coronavirus | ARLnow.com

Published April 13, 2022 at 9:45AM

Covid cases in Arlington on 4/12/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The CDC’s elevated “Community Level” for Arlington may not tell the full story, county health officials say.

Yesterday ARLnow reported that Arlington was the only jurisdiction in the immediate D.C. area to have risen to a “medium” Community Level, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While hospitalizations here remain relatively low, the county has been above 200 new cases per week per 100,000 residents for a few days, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data, prompting the CDC’s designation.

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UPDATED: Arlington reaches ‘medium’ CDC Covid level

By ARLnow.com

Published April 12, 2022 at 10:45AM | Updated April 12, 2022 at 3:31PM

Covid levels in the D.C. region on 4/12/22, according to the CDC

(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Arlington is now the only jurisdiction in the immediate D.C. area to reach a “medium” level of Covid infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC’s “Community Level” map shows Arlington in yellow while the rest of the metro area is in green, with levels of infection and hospitalization considered to be low.

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Arlington offering second Covid booster shots for residents 50+

By Matt Blitz

Published April 6, 2022 at 12:30PM

A vaccine shot (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Arlington County is now offering second COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to eligible residents, following updated CDC guidance.

Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the administering of second booster shots for those who are 50 years of age and older, immunocompromised, or who received a single shot and booster of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

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Wastewater may help Arlington predict the next local Covid surge

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 31, 2022 at 3:30PM

The Water Pollution Control Plant in South Arlington (via DES/Flickr)

For the last two months, Arlington County has been getting your sewage tested to measure community Covid infection levels.

The Department of Environmental Services is sending weekly samples to Biobot, a Massachusetts-based health tech startup that got its start monitoring wastewater for opioids but pivoted to COVID-19 testing during the pandemic. The company now tests wastewater samples for municipalities nationwide.

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Arlington County to promote transit use in post-Covid marketing push

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 22, 2022 at 1:45PM

In the next couple of months, Arlington County will launch a campaign encouraging transit use and thanking people who rode Metro and the bus during Covid.

The campaign, aimed at restoring transit ridership rates to pre-pandemic levels, should kick off later this spring or early this summer and will last at least one year, says Department of Environmental Services Director of Transportation Dennis Leach.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 21, 2022 at 7:30AM

Amazon HQ2 under construction in Pentagon City, with the Pentagon in the foreground (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Construction Milestone for HQ2 — “Metropolitan Park, the first phase of our second headquarters’ development in Arlington, Virginia, is taking shape as we celebrate an important milestone: the ‘topping out,’ or completion of the highest floor of the building. So much has changed since we began construction more than two years ago in National Landing, and we can’t wait to welcome Amazon employees and the Arlington community to Metropolitan Park in 2023.” [Amazon, Twitter]

Covid Rate Low in the ER — From Virginia Hospital Center emergency department chief Dr. Mike Silverman: “This past week was the best COVID week we’ve had in a long time in the ER. We actually didn’t have any positive cases among our ‘symptomatic’ patients and just a handful or so among all comers to the ER. Our percent positivity rate was <2%. Hospitalizations remains low and we are returning to normal with in-person meetings and some options about mask wearing in non-clinical areas.” [Facebook]

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Authorities encouraging locals to get Covid booster shots, as cases rise slightly

By ARLnow.com

Published March 17, 2022 at 11:15AM | Updated March 17, 2022 at 11:41AM

If you haven’t received a Covid vaccine booster shot yet, expect a call or text message from the state health department.

Arlington residents started getting the reminders from the Virginia Dept. of Health this week, at a time when the local decline in Covid cases is showing signs of bottoming out.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 17, 2022 at 7:30AM

Looking at the Key Bridge and Rosslyn (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)

Obit for a Local Legend — “John T. ‘Til’ Hazel Jr., a Virginia lawyer and developer who played a crucial role in building the Capital Beltway and transforming Northern Virginia from a rural outpost of Washington into an economic powerhouse, died March 15 at his home… He was a force behind the rise to prominence of GMU, acquiring land and lobbying for a school of law in Arlington, Va.” [Washington Post, Virginia Business]

County Holding Covid Remembrance — “The County Board invites members of our community to join in remembering Arlington neighbors who have lost their lives to COVID-19 over the past two years… Saturday, March 19, 2022 | 02:00 PM.” [Arlington County]

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Arlington vaccine worker will tour the country as a Broadway star

By Matt Blitz

Published March 9, 2022 at 2:35PM | Updated March 9, 2022 at 2:58PM

Joey Collins working as an Arlington Public Health vaccine greeter in 2021 (courtesy of Joey Collins)

Joey Collins is a Broadway actor by training and an Arlington vaccine helper by heart.

After assisting the Arlington Public Health Division with distributing Covid vaccines for most of 2021, accomplished stage actor Collins is hitting the road this year as part of the Broadway touring company of “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

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Arlington’s test positivity rate nearing pre-Omicron levels

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2022 at 10:35AM

Covid test positivity rate in Arlington as of 3/9/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Covid remains on a slow decline in Arlington, a week after mask mandates were lifted in Arlington County facilities, public schools and elsewhere.

As the deadly Omicron wave wanes, test positivity numbers have fallen to nearly pre-wave levels. The positivity rate in Arlington is currently 3.4%, the lowest it has been since the beginning of December when case numbers started their rapid rase.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 3, 2022 at 7:30AM

As seen along Fairfax Drive in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Board Calls Out Youngkin’s Auditor Veto — “The Arlington County Board said Wednesday that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto of its police oversight bill was ‘deeply frustrating.'” [WTOP, Arlington County]

Volunteers Clean Up Muddy Trail –From the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail: “Before and after of the Gravelly Point mud puddle which was removed by volunteers on Saturday while edging the trail. Make a difference on the trail when you register for one of our upcoming volunteer events.” [Twitter]