May 1, 2020
To the Fairfax County Community,

You may have noticed that in the last few days Fairfax County has seen a spike in cases. I wanted to take a moment to address the anxiety you might be having. It's certainly scary, but there are reasons to explain this.

  1. Fairfax is in the exponential growth phase of our epidemic curve and we can therefore expect to see COVID-19 cases continue to increase for several more weeks. Because of the way this disease transmits, when one person is sick they can easily transmit it to others, especially in settings like long term care facilities.
  2. An increase in testing leads to more positive cases.

I want to encourage residents to continue to follow community mitigation efforts: stay home, social distance even when outside, wash your hands, and wear a mask.

In addition, today, the Governor announced that Virginia has enough testing capacity to test all people who think they are sick with COVID-19. This means that if you think you have COVID-19, please work with you doctor to get tested.

For now though, unfortunately we will continue to see more deaths and hospitalizations. But we can make a difference through community mitigation efforts. Your family, friends, and community are counting on you. Below, you will also see a video update from me addressing these concerns.

See below for the full May 1 edition. For the resources mentioned in past newsletters, visit my website . If you have a friend who would like to sign up for this newsletter, they can do so here.
CARES Act Funding

  • Fairfax County has received over $200 million in federal funding through the CARES Act. These are one-time funds that can only be used to cover expenditures incurred as a result of COVID-19, were not accounted for in the most recently approved budget, and were incurred between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 30, 2020.
  • The County Executive recommends and I support that some of this funding cover the following:
  • $20 million is recommended to increase support to Fairfax County's non-profit partners for basic needs in the community. This funding will be allocated to community based organizations currently within the County's partner network.
  • Funding will support direct client assistance and staff directly supporting food and financial needs.
  • Financial services funding will provide assistance in: rent, mortgage, security deposits, housing fees, utilities, and prescription assistance.
  • $5 million is recommended to create a Nonprofit Sustainability Fund to support the viability of nonprofit partners, addressing immediate organizational and operational needs.
  • $35 thousand to Volunteer Fairfax to meet growing community needs associated with COVID-19. The organization participates in emergency preparedness activities and coordination.
  • $1.7 million in Federal-State Emergency Solutions Grant from the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) will go to creating additional emergency shelter capacity for the County's homeless population.
  • $3.5 million to the Community Development Block Grant (also from HUD, administered by our County Department of Housing & Community Development) to provide emergency rent and utility assistance for families who have lost income, operating support for affordable housing providers, and administrative support.
  • Remaining funding will cover expenses related to the County's response to COVID-19. It could cover the following, but is not limited to: costs of PPE, increases in staffing needs in the Health Department, and support of the County's homeless population.

Statewide Virginia Resources

  • Health care coverage:
  • Call the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282 (TDD: 1-888-221-1590), M-F: 8am-7pm and Sat: 9am-12pm.
  • Complete an online application here.
  • Mail or drop off a paper (English application and Spanish application) to your local Department of Social Services. 
  • Fairfax County has a list of health care options for low-income and the uninsured here.
  • Fairfax County is offering help for those who need to apply for resources like SNAP and Medicaid. Learn more.
  • Unhealthy working conditions
  • Employees or their representatives have the right to file a complaint with the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health office requesting an inspection, if they believe unsafe or unhealthy conditions exist in their workplace.
  • VOSH will withhold, on request, names of employees filing complaints.
  • A list of VOSH offices are here or you may file a complaint online with the US Department of Labor.
  • Governor Northam's press releases can be found in English and in Spanish.
  • For more state COVID-19 resources and guidance, visit this page.
  • Senator Mark Warner also asked that we share his list of resources with you. Read his message here.

Resources for Veterans

  • If you have eligible dependents and did not file 2018 or 2019 tax returns, you must act by May 5 to get the full amount of your Economic Impact Payment quickly. Additional Veterans Affairs debt and copay financial relief options here. 
  • Learn how soldiers, certain Veterans and their families can qualify for aid from U.S. Army Emergency Relief here.
  • Guidance for VA home loan borrowers can be found here.
  • Help lines:
  • Homeless veterans should call: 1-877-4AID-VET for 24/7 access to VA's services or can chat confidentially here.
  • For Veterans in crisis or if you are concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis line: 1-800-273-8255 and press 1, chat, or text 838255.
  • Check out the VA's Connection Resource Locator for same day primary care and mental health services.

Inova

  • It is safe to visit an Inova hospital, emergency room, or other care site. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please visit the ER or call 911 immediately. Delaying treatment can be a dangerous decision.
  • Inova hospitals and emergency rooms have taken precautions to provide a safe environment for all patients. For example, they have entry screening processes and separate areas for COVID-19 patients.
  • Information on Inova's Respiratory Illness Clinics, where they provide scheduled vehicle-side testing appointments, can be found here.
  • All Inova hospitals and care sites are open and serving patients. The most up to date information can be found at here. 

Reston Hospital Center

  • RHC is providing Patient Benefit Advisors to help patients navigate their insurance options, given potential recent shifts in their coverage.
  • They have taken heightened measures to ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and clinical teams. For example, screening procedures before entering the facility, updated visitor policies, universal masking for anyone inside the facility, and a separate location for COVID-19 patients.
  • Read more here.

Composting

  • If you are still looking for a quarantine hobby, consider composting. It reduces food and yard waste and enriches your soil for gardening.
  • Learn more here.

May Town Elections in Clifton and Vienna

  • This election information is only relevant to the towns of Vienna and Clifton.
  • The election will take place May 19, but voting by mail is strongly encouraged. The deadline to request a ballot is May 12. You can do so here.
  • The Fairfax County Office of Elections is offering curbside absentee voting at the Government Center. Offices are open M-F 8am-4:30pm. Call 703-222-0776 upon arrival.

How you can help

  • Catholic Charities' St. Lucy Project has launched Friday drive-thru food drives at parishes across the region. Go here to see if there are any locations near you.
  • Langley Residential Support Services, empowers adults with developmental disabilities to be more self-sufficient. Led by Executive Director Betsy Schatz since 1989, LRSS supports 55 individuals in various capacities. They need help to continue to support their clients. Learn more and support their work here.
  • More ways to support the community can be found on my website under "how you can help".
Health
Common Health Questions:

  • People with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms reported - ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. You might experience:
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Chills, repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste and smell
  • Continue to follow the health guidelines:
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if that isn't an option (especially when in public places)
  • Cough and sneeze into your sleeve
  • Don't touch your face
  • Social distance
  • What it means to social distance, self-isolate, and quarantine.
  • The CDC recommends wearing non-medical masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Read here for information and to learn how to best wear a mask and how to make your own.
  • The New York Times (access to COVID-19 content is free) spoke with infectious disease experts, aerosol scientists, and microbiologists to find out if COVID-19 can land on your clothing, hair, shows, and mail.

Resources:

  • Fairfax County Health Department
  • To view the number of cases in Fairfax County this page is updated at noon daily.
  • Visit the County site on COVID-19, Health Department Website, and see their FAQs.
  • They also have a video presentation in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
  • Sign up for text message alerts: text FFXCOVID to 888777. Para inscribirse, textear FFXCOVIDESP a 888777.
  • Call the Health Department from 9:00 am - 7 pm weekdays and 9:30 am - 5 pm on weekends: 703-267-3511
  • Email: [email protected]. This account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8 am - 8 pm.
  • Inova has a helpful FAQ.
As we have more information to share, my office and Fairfax County Government will continue to update residents.

Thank you for your support and patience as we work to manage this challenging, complex, and rapidly evolving situation.

Jeffrey C. McKay
Contact the Office

[email protected] | 703.324.2321 |