July 23, 2020
To the Fairfax County Community,

It was a privilege today to meet with local leaders from the Latino community to discuss the issues they are facing such as the disparity in COVID-19 cases, concerns over evictions, and the pandemic's impact on small businesses.

With COVID-19 cases for example, we have come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic. Disparity still exists, but the gap is much smaller. In April, 56% of those who identified as Hispanic and received a COVID-19 test in the Fairfax Health District tested positive. In June, the percentage of positive cases dropped to 20%.

We still have much to do before we see the end of COVID-19, but I look forward to continuing this dialogue with the community. As a County, we are always working to improve our programs to better meet the needs of all of our residents. Thank you to leaders from CASA, Edu Futuro , LULAC, the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights , and the  Virginia Latino Advisory Board  for joining me for such an important discussion.

See below for the full July 23 edition of my newsletter. 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.
Routine Immunizations

  • The Health Department has scheduled free immunization clinics for routine vaccines that protect children against illnesses such as polio, measles, whooping cough, and chicken pox.
  • We are urging parents, especially those with children under 2 years old, to call their provider to see if vaccinations are due and to take advantage of these free vaccine clinics.
  • To minimize face-to-face time during the vaccination clinic, families are encouraged to send a picture of their child’s vaccination record ahead of the appointment.
  • To schedule an appointment, call 703-246-6010, TTY 711.
  • See all locations and times here.

FCPS

  • FCPS announced Tuesday that the 2020-21 school year will begin virtually for all students on September 8.
  • Should health conditions improve, they will look to phase students in, starting with students who require intervention support, followed by elementary school students, select special education students, and English learners.
  • Read Superintendent Brabrand's message to parents here.
  • Today, the School Board voted to rename Lee High School after the late Congressman John Lewis.

Services for Older Adults

  • The Health Department's Neighbor to Neighbor Program has a grocery and pharmacy pick-up service for County residents age 60 and over.
  • To request a pick-up, call: 703-324-7948
  • See other County services that are available here.
  • The Shepherd’s Center has a face-to-face medical and companion transportation service.
  • The Center serves the Oakton-Vienna-Reston-Herndon area.
  • The agency requires notice of four business days before an appointment date. 
  • Call 703-281-0538 to schedule a ride or to request a new client application. They are open M-F, 10am–4pm. 
  • The Center will continue to offer their Food Delivery Drivers service for grocery shopping and delivery to the front door.

Contact Tracing

  • We are still looking for Fairfax County residents to apply to be contact tracers. It is important that our contact tracing team is a reflection of the community served. If you are bilingual, I also encourage you to apply.
  • We currently have 210 positions filled, but are filling 400 total by the end of the summer.
  • Learn more about becoming a contact tracer here.
  • Don't forget if you tested positive for COVID-19 or were identified as a close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you will be getting a call from a contact tracer.
  • Be sure to answer the phone, but avoid scams of those who ask for your social security number, bank details, or credit card number.

Food Benefits

  • With schools closed, students who depended on the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program don't have access to the food offered at school.
  • Students can still receive food benefits through Pandemic EBT however.
  • To be eligible, the household must include a student who was participating in the free or reduced priced meals program anytime between March 16, 2020 through June 12, 2020.
  • Immigration status, household income, age of the child, or grade level are not considered.
  • Learn more through the Department of Family Services or through the Virginia Department of Social Services here or call 804-726-7000.
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:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • 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. It is now required in Virginia.
  • 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, shoes, 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.
  • To view multilingual health materials visit the County's Language Portal.
  • Sign up for text message alerts: text FFXCOVID to 888777. Para inscribirse, textear FFXCOVIDESP a 888777.
  • Call the Health Department from 9am-7pm weekdays and 9:30am-5pm on weekends: 703-267-3511
  • Email: [email protected]. This account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm.
  • Inova has a helpful FAQ.
We recognize that we are in very trying times, but I hope you see in these newsletters that positive change has occurred over the last several months.

As I often say, we are truly lucky to live in Fairfax County where we have the resources to overcome challenges and a community who rises to the occasion.

Jeffrey C. McKay
Contact the Office

[email protected] | 703.324.2321 |