health department

County Launching Free COVID-19 Testing at Kiosks

By ARLnow.com

Through a partnership with a California company, Arlington County will be offering no-charge, walk-up COVID-19 testing starting Wednesday.

The county announced the partnership this morning, in a press release (below). Los Angeles-based startup Curative has placed testing kiosks in two county-owned parking lots in south Arlington; both are set to open tomorrow, operating from 12-8 p.m. seven days per week.

The locations are:

  • Aurora Hills Community Center (735 18th Street S.)
  • Tucker Field at Barcroft Park (4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive)

The tests are performed at no cost or co-pay to the individual, but those with health insurance will have their insurance providers billed. Results are expected within 48-72 hours.

Curative has thousands of testing locations across the U.S., but the accuracy of the tests was questioned in a recent Food and Drug Administration advisory. As a result, the country’s most populous county has discontinued use of the tests.

“In the wake of a federal report that warned of false negative results, the use of Curative COVID-19 PCR tests is being discontinued at Los Angeles County-supported pop-up testing sites, the Department of Health Services said in a statement Sunday,” the NBC station in LA reported on Monday.

The press release from Arlington County is below.

To expand access to COVID-19 testing options, Arlington County is launching no-cost, kiosk-based testing sites, in partnership with the private testing company Curative.

The two testing sites, located in the parking lots of Aurora Hills Community Center (735 18th St. S.) and Tucker Field at Barcroft Park (4200 S. Four Mile Run Dr.) will open on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, continuing the County’s efforts to limit community spread and provide more testing options in areas disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Both locations, operated by Curative, will be open seven days a week, 12-8 p.m.

Tests are offered at no cost and do not require a doctor referral or government identification, regardless of insurance or immigration status. Participants will be asked for insurance information, if available, so insurance providers can be billed, but no co-pay from participants will be required. Walk-up testing is available, although residents are encouraged to make an appointment on the Curative website. Kiosk service is available in English and Spanish.

Curative, which operates more than 8,000 testing sites across the country, uses a mouth-swab test that is self-administered under the supervision of a Curative worker in a kiosk. The swab is then placed inside a biohazard bag and returned to the Curative worker. Swabs from the Arlington kiosks will be delivered each night to a lab in Washington, D.C. Test results will be sent electronically to patients within 48 to 72 hours.

Visit Curative’s website for Common Q&As and Advice. Contact Curative’s Customer Success team at [email protected] or 888-702-9042 for questions or additional assistance.

Video instructions on how to correctly self-perform the test, reducing the risk of inaccurate results, is below.

Photo courtesy Jane Green

JUST IN: Coronavirus Cases Pass 10,000 Mark in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

More than 10,000 coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in Arlington since the start of the pandemic.

The county passed that milestone this morning, as 120 new cases were reported, bringing the cumulative total to 10,117.

Arlington’s one-week trailing average of new daily cases also reached a new pandemic peak today: 118 cases per day. One new COVID-related death and 16 new hospitalizations were reported today in the county.

New coronavirus records are also being set statewide.

“Virginia reported new single-day and seven-day records for new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, and hospitalizations for the virus hit another high,” InsideNova reported. “The Virginia Department of Health also reported 69 new deaths related to COVID-19 on Saturday, the second-most ever, behind 96 on Sept. 15, when a backlog of death certificates were recorded. Overall, the state has recorded 264 deaths over the past seven days, making it one of the deadliest weeks ever since the pandemic began.”

The rate of vaccinations in Arlington, meanwhile, has picked up a bit since last week. VDH reported 303 new vaccinations in the county today, bringing the total number of doses distributed locally to 3,294.

Arlington is among the Virginia jurisdictions entering Phase 1b of vaccine distribution this week. That priority group includes “Persons aged 75 and older; Police, Fire, and Hazmat; Corrections and homeless shelter workers; Childcare/K-12 Teachers/Staff; Food and Agriculture (including Veterinarians); Manufacturing; Grocery store workers; Public transit workers; Mail carriers (USPS and private); Officials needed to maintain continuity of government.”

