COVID Precautions Urged For Holidays In Prince William County

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — The health department directors in Prince William County and other Northern Virginia health districts are urging residents not to let up on COVID-19 precautions for the upcoming holidays.

The health directors released a joint statement urging continued precautions as friends and families get together for the fall and winter holidays and people spend more time indoors during cold weather. They also expect a surge in flu and COVID-19 cases this fall and winter. Mitigation strategies are aimed at protecting people at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 and those not yet eligible for vaccination.

"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," said Dr. David Rose, the newly appointed health director in Alexandria. "We all need to keep up our defenses throughout the expected winter surge in cases."

Despite relatively high vaccination rates, many Northern Virginia municipalities still have high or substantial levels of COVID-19 transmission. Prince William County currently has substantial transmission levels, according to the Virginia Department of Health's dashboard.

The county had 98 new cases per 100,000 people last week. The positivity rate of COVID-19 PCR tests was 4.8 percent.

The City of Manassas has a high level of community transmission, with 114 new cases per 100,000 people last week. Manassas Park is listed with moderate levels of community transmission; they noted 11 new cases per 100,000 people.

Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park are doing well in one key measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19: vaccination rates. 73 percent of eligible residents in Prince William County have recieved at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Still, Loudoun County Health Director Dr. David Goodfriend urges more people to seek out vaccines. "As we approach the holiday season when families tend to travel and gather in groups, vaccination against COVID-19 for everyone five and older is critical," Dr. Goodfriend said. "The data shows that the vaccine is safe and effective in our children, and we know that protecting children from the virus and limiting their ability to spread the virus through vaccination is a key step in bringing the pandemic to an end."

In their joint statement, Northern Virginia health directors provided the following recommendations for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday season:

• Get all eligible members of your family fully vaccinated, including booster shots, if appropriate.
• Wear a mask indoors when around those not in your household.
• Stay home when sick.
• Socially distance – stay six feet from others as much as possible.
• Avoid crowded and indoor areas where distancing is not possible, or where you will be in close contact with those whose vaccination status is unknown.
• If you think you may have COVID-19 or may have been exposed, get tested and follow guidelines for isolation and quarantine.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available. This will help prevent many diseases, including the seasonal flu.
• If you are not fully vaccinated, stay away from others and get tested 3-5 days after returning home from travel.