City of Alexandria Recognizes National Public Health Week

­­For Immediate Release: April 4, 2022

The City of Alexandria and Alexandria Health Department (AHD) recognize and celebrate National Public Health Week, April 4–10. The City will mark the occasion with a reading of a proclamation at the Alexandria City Council Legislative Meeting on April 5. For the past two years, COVID-19 has dominated the public health landscape; however, chronic disease conditions and significant disparities continue to exist in Alexandria. The focus of National Public Health Week 2022 is “Public Health Is Where You Are,” because an individual’s community conditions—such as where one lives, works and plays and their social environment—can all significantly impact their health status.

This National Public Health Week focus aligns with AHD’s recently launched Alexandria Air Cleaning Evaluation for Healthier Homes (ACE Healthy Homes) pilot program, which is focused on improving home conditions to address the health of residents living with breathing issues, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

AHD is committed to equitable community health and well-being because systemic and institutional environments can create barriers for the underserved within a community. The Alexandria Community Health Assessment & Improvement Plan (CHIP) outlines actionable strategies to address the root causes of health disparities in Alexandria, including housing, mental health and economic stability. To learn more about the community-centered, data-driven process used, as well as current progress on plan implementation, visit the CHIP webpage.

This National Public Health Week, consider reconnecting with the community and the environment, and helping others do the same. The mental and physical benefits of being outside and maintaining personal relationships are part of a bigger and more inclusive definition of health that AHD and the City of Alexandria promote and celebrate.

Visit alexandriava.gov/Health to learn more about working as a community to create the healthiest possible Alexandria.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Natalie Talis, Population Health Manager, at natalie.talis@vdh.virginia.gov or 703.746.4914.

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This news release is available at alexandriava.gov/go/3509