vaccine

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Grand Opening for Big Rosslyn Development — “Real estate developer Penzance welcomed Arlington County officials to the grand opening of The Highlands, a mixed-use project in Rosslyn at the top of the hill on Wilson Boulevard. The Highlands, a 1.2-million-square-foot development, consists of three high-rise residences — named Pierce, Aubrey and Evo — with views of the D.C. area and several amenities. ‘We’re proud to be here today welcoming these 890 new residences, exciting retailers, Fire Station 10 and the beautiful Rosslyn Highlands Park.'” [Patch]

Reward Boosted in Ballston Murder Case — “The Ratigan family is announcing an increase in their reward fund from $25,000 to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for Scott Ratigan’s homicide on January 17, 2020. Detectives continue to follow-up on any and all investigative leads in this case and remind the public that any information, regardless of how small it may seem, could be the tip that leads to justice on behalf of Scott and the Ratigan family.” [ACPD]

Retired Police K-9 Dies — “With great sadness, ACPD announces the passing of retired K9 Drago, a 14 year-old old German Shepard, Belgian Malinois mix. He loyally served Arlington from 2008 to 2019 as a patrol and narcotics detection K9. We kindly ask that you keep him and his handler in your thoughts.” [Twitter]

APS Getting Ready for Kid Vax Approval — “APS continues to work with the County on plans for rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to students ages 5-11 once it is approved, which we anticipate very soon. Once approved, we will inform the community about the availability of doses and how to schedule appointments. Arlington County Public Health anticipates holding clinics and scheduling vaccinations by appointment, hopefully by mid-November. We will keep families informed as new information is received.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Man Seen Stealing GOP Signs — “We’ve received reports of stolen yard signs, and — while we appreciate your updates — almost none of those are actionable because the tipsters don’t provide us any physical/visual evidence. But kudos to one resourceful sleuth, who provided us with these fairly clear photos of a guy taking down Youngkin signs in Arlington last night.” [Arlington GOP, Twitter]

In Defense of Audrey’s Age Answer — “Apparently what happened is that the paper wanted candidates to fill out online questionnaires, and the computerized program didn’t allow respondents to skip the ‘age’ question. So Clement wrote in a younger figure as something of a protest in requiring candidates to answer a question she feels is inappropriate. From this, the Post tried to make a big deal. Turns out the Posties, as is often the case, missed the context. Clement wasn’t lying to them, as they contend. She was f*cking with them. A big difference.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Artist Performs on NPR — From National Public Radio: “The Tiny Desk is back… sort of. The first concert recorded at Bob Boilen’s desk since March 2020 is 2021 Tiny Desk Contest winner Neffy!” [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — Today will be partly sunny, with a high near 65, getting progressively cloudier throughout the day. Sunrise at 7:31 a.m. and sunset at 6:11 p.m. Tomorrow (Friday) will be rainy and windy, with storms and flooding possible. Expect a high near 63.

Arlington offering more booster shots as local Covid cases tick down

By ARLnow.com
Arlington Covid cases as of Oct. 26, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Arlington County is now offering booster shots of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The county’s public health division, which was already offering Pfizer booster shots, made the announcement yesterday (Tuesday). The booster shots are available for adults who received their last jab more than six months ago and who are older than 65, in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions, or who work certain high-risk jobs.

The announcement comes as the average rate of new Covid cases in the county has dropped below 25 per day for the first time since early August, down from a peak of about 48 daily cases.

The downward trajectory of cases in Arlington following the delta variant wave has been slow and uneven compared to that of Virginia as a whole, which has an average daily case rate — 1,500 cases per day — well below half of the state’s delta peak.

Virginia Covid cases as of Oct. 26, 2021 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The rate of serious illness and death from the coronavirus in Arlington, meanwhile, remains relatively low. Twenty Covid-related hospitalizations and six deaths have been reported in the county since the start of October, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

The full county press release about the vaccine booster shots is below.

(more…)

Thrive Hair Salon in Ballston hosting Covid vax clinic on Saturday

By Matt Blitz
Ajia Minnis, Owner and Founder of Thrive Hair Bar at 1010 N. Glebe Road (Photo courtesy of Thrive Hair Bar)

Thrive Hair Bar in Ballston is hosting a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic this Saturday (Oct 23).

