As of Friday morning, Arlington had a cumulative total of 2,449 confirmed cases, 417 hospitalizations and 132 deaths, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. Four new cases and one new hospitalization were reported overnight. The total new hospitalizations over the past week currently stands at eight.

Five additional deaths were added to the count overnight, the largest daily increase since late May. Only one additional COVID-related death had been reported over the past week. Local officials say today’s increase is mostly due to a review of past data by the state health department.

“The reported jump is a result of a periodic review by VDH of the death certificate data it receives,” explained Arlington Public Health Division spokeswoman Cara O’Donnell. “[It] reflects four cases from April and May. As VDH conducts these periodic reviews we expect to receive reports of additional deaths in conjunction with when these reviews take place.”

Arlington’s test positivity rate, meanwhile, has continue to fall with the mass testing event factored in. For lab-based PCR tests, the positivity rate currently stands at 3.6%.

Arlington and the rest of Virginia is set to enter Phase 3 of the reopening on Wednesday. Texas and Florida, meanwhile, have paused their reopening amid and “explosion” of cases there and across the South.

APS to Propose Students Spending Two Days in Classrooms Per Week

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5 p.m.) Under a new Arlington Public Schools proposal, set to be presented Thursday night, most students would start the new school year in a hybrid instructional model that involves only two days in classrooms per week.

Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán, who told APS families in an email earlier this week that the school system was “reviewing hybrid instructional models that blend in-person and distance learning for students,” is set to make the presentation to the School Board tonight.

The proposal would divide students into three groups: one that would attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, another would attend classes in person on Thursdays and Fridays, while a third group would consist of students whose families opt for distance learning only.

According to the presentation, Monday would be a planning day for teachers and a distance learning day for all students.

That is similar to the model announced by Fairfax County Public Schools earlier this week.

The goal is to reduce the potential for a wide-scale coronavirus outbreak in a school, while also keeping students engaged and interacting with one another.

In the presentation, APS says it is planning a number of other safety measures, including:

  • Staff and student health screening
  • Personal protective equipment and face covering requirements
  • Increased disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces
  • Public health signage
  • Physical distance floor markings

The presentation details the results of surveys of APS staff, students and families. Notable findings include:

  • 39% of staff say they’re “not comfortable at all” returning to physical schools
  • 70% of staff say they would return to school in the fall if asked, while 10% would “request work-from-home accommodations for health reasons,” 1% would not return, and 19% are uncertain
  • 75% of staff support mask requirements for APS staff
  • 42% of families prefer only in-person instruction in the fall, while 37% prefer a hybrid model
  • 99% of students say they “have access to the technology I need” for distance learning, compared to 81% of staff members

Families are expected to be sent an enrollment notice in early July that will allow them to opt in to a distance learning-only model in the fall.

For remote-only elementary students, daily APS teacher-led instruction will be provided, “in combination with asynchronous instruction.” For high school students, distance learning will be provided “in partnership with online virtual course providers.”

“While [high school] students enrolled in virtual courses may receive their instruction from a teacher outside of APS, they will be closely monitored by a faculty member from the school of attendance,” the presentation notes.

APS Eyeing Hybrid Model for Fall Return to School

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s new superintendent says Arlington Public Schools is focusing on a potential hybrid model for the return to school in the fall.

Dr. Francisco Durán is scheduled to update the School Board on back-to-school planning on Thursday. He said an APS Task Force this week “is reviewing hybrid instructional models that blend in-person and distance learning for student.”

“We are also planning for a distance-learning-only option for students who are in high risk health categories or are not comfortable returning to school in person,” Durán added.

Nearly three-quarters of families said in a recent APS survey that they would be comfortable sending kids back into classrooms this fall, with a plurality preferring only in-person instruction over a hybrid model (42% to 37%). Only 10% of survey respondents preferred keeping students out of classrooms altogether to start the school year, according to an email Durán sent to APS families Tuesday afternoon.

