As the transmission increases, public health leaders in Northern Virginia are encouraging residents to maintain their vigilance in curbing the spread of COVID-19 to minimize hospitalizations and deaths during this winter surge.
Help out.
* Answer the Call. If you test positive for COVID-19, please answer the phone call from Arlington Public Health to receive further guidance. If we don’t reach you, we will leave a message. In the meantime, please call your known close contacts to let them know they may have been exposed and encourage them to get tested, regardless of their vaccination status.
* Use Many Strategies to Slow the Spread. We ask everyone to use multiple, overlapping strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Arlington Public Health wants to highlight some key strategies:
* Vaccination: Vaccination is the single best way to lower the risk for hospitalization and death from severe COVID-19 illness. Everyone 5 years and older is eligible for the free COVID-19 vaccine. Find a location at vaccines.gov.
* Get Boosted: Everyone 16 years and older should get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to strengthen protection against Omicron and other variants. While 85% of adults in Arlington have received at least one dose, only 30% have their booster dose -- the CDC now recommends that everyone ages 16 and older receive a COVID-19 booster shot.
* Masking Indoors: Masking is the best way to reduce spreading germs when around others outside your home. Everyone 2 years and older should wear a mask when indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status.
* Testing After COVID Exposure or When You Have Symptoms: Testing helps detect infection earlier and slow the spread of the virus. Learn when you should get tested if you have close contact with someone who is sick. And find testing options near you using VDH's COVID-19 Testing Sites map.
Seek the advice of your healthcare provider if you have questions about your health situation. You may qualify for treatments authorized by the FDA for emergency use that can reduce your risk of hospitalization or death following close contact to or illness with COVID-19