The clinic is in partnership with the Arlington County Public Health Division and part of the “Shots at the Shop” initiative, a White-House-backed effort to recruit Black-owned barbershops and salons to help increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in the community.

The program trains barbers and stylists to dispel myths and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as provides a $1,000 grant courtesy of beauty care brand SheaMoisture.

“We saw the lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates in Black, Latinx, and other minority communities,” Thrive Hair Bar owner and founder Ajia Minnis told ARLnow via email about why they’re hosting the clinic. “Given the majority of our clients come from these communities we thought we might be well positioned to help dispel myths, help people feel more comfortable, and get more folks vaccinated.”

The clinic is from 10 a.m. to noon and is open to everyone 12 years old and older, in accordance with current guidelines. Only the Pfizer vaccine will be given. No appointments are needed and walk-ins are welcome.

Minnis says that they actually reached out to the county about holding the clinic after attending a course at the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity. It was there that she learned about the role salons have historically played in their communities in increasing awareness of health issues.

“As a community we need to serve each other and this is our small way of giving back to those who give so much to us,” says Minnis. “We want to not just be good neighbors but we want to also be valuable assets to the communities we love and serve.”

Fifty-nine percent of Black residents in Arlington that are eligible are fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Department of Health data. That’s comparable to the white population in Arlington, but both are lower than the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander populations in the county.

Covid cases in Arlington have fluctuated over the past month but are currently down to just above 25 cases per day, on average, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

There remains a worry among some medical professionals that a fifth Covid wave could happen among the unvaccinated in the winter. This concerns Minnis as well and is another reason why she decided to hold the clinic now, as temperatures start to dip, she says.

Thrive Hair Bar opened in Ballston in August 2020 inside of Sola Salon Studios at 1010 N. Glebe Road. A former professional dancer and choreographer who traveled the world, Minnis opened the shop because of her experiences struggling to find a local salon that was well-versed in her hair texture.

“Our goal isn’t just for us to give [clients] a hairstyle and they walk away, it’s really to help educate women on how to maintain their hair and care for their natural hair,” Minnis told ARLnow at the time.

She says business ownership has been great so far, adding that she really enjoys being in Ballston.

“It has a modern, professional vibe with fantastic people but didn’t have enough salons that provide twists, braids and blowouts for all hair textures,” Minni said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

APS Staff Vax Update — “Overall, 67 percent of all staff and 91 percent of instructional staff are fully vaccinated, and we are following up with all those who have not responded to the survey. This data will be compiled and finalized in early October. Regular testing is required for staff who are unvaccinated or did not respond to the survey.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Dog Reunited With Rescuers — “Arlington County firefighters were reunited with a dog they rescued from under a vehicle in August, according to a post on the fire department’s official Twitter account. Fire units responded on the evening of Aug. 9 for the report of a crash with injuries. Arriving on the scene, fire personnel determined that a dog named Sonny was trapped under a vehicle.” [Patch]

Photos from Wakefield vs. W-L — “In an intra-Arlington rivalry game, Wakefield High School defeated Washington-Liberty, 7-0, in varsity football action at W-L on Sept. 24, 2021. It was the fifth straight Wakefield victory over W-L in football competition.” [Sun Gazette]

Masseuse Misses Commute — “The pandemic changed my commute. It changed everything, of course. First, my commute vanished entirely when I stopped working at a clinic in Arlington, Va., as a massage therapist and instead focused on freelance writing from my home office. No more biking to work… Commutes aren’t generally pined for, but I missed the transformation that happened from door to door.” [Washington Post]

Rowdy Suspect Tased on the Pike — “At approximately 1:00 p.m. on September 28, police were dispatched to the report of an individual screaming and throwing items inside a residential building. Upon arrival, officers heard loud banging from a residence and observed items thrown into the hallway. Officers made contact with the occupant who was acting erratically, disregarded verbal commands and charged towards the officers. A taser was deployed and the subject was taken into custody without incident.” [ACPD]

Yard Waste Issues in Fairfax Co. — “Fairfax County can’t hire enough trash/recycling drivers due to higher-paid jobs at Amazon and Fed Ex. The result – yard waste piling up on curbs.” [Annandale Blog, Twitter]

Arlington to Start Providing Vax Booster Shots Today

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is starting to administer vaccine booster shots today, as the rate of new Covid cases continues to decline ever so gradually.