Fairfax County, meanwhile, plans to give families two options to start the school year: entirely virtual online learning or a hybrid in which students would be in class at least two days a week.

Last month interim superintendent Cintia Johnson said distance learning to start the school year was “very probable.”

The full email from Durán is below.

Dear APS Community,

We continue to develop our plan for returning to school this fall based on the state’s guidance, working in collaboration with the Task Force, regional superintendents, and the Arlington County Public Health Division. This week, our team is reviewing hybrid instructional models that blend in-person and distance learning for students, assuming Virginia enters Phase 3 by the start of school.

The Task Force has already reviewed many possible instructional models and is now focusing on three that best meet APS needs and align with neighboring school divisions. We are also planning for a distance-learning-only option for students who are in high risk health categories or are not comfortable returning to school in person.

I will share more details on our work and present the recommended instructional model at the School Board meeting this Thursday. Deciding on the model will allow for us to begin to make decisions regarding staffing, budget, childcare, transportation, and other elements of our plan.

The results are in from the staff, student and family surveys on distance learning and reopening, and I would like to thank everyone who participated. Your input is invaluable as we work to plan for the upcoming year. We will post the complete results on our APS Engage webpage by this Friday. In the meantime, here are a few highlights which are informing our work moving forward:

  • 37% of families preferred reopening school with a hybrid combination of in-person and distance learning; 42% preferred in-person instruction only; and 10% preferred distance learning only.
  • 73% of families said they are comfortable sending students back to school with no concerns or some concerns; 9% were not at all comfortable.
  • 38% of staff said they are comfortable returning to school/workplace with no concerns or some concerns, while 39% said they were not at all comfortable returning.
  • The top factors influencing the level of comfort in returning for both groups were whether public health regulations will be followed, disinfection of facilities, and availability of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
  • 35% of families reported that their students will not continue to ride the school bus, and 28% are uncertain if their students would continue to ride the bus.

We are developing health and safety plans to address these concerns to make sure students and staff are learning and working in a safe environment.

In terms of distance learning feedback, a few highlights:

  • Families (52%), students (43%) and staff (62%) all preferred a combination of live, synchronous distance learning and self-directed, asynchronous distance learning.
  • Students indicated that they know how to contact their teachers and get technical help when necessary (68% for both).
  • Staff indicated that they mostly felt “somewhat prepared” to connect with students, provide social-emotional support, and provide instructional supports to students (Special Needs, English Learners, and Gifted); further questions allowed them to specify what professional development and supports they would need.

This input will help inform our work in developing professional supports for staff, providing training as needed, and making sure that the 2020-21 school year is a success for all.

I hope that you will continue to follow updates on APS Engage and that you can join me at 7 p.m. tonight for the final Community Town Hall in this initial series of virtual events I have held this month. I also encourage you to view the School Board meeting on Thursday, June 25, as I present the recommended instructional model along with other important details and next steps.

Sincerely,

Dr. Francisco Durán
Superintendent
Arlington Public Schools

BREAKING: Nearly 500 Coronavirus Cases, Dozens of Deaths at Arlington Long-Term Care Facilities

By ARLnow.com

Nearly three-quarters of coronavirus deaths in Arlington are attributable to long-term care facilities, new data from the Virginia Dept. of Health shows.

After long resisting calls to release such data, the state health department today published a list of facilities that have current or past COVID-19 outbreaks, along with the number of cases and deaths at each facility.

Among seven long-term care facilities in Arlington, there were a total of 489 cases and 92 deaths. That’s 20% of all cases (2,396) and 73% of all deaths (126) reported in Arlington as of Friday.

The individual figures for each facility are below.

  • Brookdale Assisted Living: 49 cases, 10 deaths
  • Cherrydale Health and Rehabilitation Center: 143 cases, 28 deaths
  • Manor Care Health Services: 87 cases, 15 deaths
  • Regency Care of Arlington: 137 cases, 30 deaths
  • Sunrise at Bluemont Park: 14 cases*
  • Sunrise of Arlington: 21 cases*
  • The Jefferson: 38 cases, 9 deaths

For both Sunrise facilities in Arlington, VDH did not list a death count “to preserve anonymity.”

