Public health district directors in Prince William County and across Northern Virginia are urging local residents to continue precautions against COVID-19 this holiday season by moving celebrations outdoors as much as possible and wearing masks while indoors in public spaces or when gathering with people of unknown vaccination status.
The Prince William Health District is further encouraging residents take “enhanced precautions” at least one week before holiday get-togethers to lower the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks at such gatherings, according to a recent news release.
In the days leading up to such get-togethers, people should get vaccinated as soon as possible; avoid non-essential travel, crowded events and venues; wear masks inside public places; and closely monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms, the release said.
“While great gains have been made towards ending the pandemic, it is not yet over,” Kathleen Stewart, spokeswoman for the Prince William Health District, said in a news release.
“As of Nov. 1, national and local case rates were similar to what they were at the same time last year, and statewide case rates are slightly higher than prior to the holiday surge of last year,” the release said.
Indeed, as of Nov. 1, 2021, Virginia was averaging about 1,328 new daily cases of COVID-19. That’s about 3% higher than the seven-day average of 1,289 new daily cases reported on Nov. 1, 2020, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Since Nov. 1, the COVID-19 numbers have improved across the state and in Prince William County as the spread of the Delta variant has waned. Still, the local health district reported an average of 60 new cases a day as of Wednesday, Nov. 16, only slightly lower than the previous week. The health district was reporting an average of 99 new cases daily one year ago.
Local public health leaders are emphasizing COVID-19 precautions ahead of the holidays because of the spike in cases across the state in late 2020 and early 2021.
Last year’s winter surge began around Halloween, and cases, hospitalizations and deaths soared through late January. Virginia saw average daily cases spike to more than 6,000 statewide – including 499 in the Prince William Health District – on Jan. 20, 2021, according to VDH data.
COVID-19 deaths, a lagging indicator, peaked in early March with an average of 217 deaths a day statewide, including a daily average of 10 deaths a day in the Prince William Health District.
“Although Northern Virginia localities have some of the highest vaccination rates in the state, there is still substantial transmission of COVID-19 in the community, and we must remain vigilant to protect those who are not eligible for vaccination and those at higher risk for serious illness,” said a Nov. 16 press release issued jointly by several Northern Virginia health districts, including Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Arlington counties and the City of Alexandria.
The release further noted that residents travel across Northern Virginia jurisdictions, and that Northern Virginia is a popular tourist destination that could be impacted by travel by those from areas where transmission rates are higher.
“Northern Virginia residents have continually shown that we can work together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic through testing, vaccination and staying home when sick,” Dr. David C. Rose, health director for the City of Alexandria, said in the release. “We all need to keep up our defenses throughout the expected winter surge in cases.”
Health Directors in the Northern Virginia region are closely monitoring community transmission of COVID-19 in Northern Virginia, as well as in locations from which people may travel to the region, the release said.
Based on those assessments, as well as vaccination coverage, the presence of COVID-19 variants, and other factors – including people’s desire to ease precautions over the holiday season -- local health department leaders are encouraging everyone to maintain “layered prevention activities” to prevent another surge in cases, the release said.
Those precautions include:
- Getting all fully vaccinated, including booster shots, if appropriate.
- Wearing a mask indoors when around those not in your household.
- Staying home when sick.
- Socially distancing or staying 6 feet from others as much as possible.
- Avoiding crowded and indoor areas where distancing is not possible and avoiding close contact with those whose vaccination status is unknown.
- Getting tested for COVID-19 if exposed and following guidelines for isolation and quarantine.
- Washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available. This will help prevent many diseases, including the seasonal flu.
- If not fully vaccinated, stay away from others and get tested three to five days after returning home from travel.
“Together we can lower COVID rates and prevent another surge over the holiday season, as well as take us one step closer to ending the pandemic,” the release said.
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November 18, 2021 at 12:58AM
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For safer holidays: Gather outdoors, wear masks inside, get vaccinated - Prince William Times
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