Following federal guidance, the county’s health department says it will administer a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine to qualified individuals, as defined in the press release below. The jabs will be available by appointment only at the county vaccination sites at the Arlington Mill and Walter Reed community centers.

Arlington’s rate of new Covid cases, meanwhile, continues to decline, albeit slowly. As of today the seven day moving average of new daily cases stands at 35, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. That’s down from a seasonal peak of 48 cases per day two weeks ago. One week ago the moving average was 37 cases per day.

Three Covid-related deaths and 19 hospitalizations have been reported so far this month in Arlington, where at least 76.6% of the population has received at least one vaccine shot, according to VDH.

The full press release about booster shots is below.

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, Arlington County Public Health will begin offering COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to certain people by appointment only, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This new, interim guidance allows for individuals who are at highest risk for COVID-19 to receive a Pfizer- COVID-19 booster shot to help increase their protection, including those in high-risk occupational and institutional settings.

“Vaccine has proven to be the single most effective strategy against reducing serious illness resulting in hospitalization or death and we are grateful that boosters as CDC recommends are now available to our eligible residents,” said Reuben K. Varghese, MD, MPH, Health Director for Arlington County.

The CDC recommends:

  • People 65 years and older and residents 18 years and older in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series;
  • People 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series;
  • People 18-49 years old with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series;
  • People 18-64 years old who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series.

People can talk to their healthcare provider about whether getting a Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot is appropriate for them.

These recommendations only apply to people who previously received a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (i.e., the first 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine); At this time booster doses are not recommended for people who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Has High Kid Vax Rate — “Virginia schools have about 420,000 children between the ages of 12 and 15, and about 63 percent of them have received at least one shot, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said during a news conference Monday. But vaccinations are not evenly spread: Alexandria has the highest vaccination rate for children in the state, at 98.5 percent, followed by 92 percent in Arlington.” [Washington Post]

Film Crew at DCA Today — “No parking except film crew” signs near Long Bridge Park are in place for some sort of a documentary that’s being filmed at National Airport, Arlington’s film office coordinator tells ARLnow. [Twitter]

Man Throws Drink at Honking Driver — “At approximately 8:41 p.m. on September 25, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. A lookout was broadcast and officers located the suspect in the 3500 block of Columbia Pike. The investigation determined that the victim was driving in the area when the male suspect, who was on foot, blocked his passage. The victim honked his horn to alert the suspect and as he was driving past, the suspect threw a beverage through the window, striking the victim in the head. The victim declined medical treatment and sustained minor injuries.” [ACPD]

County Reluctant to Loosen Lifeguard Rules — “It was a problem felt across Northern Virginia all summer – a lack of available lifeguards to keep watch over community pools. But should local governments provide exemptions for some pools to help alleviate a similar crisis next year? [Arlington] seems very hesitant.” [Sun Gazette]

Marymount Grad Wins Design Competition — “Tran Truong is a talent to be reckoned with in the design world. For the second consecutive year, the 26-year-old Marymount University student (now alumna) in May took top honors in a national competition hosted by the visual merchandising company WindowsWear. This year’s challenge: Design a store concept for the 40th anniversary of fashion label Michael Kors with an eye toward sustainability and social change.” [Arlington Magazine]

Photo courtesy Anthony Russo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A deer and a fox in the rain, near the Arlington-Fairfax border (photo courtesy Marc Roth)

‘Kindness Yard Sale’ in Penrose — “Susan Thompson-Gaines wants to spread kindness. This weekend, she’s doing it through a big yard sale at her house. She says it’s hard to miss the home she shares with her husband, David — it’s the yellow house with purple trim at the corner of South Second and South Fillmore streets in Arlington… what makes this yard sale different is that the proceeds are all spent on acts of kindness.” [WTOP]

Flood Cleanup for Pike Businesses — From WUSA 9’s Matthew Torres: “A dental hygienist sent me this other video of the flash flooding in Columbia Pike in Arlington. Their business had to close today as they clean up the water that seeped through. Other businesses are having to do the same thing.” [Twitter]

More Vaccinations Added to State Stats — “Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has incorporated vaccination data from jurisdictions in Maryland. Virginians who received vaccinations in Maryland that were not reported through the Virginia Immunization Information System are now included in the locality and statewide dashboards. The updated data reflects an increase in COVID-19 vaccine first dose rates of 0.33% Alexandria, 0.46% Arlington, and 0.39% Eastern Shore.” [Virginia Dept. of Health]