The county is currently pre-registering employers of those in the Phases 1b and 1c groups. Arlington is also partnering with Virginia Hospital Center to set up a new vaccination clinic. More from social media:

DoD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II

Local Coronavirus Cases Down from Previous Highs, But Hospitalizations Rise

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) After peaking last week at just under 100 cases per day, the average rate of new coronavirus cases in Arlington has dropped by 25%.

The seven-day trailing average currently stands at 72 cases per day. Forty-nine new cases were reported Friday, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the county over the course of the pandemic to 7,710.

Arlington’s test positivity rate currently stands at 8.1%, the same rate as one week ago.

Hospitalizations, however, have risen. Fourteen new hospitalizations were reported on Wednesday alone, bringing the trailing seven-day total to 25, the highest point since late May. The current seven-day trailing total of COVID-related hospitalizations is 22, with two new hospitalizations reported in each of the past two days.

Four new coronavirus deaths in Arlington have been reported since Monday. That brings the cumulative pandemic total to 168, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Despite the recent drop in cases, county officials sounded the alarm about the level of new cases at Tuesday’s County Board meeting.

“The level of community transition is unacceptably high and has various negative impacts on how our society operates,” Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese said in the County Board recessed meeting this week. “The vaccine is one way we can hopefully leave this nightmare behind us at some point.”

Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington started administering Pfizer vaccines on Thursday. and Varghese said that the vaccines will soon be more widely available.

Pfizer vaccines can be administered by CVS or Walgreens to residents of skilled nursing facilities, as early as next week, he said. Likewise, the Moderna vaccine, set for likely authorization by the Food and Drug Administration, could come to Arlington “as early as next week,” according to Varghese.

The County is waiting on a Vaccine Administration Management System, or VAMS, from the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health, which streamlines appointments, patient monitoring and communication with patients for temporary vaccine clinics. Appointments will be needed to suppress the spread of germs in lines.

“While we’ve had plans for years for mass vaccination, the wrinkle is providing for six foot distances in those plans,” Varghese said. 

Marymount University Calls Fall Semester a Success

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10 a.m.) Despite the pandemic, and dozens of COVID-19 cases, Arlington-based Marymount University says the fall semester — conducted with a mix of in-person and virtual classes — was largely a success.

“In what has been perhaps the most challenging semester for U.S. higher educational institutions in recent memory, Marymount University has successfully navigated the Fall 2020 academic semester as planned without any disruptions to its hybrid learning format or in-person living,” the university said.

Marymount says that it had 86 positive cases of COVID-19 among its students, faculty and staff — around 4,000 people — between mid-August and mid-December. That’s about a 2.2% infection rate among the school community during that time.

By comparison, Arlington’s overall population of around 230,000 recorded 4,329 positive cases from Aug. 15 to Dec. 15, a 1.9% infection rate.

The university said it was able to contain a cluster of infections on campus in October with the help of targeted testing and Arlington’s Public Health Department.

According to Marymount, only six of the 86 positive cases were among staff members and none of those staff members were subsequently hospitalization. Additionally, the university says that no infections were traced back to a classroom setting.

Marymount conducted in-person classes for most of the semester, but held classes, exams and other course requirements after Thanksgiving break online.

“In my view, especially for a university located in the populous Washington, D.C., metro area, this is a success story worth sharing – and it’s thanks to all of our community members for understanding their roles in keeping each other safe,” Marymount President Dr. Irma Becerra said in a press release. “Our low rate of infection and continuous operations throughout the fall speak volumes in support of our preparation and determination to fulfill our mission — to provide a high-quality academic experience that opens doors for students and helps them grow personally and professionally.”

The university spent around $2 million preparing for the fall semester, the Washington Business Journal reported in September. Marymount received slightly over that amount from the CARES Act, but reportedly dedicated those funds to student financial aid and refunds.

Marymount, which has campuses along N. Glebe Road in Ballston and in residential North Arlington, is planning to begin spring classes on January 19, “with the hybrid class format continuing for the foreseeable future.”

“In order to begin the semester in a safe and secure manner, the University intends to test all student residents, student athletes, commuters registered for in-person classes, faculty who teach in-person classes and identified staff members for COVID-19 prior to the start of classes,” the university said. “In addition, Marymount is working on a campus plan for vaccination whenever it becomes available to higher educational institutions.”

