March 24, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday, the Fairfax County Health Department announced that two additional Phase 1b essential worker groups are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine:
  • Public transit workers (does not include airline workers, such as pilots, flight crews and ground crews)
  • Mail carriers
Get more details here.

We are now up to eight eligible groups in 1b and the number of people vaccinated in the county is above 325,000 (Vaccine Data Dashboard, screen shot from today is below). This is all great news IF we all do our part and get vaccinated. If you have questions or concerns about getting the vaccine, please contact your physician or the Fairfax County Health Department, Call 703-267-3511 (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends) or email ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov (photo credit: vaccinator Mary Wright Baylor).

More news from yesterday – Governor Northam announced that due to the increasing number of vaccinations, he was increasing capacity limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings and some entertainment venues. The changes become effective next Thursday, April 1. Learn more.

More COVID-19 and vaccine updates are below.

Recent Mass Shootings
Our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities were rocked last week by the mass shootings in the Atlanta area. In response, the Board of Supervisors at our meeting yesterday unanimously approved a resolution condemning anti-Asian racism and violence. Watch here.
 
And on Monday, we learned of 10 people killed in a mass shooting in Colorado. Even more disturbing is that according to media reports, these senseless shootings were among at least seven mass shootings (incidents where multiple people were shot) nationally in just the past week. There are no easy answers, but I do hope that our state and federal leaders can make significant and commonsense progress toward preventing more horrific losses.
 
Stay safe everyone and when you can, smile or give a wave to a neighbor. Every act of kindness helps us fight the darkness of hate.

Respectfully,
Walter
Today's COVID-19 Updates (March 24)
Above is the county's Vaccine Data Dashboard as of today, March 24 at 4 p.m. Appointments at the time of publication were being made for people who pre-registered on March 6. More vaccines are going in arms now that the supply has increased!

Join Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccine in Spanish March 26
The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, will host a virtual zoom session in Spanish on Friday, March 26, 3 to 4 p.m. Health Department Epidemiologist Dr. René Nájera will share vaccine facts and address common vaccine myths and fears. Learn more.

Neighborhood and Community Services and Partners Deliver 500,000 Meals to Older Adults
When Fairfax County Senior Centers closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic, county health and human services staff pivoted to meet the immediate needs of older adults – they began delivering weekly meals to participants who would typically eat their meals at Senior Centers. Now, over one year later, staff have delivered over 500,000 meals through the program. Learn more.

Join the Health Department’s Team of Vaccinators
The Fairfax County Health Department is hiring approximately 250 vaccinators (licensed nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and pharmacists) in coming weeks to help get the COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of residents as quickly as possible. Vaccinators will be assigned to work at Health Department vaccination sites that operate six days a week, including the Fairfax County Government Center. Learn more.

Contact Information
If you have questions about COVID-19, you can contact the Fairfax County Health Department:
  • Call 703-267-3511 (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends)
  • Email ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov (monitored 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays)

Vaccine Providers

Vaccine Updates

Testing

Current Number of Cases in the Fairfax Health District
  • Daily reported case information for the Fairfax Health District: here and scroll down to get to ZIP Code data.
  • Daily reported case information throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia: here and ZIP Code data look for Data Download bar.

COVID-19 Case Information Chart (as of publication on March 24)
2020-2021 Coat Closet is a Success!
Thank you very much to Cornerstones for the Coat Closet partnership that enabled many of our vulnerable neighbors to stay warm this winter with donations of winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. And a very big thank you to our generous neighbors who donated during the pandemic when we saw an even greater need in our community. Learn more