AFAC Gets Donation from Library Program –“Representatives of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL), together with the Arlington Public Library and Arlington County Department of Technology Services, presented a check for $4,525 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). The donation represents the number of Library readers who successfully completed the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge. The Library’s popular Summer Reading program helps children avoid the ‘summer slide.'” [Arlington County]

Fmr. County Board Member Dies — “Jay Edwin Ricks, 88, passed away at home in Arlington, Virginia on July 18, 2021 due to complications of Parkinson’s Disease… In 1967, Jay was elected to the Arlington County Board where he served until 1971. During this time, he was active in transportation issues and Vice Chairman of Metro during the critical phase of planning the Metro system.” [Legacy]

Local Church Adapts to Pandemic — ‘As another wave of the pandemic comes at us, we are different as a congregation,’ said the Rev. Amanda Poppei, senior minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, Virginia… Poppei’s congregation began hosting outdoor events in spring 2021, including a handbell parade to ring in Pride Month in June and a Flower Communion in May, which they intentionally designed as a multiplatform event.” [UUWorld]

Covid Cases Reach New Seasonal High in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

After a pre-Labor Day dip, Covid case counts in Arlington are again heading upward.

As of this morning the county is seeing just over 44 cases per day, based on a seven-day moving average. That’s the highest point since mid-February.

Though likely inflated due to the Labor Day holiday, 77 cases were reported on Wednesday alone, the highest one-day total since early February.

Reports of Covid-related serious illness remain at a relatively low level: three hospitalizations and one death over the past week, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health.

Amid a continued rise in cases, but relatively low incidence of serious illness among those who are vaccinated, President Biden today is set to announce a stricter vaccine requirement for federal workers and contractors. From CNN:

President Joe Biden on Thursday will impose more stringent vaccine rules on federal workers, and take steps to encourage private businesses to do the same, during a major speech meant to lay out a new approach to combating the coronavirus.

Among the steps the President will take is signing an executive order requiring all federal workers be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt out of the requirement, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The President will also sign an executive order directing the same standard be extended to employees of contractors who do business with the federal government.

In Arlington, 73.1% of the adult population has received at least one vaccine dose. That number, which excludes doses administered directly by the federal government, continues to slowly rise over time.

Little Change in Arlington’s Rate of Covid Cases Over Past Two Weeks

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Arlington’s average rate of new daily Covid cases has plateaued over the past two weeks.

The seven-day moving average currently stands at about 32-33 daily cases. It’s remained around that level, give or take two cases per day, since Aug. 9. The plateau followed a month-long rise in cases since the beginning of July, fueled by the more contagious Delta variant.

One new death and only one new Covid-related hospitalization have been reported over the past week, since Aug. 16.

Though the case average has held fairly steady, the 47 new cases reported on Sunday, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data, represent the highest one-day total since 57 cases were reported on April 9.

With reports of break-through cases among the vaccinated becoming more common, Arlington County last week started offering third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna to certain immunocompromised individuals. The county expects to offer booster shots to the general public later next month, as proposed by the Biden administration.

The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, announced today that it has granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine. It was previously offered under an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA.

With the full approval, the Dept. of Defense says it is planning to make vaccinations mandatory for U.S. service members.

Though it’s hard to predict what will happen with Arlington’s Covid case rate, there is some cause for optimism. In Florida, hard hit by the Delta wave, cases appear to be peaking or falling in many parts of the state.

Arlington County Now Offering Vaccine Booster Shots to Eligible Individuals

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A day after declaring that vaccine booster shots were “not currently available,” Arlington started offering them.

“On Tuesday, August 17, Arlington County Public Health will begin offering an additional, or third, dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) to certain immunocompromised people,” Arlington County announced yesterday in a press release. “This follows FDA’s amended Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and the CDC’s adoption of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation.”

The vaccine booster shots are only available to those who attest that they qualify for them due to being moderately or severely immunocompromised. Those receiving the shots must also have already received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, with the last dose administered at least four weeks ago.

While currently restricted to only certain vulnerable individuals, booster shots are set to become widely available — and encouraged — this fall.