Another New Coronavirus Record As Arlington Nears 100 Cases Per Day

By ARLnow.com

The trajectory of coronavirus infections in Arlington continues to be up and to the right.

As of Friday the county again set a new record in its seven-day trailing average of reported COVID-19 cases. The Virginia Dept. of Health reported 109 new cases overnight, bringing the seven-day total to 671 and the daily average to 95.9 cases.

The county’s test positivity rate ticked down slightly this week, and is now 8.0%

Since Wednesday, seven additional hospitalizations have been reported, bringing the seven-day trailing total to 15. Two new COVID-related deaths have also been reported in that timeframe.

New statewide coronavirus restrictions were announced by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam yesterday and are set to go into effect Monday. The new rules include a midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew, a 10-person cap on social gatherings and a strengthened universal nask requirement.

“Arlington welcomes the Governor’s actions to protect Virginians from the surging spread of the COVID-19 virus,” County Board Chair Libby Garvey said in a statement Wednesday evening.

“We have all seen the numbers and the trends, and they are deeply disturbing. We know that pandemic fatigue is real, and that it is particularly difficult to hunker down during the holidays, when we all want to be with the people we love,” Garvey continued. “But we need everyone to comply with these measures to help avoid overwhelming our healthcare system. Stay home, wear a mask if you must go outside, keep at least six feet of distance between you and those outside your household, and wash your hands frequently.”

Arlington Prepares for First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine

By James Cullum

Arlington could have the COVID-19 vaccine as early as the end of this month, but the first shipment of doses won’t be available to the general public.

Nearly a half million healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents across Virginia at risk of being infected will get the first doses from the Virginia Department of Health, and it is not yet known when the rest of the public will get the vaccine.

Arlington’s Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese told the County Board on Tuesday that there is still a lot of unknown information regarding the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines that are undergoing Food and Drug Administration approval. He said that the number of vaccine doses that will arrive in Virginia (estimated at 480,000) is a moving target, that both vaccines require recipients to get booster shots within a month, and the effect on children and pregnant women is still unknown.

“The plan is that those health care personnel that directly care for COVID-19 patients, or are in support of that will receive top priority first,” Varghese said. “VDH is working with the Virginia Hospital and Health Care Association to prepare the health systems that have the ultra cold chain storage ability to receive these first shipments, because it has to be done safely and you don’t want to go through the expense of creating all of this, and then not maintain the vaccine at the appropriate temperature.”

On Saturday, the County Board will consider accepting $660,000 in state grants to prepare for mass vaccine distribution. The funds would pay for the hiring of temporary medical and non-medical staff, and cover travel costs, facility rentals and clinic operations, according to Arlington Public Health.

The vaccine will eventually be available at grocery stores, as well as chain and independent pharmacies, according to the VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Plan.

Mass vaccine distribution will not necessarily mean that COVID restrictions will be quickly lifted in Arlington, however.

“The fact that we are going to enter a period where vaccination will be available doesn’t mean in any way that all the other precautions for COVID hygiene are going to be relaxed,” County Board member Takis Karantonis said.

There have been 7,062 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Arlington since the pandemic began in March, along with 162 deaths and more than 600 total hospitalizations.

Below is Tuesday’s County Board work session discussing vaccination plans.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Yet Another New Coronavirus Caseload Record for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s cumulative coronavirus case count has passed the 7,000 mark, only two weeks after it crossed 6,000.

By contrast, it took more than 70 days over the summer to go from 2,000 to 3,000 cases.

Over the past two days, the county has reported 158 additional cases, 7 new hospitalizations and 4 COVID-related deaths. Arlington’s seven-day trailing case count is now 645, or an average of 92.1 cases per day, a new record.

The county’s test positivity rate currently stands at 8.4%, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Disproportionately, the growth in cases in Arlington over the past month has been among those under the age of 40. In total, patients 39 and younger account for 63% of new local cases since Nov. 9.

With the U.S. as a whole experiencing record hospitalizations, Arlington’s hospitalization rate — 11 new hospitalizations over the past seven days — may seem relatively low. That’s at least partially explained by demographics, but the raw hospitalization figure from VDH does not seem to tell the whole story.