Federal data for nursing homes, released at the end of May and reported by ARLnow earlier this week, mostly contained lower counts than that just released by VDH, with the exception of an erroneous overreporting of deaths at Pentagon City-based Regency Care.

In Arlington, all but 10 of the coronavirus-related deaths have been among those ages 60 and above, though those younger can still face serious, potentially long-term health consequences from infections.

Nursing Homes Were a COVID-19 Hot Spot in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Update on 6/19/20 — Based on new data from the Virginia Dept. of Health, the actual number of deaths at Regency Care is 30.

Earlier: Local nursing homes have reported dozens of coronavirus cases and deaths, federal data shows.

As the number of new COVID-19 cases in Arlington continues to rise at a relative trickle — nine new cases and no new hospitalizations reported overnight — a look back at data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows the outsized role some nursing homes played during the peak of Arlington’s outbreak.

As of May 31, four nursing homes alone contributed 178 cases and 98 deaths to Arlington’s total, according to the CMS data, though there are some questions about the numbers, as noted below. The county’s cumulative total currently stands at 2,372 cases, 407 hospitalizations and 124 deaths.

The four Arlington nursing homes for which CMS data was available:

  • Cherrydale Health and Rehabilitation Center (3710 Lee Highway): 82 confirmed cases, 8 related deaths
  • The Jefferson (900 N. Taylor Street): 10 confirmed cases, 6 related deaths
  • Manorcare (550 S. Carlin Springs Road): 13 confirmed cases, 1 related death
  • Regency Care (1785 S. Hayes Street): 73 confirmed cases, 83 related deaths

The numbers for Regency Care seemingly do not add up, with more COVID-related deaths (83) than confirmed cases (73). Multiple attempts by ARLnow to reach an administrator at the Pentagon City facility prior to the publication of this article were unsuccessful and Arlington’s health department declined multiple requests for clarification, citing “patient privacy laws.” Other news reports suggest that the CMS data is “riddled with errors.”

However, ARLnow has received numerous tips about the facility since the start of the pandemic.

“Thought the public should know… the nursing home Regency Care of Arlington had a huge COVID outbreak on the 5th floor,” said one tipster in early April. “This is something terrible.”

“Regency Care of Arlington nursing home has the highest amount of COVID cases in Arlington with well over 100 cases,” another tipster said, in May. The assertion of over 100 cases could not be confirmed and is not shown in the CMS data, which was last updated on May 31.

On Wednesday afternoon, a woman identifying herself as the administrator of Regency Care called ARLnow and asserted that the number of deaths reported by CMS was inaccurate. She chastised ARLnow for publishing this article and for taking photos of the outside of the facility without the company’s permission. She declined numerous requests to provide the accurate number of deaths at the facility and abruptly hung up the phone.

Local and state authorities in Virginia have repeatedly declined to provide data on specific facilities.

“As a health district under [the Virginia Dept. of Health], we are unable to provide or confirm patient data at individual long term care facilities due to patient privacy laws,” said Arlington County spokeswoman Cara O’Donnell. She noted that the county has been working with nursing homes, assisted living centers and other such facilities to mitigate outbreaks.

“Working with long-term care facilities is an ongoing priority for Arlington Public Health, and our team works with skilled nursing and assisted living facilities throughout the year to control and prevent outbreaks, such as norovirus and the seasonal flu, even prior to COVID,” O’Donnell said. “Arlington Public Health has been working with these facilities to implement CDC and VDH guidance for COVID-19 infection control and prevention measures, including things like monitoring residents and staff for signs and symptoms of COVID, providing guidance on proper PPE and cleaning/disinfecting protocols.”

A county webpage on the topic says that the majority of COVID-19 deaths in Arlington have occurred at long-term care facilities.

(more…)

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