From NBC News:

Top U.S. health officials announced Wednesday that the country has developed a plan to start offering Covid-19 booster shots to all Americans beginning the third week of September, citing evidence that protection is waning not only against hospitalization and death, but also mild and moderate infections, as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread.

Arlington County, meanwhile, has been upgraded to an area of “high” community spread of COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The local transmission rate was deemed “substantial” by the CDC a couple of weeks ago.

As of Tuesday, neighboring Fairfax County and Alexandria were still seeing only “substantial” community transmission, a lower classification than “high,” according to the CDC website.

Arlington is recording about 33 new cases per day, or 14 daily cases per 100,000 residents, according to a 7-day moving average published this morning by Virginia Dept. of Health.

More on the booster shots, below, from the Arlington County press release.

People who are immunocompromised should speak to their healthcare provider to help decide if they would benefit from an additional dose. Moderately to severely immunocompromised people include those who have:

  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
  • Individuals will be asked to self-attest (confirm) as having a qualifying condition at the time of vaccination.

Bring your vaccination card with you so your provider can fill in the information about your additional dose. Keep your vaccination card in case you need it for future use and consider taking a picture of your vaccination card as a backup copy.

At this time, an additional dose of vaccine is not approved for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or people who are fully vaccinated and not immunocompromised. The FDA and CDC continue to review evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of an additional dose for these individuals.

Arlington County encourages everyone 12 and older to get a COVID-19 vaccine, especially those who are immunocompromised or have close contact with immunocompromised persons. Arlington County Public Health Division (ACPHD) will only be offering additional doses for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals at the Arlington Mill Community Center and Walter Reed Community Center clinics; they will not be available at field missions or “pop-up” events at this time.

Free walk-in and scheduled appointments are available at ACPHD’s clinics. Additional opportunities can be found at vaccines.gov; confirm with individual providers the availability of additional, or third, doses.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s Biggest House Numbers? — “In the early days of the pandemic, I went on a quixotic quest to walk every one of the 1,114 blocks in my Arlington, Virginia, ZIP code, cataloging the styles of the address numbers on every house along the way… I have kept an eye on the house numbers in Arlington ever since, and imagine my joy this spring when suddenly, on a street I biked down every week, a new set of enormous house numbers appeared.” [Slate, Twitter]

Stepped Up DUI Patrols Begin Today — “This Labor Day, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over impaired driving awareness campaign, which runs from August 18th through September 6th, 2021. This campaign aims to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways through a two-pronged approach of education and enforcement.” [ACPD]

Fallen Pentagon Police Officer Laid to Rest — “A Brooklyn-born Pentagon cop who was stabbed to death while on duty in DC was hailed as a “warrior” and a hero at his funeral Monday… ‘He fought ’til the end,’ his NYPD sibling, Rodney Rubert, said during funeral services at St. Barbara Roman Catholic Church in Bushwick.” [New York Post]

Beyer Proposes Healthcare Provider Vax Mandate — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today announced the introduction of the Protecting Vulnerable Patients Act, which would require healthcare providers who see Medicare or Medicaid patients to be vaccinated following final FDA approval of a COVID vaccine.” [Press Release]

Arlington Hotels Still Hurting — “Hotel-occupancy rates improved in June but, overall, the first half of the year remained a bust for the Arlington hospitality industry. The occupancy rate of 44.7 percent in June was better than the cumulative 34.4-percent rate recorded over the first six months of the year, according to new data from Smith Travel research and Arlington Economic Development. But that 34.4-percent rate was anemic even compared to the weak first six months of 2020, when it stood at 37.3 percent.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Office Vacancy Rate Rising — “The Arlington office-vacancy rate continues to go in the wrong direction, according to new second-quarter data. The overall office-vacancy rate countywide was 19.4 percent for the quarter, according to figures reported by CoStar and Arlington Economic Development. That’s up from 18.5 percent in the first quarter and 16.6 percent a year ago.” [Sun Gazette]

Local Nonprofit Eyes Tysons Development — “The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing is adding another project to its new Fairfax County pipeline, pitching a development in Tysons that could become the neighborhood’s first apartment building made up entirely of committed affordable units. The nonprofit hopes to build up to 175 new apartments on about 2 acres on Spring Hill Road near the Silver Line station of the same name, converting car dealership parking lots that are part of the massive Dominion Square development site.” [Washington Business Journal]

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