At Virginia Hospital Center, a tent used as a “secondary ER waiting room” was set up outside the hospital last week, for the first time since the spring. The number of coronavirus patients at the hospital is rising, according to ER chief Mike Silverman, in a weekly public social media post.

“As a hospital, our inpatient census continues to climb, hitting levels that we haven’t seen since May,” Silverman wrote on Friday. “We have almost double the number of positive cases in every way we look at data — symptomatic, asymptomatic, and total patients… Our positivity rate has almost doubled compared to any week in the recent past.”

In the Emergency Department, “the number of patients we put under COVID isolation protocol, is 15-20% more than we’ve seen the last several weeks,” Silverman added. “We’re admitting slightly more of these patients than the last few weeks.”

Silverman said the hospital is likely to start rolling out vaccinations for front line healthcare workers shortly after an Emergency Use Authorization is granted, perhaps as early as this week.

“Although the vaccine gives us hope and shows the light at the end of the tunnel, we likely have 6 months until there is mass vaccination,” he write. “Hospitals are full. This time everywhere. Every hospital. People are dying. I’m very worried about the number of COVID patients that we’ll take care of over the next couple of months as the surge continues. This is the time to remain diligent and safe.”

Coronavirus Cases Hit New Peak in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

More than 600 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Arlington over the past seven days.

The county’s average COVID-19 caseload has hit new highs, just over a week after Thanksgiving weekend, though incongruously hospitalizations have ticked down.

More than 100 new cases have been reported in Arlington in each of the past three days, including 152 new cases on Sunday, a one-day record. The seven-day trailing rate of new cases is now 605, or 86.4 per day. The county’s cumulative case count stands at 6,904.

Also on the rise: Arlington’s test positivity rate, which is now 8.5%, up from 4.9% on Thanksgiving day.

One new hospitalization and one new COVID-related death were reported over the weekend. After hitting 21 last week, the highest point since the spring epidemic, Arlington’s seven-day hospitalization count has dropped to eight.

Statewide, both case counts and hospitalizations are up.

“The numbers of new COVID-19 cases reported in Virginia and Northern Virginia set new daily highs on Sunday, and hospitalizations statewide also reached a new high,” InsideNova reported. Thirteen long-term care facilities in Northern Virginia — including Manor Care and Regency Care in Arlington — have outbreaks underway, the site also reported.

New caseload records are being set in D.C. and Maryland, as well.

With cases growing and vaccines on the way — healthcare and long-term care workers will be the first in line for immunization in Virginia, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health — officials are urging universal mask-wearing in public places, especially indoors.

Walk-Up Testing Hours Expanded As County Caseload Remains High

By ARLnow.com

Eighty-three new coronavirus cases and four additional hospitalizations were reported in Arlington overnight.

Despite the dozens of new cases, Arlington’s trailing seven-day case average actually dipped slightly, to just over 60 cases per day. That’s down from the peak of around 75 average daily cases four days ago.

The seven-day hospitalization rate, meanwhile, ticked up by one, to 21. No new COVID-related deaths have been reported over the past week.

Arlington’s test positivity rate, after a big dip, is going back up: as of today it’s 5.5%, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health, up from 4.8% two days ago.

Statewide, the test positivity rate is higher — 8.3% and rising — and hospitalizations continue to increase.

“As the virus has surged throughout the state over the past month, the number of Virginians developing serious enough cases to be hospitalized has surged as well,” InsideNova reported yesterday. “As of Tuesday morning, a record 1,757 people were hospitalized across the state for COVID-19 treatment, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. That’s up 17% from just a week earlier.”

Amid the pandemic’s fall and winter rise, Arlington County is extending the hours of its Arlington Mill Community Center walk-up testing site along Columbia Pike.

New weekday hours — opening at noon rather than 1 p.m. — go into effect next week. The testing site will also be open this Saturday, and will extend the closing time until 7 p.m. over the next two Mondays.

More from Arlington’s emergency management office, via Twitter:

County Details Commonalities Among Local COVID Cases

By ARLnow.com

Going to work or eating at a restaurant are two of the most commonly-reported activities among Arlingtonians who recently tested positive for COVID-19.

