With Rise in Cases, COVID-19 Vaccine Required for Alexandria City and Public School Employees
ALEXANDRIA, VA – The City of Alexandria and Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for employees. This decision follows the recent rise in cases in the city due to the highly contagious Delta variant.
“Over the past month and a half, Alexandria has seen a steady increase in positive cases and has entered the category of high community transmission for the first time since mid-April. We have to take every action available to provide safe public facilities to residents, reduce transmission, and prevent exposure to the virus and more of the impacts we have already experienced,” said City Manager Mark Jinks. “As major employers, the City and school division are in partnership to address this pandemic health situation. This new mitigation measure adds a layer of protection to the existing requirement for staff and visitors to wear masks inside City and ACPS facilities, regardless of vaccination status, as recommended by the CDC.”
The Alexandria COVID-19 Dashboard shows that in the past seven days, 95.62 cases have been reported per 100,000 residents. This places the city in the Substantial category of community transmission. There has been an average increase of 22.4 cases since August 12.
Employees are required to provide proof of vaccination. Those who choose not to disclose their status or remain unvaccinated will be subjected to weekly testing.
At a school board meeting yesterday, members voted unanimously for status disclosure or testing, on the recommendation of the superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr.
Details will be shared with ACPS and City employees next week.
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