2020-2021 Winter Coat Closet Distribution Totals:
Children assisted - 1,044
Adults Assisted - 1,094
Coats distributed - 2,122
Accessories distributed - 3,272
Masks distributed - 164
Virtual Budget Town Hall Meeting
Monday, March 29 at 7 p.m.
I'm hosting a virtual town hall on Monday, March 29, 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss the county executive's proposed Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Melanie Meren, Fairfax County School Board representative for Hunter Mill District and Christina Jackson, director, Department of Management and Budget will also be participating. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. To listen to the meeting on your phone, call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 129 632 1224. You also can watch the meeting on YouTube Live.
Public Safety Update
Neighborhood Watch
The Fairfax County Police Department's Reston District Station held a forum last night to discuss recent crimes in the Hunters Woods community. Residents asked for information on how a Neighborhood Watch program works and how it benefits the community. All residents that are interested in Neighborhood Watch are invited to attend a virtual meeting on Zoom, April 13 at 7 p.m. Register here and a Zoom link will be sent to you. For more information, contact the Reston District Station.
Transportation and Land Use
2021 Paving and Restriping Public Meeting for Hunter Mill District is April 6
The Virginia Department of Transportation is hosting virtual meetings this spring regarding the 2021 Paving and Restriping Program. The Hunter Mill District meeting will be held Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. Learn more.

Next Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force Meeting is April 12, 7 p.m.
To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. The next schedule meeting is Monday, April 12 at 7 p.m. Details and the agenda will be found here. You will also be able to watch a live stream of the meeting on YouTube Live, which is also where you can watch the March 22 meeting. 
Spring Happenings: Mark Your Calendar
Reston's Founders Day is April 10
Celebrated every year on a Saturday near founder Robert E. Simon, Jr.' s birthday (April 10), Founder's Day is a celebration of Reston's founding with a variety of family-friendly activities.
Join the Reston Historic Trust & Museum for the 2021 Founder’s Day on April 10 by engaging in numerous virtual activities celebrating Reston’s founding. One of Reston’s founding principles is "That beauty - structural and natural – is a necessity of the good life and should be fostered." Enjoying all of Reston’s engaging open space is something we can all do during the pandemic in a socially distanced way.
 
On Founder’s Day visit Reston Historic Trust & Museum’s YouTube Founder’s Day playlist to learn about Reston’s public art from several community leaders (including me).
Learn more about other Founders Day activities.


Vienna's Walk on the Hill: Registration for April 25
Walk on the Hill offers a self-guided tour through participating yards and gardens in Vienna's historic Windover Heights neighborhood on Sunday, April 25, 1:30 to 5 p.m.

The event is free, but attendees must sign up for a specific time shift in advance of the event. Available shifts are: 1:30 to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 5 p.m. A total of 250 attendees will be admitted into the event area per shift. Register online.

In-Town residents may sign up to attend Walk on the Hill now and non-Town residents may register beginning March 29. The deadline to register is noon, Friday, April 23. Every individual interested in attending must register regardless of age. Limit is six registrations per household. 
3 Things to Know Today
Cicadas Hatching Late April – Early May
They're back! The 17-year, periodical cicadas are coming to Fairfax County in early summer. When the soil temperature warms to about 65 degrees, the newly mature, soil-dwelling cicadas will begin to emerge from their underground homes, leaving an emergence hole about the size of a dime. They may be noisy, but they are not a threat to people or animals. Learn more.

2021 Document Shredding Calendar is Available
Residential document shredding events are open to Fairfax County residents (and including Clifton, Herndon, the Town of Vienna, and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church). Four document shredding trucks will be on hand and shredding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The events are 7 to 11 a.m. or until all trucks reach capacity. All participants must be in line by no later than 11 a.m. to ensure service. The Hunter Mill District shredding event is July 10 at South Lakes High School,11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston. View full calendar.

Virtual Tax Relief Workshops April 15 and 22
The county's Department of Tax Administration (DTA) is hosting Virtual Tax Relief Workshops on Thursday, April 15 and Thursday, April 22, 10:30 a.m. to noon. DTA staff will be presenting information and answering questions about completing the 2021 Tax Relief application form. If you need individual assistance, please schedule an appointment.
Learn more about tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities.
Stay Informed and In Touch
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn
703-478-0283, TTY 711