That’s according to new information released by Arlington County.

Among coronavirus patients who were interviewed by local health officials, a third had contact with a known positive case, 38% had recently gone to a restaurant, and 48% had recently gone to work, according to a press release.

This is the first time the county has publicly announced such contact tracing data. It comes amid a surge in new coronavirus cases in Arlington, though that surge has so far not resulted in a spike in hospitalizations.

The press release is below.

Between Nov. 3, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2020, Arlington County interviewed 539 residents who were diagnosed with COVID-19 (cases). Of those cases, 33% reported contact with a known case – 21% had that contact with a known case at home; 12% with a known case in the community.

In addition, public health staff identified sites outside of their homes where cases may have been exposed:

  • 48% reported going to work
  • 38% reported going to one or more restaurants
  • 12% reported going to a gathering (e.g., wedding, funeral, or party)
  • 17% reported traveling out of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia area
  • 7% reported going to a gym

While these were common locations among Arlington cases interviewed, it does not mean they were the definitive source for COVID-19 exposure in each individual case. As a reminder, “correlation does not imply causation.”

These findings are similar to a recent report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which suggests community exposures contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Given the rise in cases in the region, County public health officials remind Arlingtonians that social gatherings beyond your household bubbles makes germ spread more likely.

In general, the more closely people interact with each other and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread.

To protect against COVID-19 spread, everyone should avoid close contact with people who do not live in their household, wear a mask (cloth face covering), and practice social distancing, and frequently and properly wash hands.

All Arlingtonians should do their part to abide by this public health guidance.

NEW: Coronavirus Cases in Arlington Continue to Soar, a Week Prior to Thanksgiving

By ARLnow.com

For the fifth day in a row, Arlington has hit a new high point for coronavirus infections.

The Virginia Dept. of Health reported 59 new COVID-19 cases in the county overnight, bringing the seven-day trailing total to 412, or an average of 59 cases per day. That’s 10 times the level of infection at the end of June, at a local lull in the pandemic.

Arlington’s seven-day test positivity rate, meanwhile, has risen to 7.5%, above the statewide rate of 7.0%.

No new deaths nor hospitalizations were reported today, however, bringing Arlington’s seven-day hospitalization rate down to eight, from 16 two days ago.

The county’s relatively low level of hospitalizations compared to new cases can be at least partially explained by demographics: nearly two-thirds of new infections over the past two weeks have been among those under the age of 40. Younger people are generally less vulnerable to the worst virus complications.

The cumulative number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Arlington is now 5,603, 566 and 156, respectively, according to VDH. At the current rate of infection, Arlington would reach 10,000 cases in early February.

With virus cases surging in Arlington, in Virginia, in neighboring Maryland, and nationwide, officials are asking people to consider cancelling Thanksgiving travel and to rethink holiday gatherings.

“Americans should avoid travel for Thanksgiving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Thursday,” NBC News reported yesterday. “It was a last-minute attempt by the nation’s leading public health agency to curb what’s sure to be yet another dangerous spike in Covid-19 cases if families gather next week.”

On Wednesday, Arlington County offered a number of tips for safer Thanksgiving gatherings.

We can all make it a safer holiday season by continuing to practice the public health guidance we know slows the spread: wear a mask; stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you; and wash your hands.

The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, Arlington County is encouraging everyone to take steps to make your celebration safer by following the suggestions and guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you must attend a gathering, CDC recommends bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils. Wear a mask, and safely store your mask while eating and drinking. Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen. Use single-use options, like salad dressing and condiment packets. Bring supplies to stay healthy including extra masks, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and tissues.

If you must have guests to your home, CDC suggests you consider a small outdoor meal with family and friends and limit the number of guests. Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together. If celebrating indoors, make sure to open windows. Have guests bring their own food and drink. If sharing food, have one person serve food and use single-use options, like plastic utensils. Provide supplies to keep everyone healthy including extra masks, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and tissues. Stock bathrooms with enough hand soap and single use towels.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, is waiting for COVID-19 test results, or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days should stay home.

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