Dear Neighbor,

This week marked two years since the first Americans received the COVID-19 vaccine. Thanks to our public health workers and the community stepping up to take responsible steps to slow the spread of COVID, we've been able to return to relative normalcy. But as we continue to combat the virus, I encourage you once again to get updated on your vaccines and boosters and to take reasonable precautions as we face the triple threat of COVID, RSV, and the flu.

The updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines are now available for individuals aged six months and up. In the Fairfax Health District, just one out of every five children under the age of five has received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines for all age groups will continue to be available throughout the community via vaccines.gov or by calling (703) 324-7404 to make an appointment at one of our health district offices.

I continue to urge residents to maintain healthy habits to prevent the spread of COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory viruses which are spreading through our communities.

New Community Center Coming to Annandale

I'm excited about the upcoming opening of a new community center at the Heritage Mall in Annandale. Since my swearing-in in 2020, I've made opening this community center a top priority. Unfortunately, the pandemic and supply chain challenges caused unforeseen delays, but we are on track to open early next year!

Last night we held the final of four community engagement forums, part of a comprehensive effort to ensure that the new center meets the needs of the local community. The 1,800-square-foot center will house after-school programming provided by the Boys and Girls Club and additional programming based on the feedback provided during the community engagement process.

Food Donations

Last week I shared resources about donating food and other items to those in need this holiday season. One of those efforts was the Fairfax County Police Department Santa's Ride Toy and Food Drive.

Our very own West Springfield District station collected over 2,555 pounds of food and a van full of toys! Thank you to our generous community and the Police Department for brightening the holidays for kids and families in our community.

Families in our area continue to experience food insecurity. If you'd like to donate food, my office maintains an ECHO donation box where you can drop off donations during business hours. Watch this video from the Fairfax Food Council with some tips on selecting healthy food items to donate.

Continue reading below for more information on:

• Petition Process for Sanitary Districts Reopened
• Braddock District Council News
• Open Hire Events with Neighborhood and Community Services
• Public Invited to Share Input on Consolidated Community Funding Pool
• Public Feedback Sought on Recommendations for New Countywide Parking and Loading Requirements
• Health Updates

Supervisor James Walkinshaw

On December 1, the County's Department of Public Works and Environment Services (DPWES) reopened the petition process for neighborhoods to join a new or expanded sanitary district for solid waste collection.

In response to requests by Supervisor Walkinshaw and Chairman McKay, County staff have proposed and enacted this new service model. In neighborhoods that successfully petition and are approved for the service, the County will manage the service while the pickup will be contracted out to private haulers.

Read more at the DPWES website.

From the BDC:

The next Braddock District Council meeting will be on Wednesday, December 21 at 7 p.m. In view of the fact that this is the shortest (and darkest) day of the year and also very close to Christmas, this meeting will be virtual. Please visit the Braddock District Council website for the log-in link.

This will be a regular business meeting. Per our Bylaws, in order to conduct business a quorum of seven (7) members in good standing (dues paid) is required, so it’s important that all paid-up associations have a representative at this online meeting. If your association has not yet joined, please check the website for the easy sign-up process.

We will be posting out the December agenda shortly on the BDC website. Since there is no special presentation on tap for the meeting, this will be a good time for members to bring up topics of interest/concern that the Council can address in 2023.

We hope to see you online on December 21. 

The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood & Community Services is hosting two Open Hire Events in December: 

• Today, Thursday, December 15, 5 - 7 p.m. at the Pennino Building, Room 206 (12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035)
• Monday, December 19, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Cathy Hudgins Community Center (12125 Pinecrest Road, Reston, VA 20191)

Interested candidates should bring copies of their resume. Qualified applicants may fill the following part-time positions at locations throughout Fairfax County: 

• Activity Facilitator (Community-based Programs and Services)
• Day Care Center Teacher (School-Age Child Care Program)
• Day Care Center Assistant Teacher (School-Age Child Care Program)

View the flyer for more information and position descriptions. 

For more information about working with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, please visit NCS Jobs. 

The community is invited to provide feedback on the Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP) to help identify targeted community needs categories. Input will be collected via a survey that will remain open through January 3, 2023. The CCFP is a competitive funding process for human services programs developed and administered by nonprofits and community-based organizations. 

Learn more at the Neighborhood and Community Services website.

The Parking Reimagined project, launched last year to update County parking and loading requirements, is entering a new phase of community engagement. We are looking for community feedback on recommended changes to create more modern, flexible, simplified, and predictable parking and loading requirements.

The recommended changes follow a year-long community engagement process and analysis of parking and loading supply and demand factors, as well as local, regional and, to some extent, national parking and loading trends. The recommendations include:

• Modernized parking rates to incorporate right-sizing for land uses
• A tiered rate framework that is tailored to planned land use density and intensity
• New minimum bicycle parking requirements 
• Updates to off-street loading requirements

Residents are encouraged to review the draft recommendations for parking requirements and submit feedback on the Parking Reimagined webpage by midnight Monday, January 16. To provide more information about these proposed changes, two virtual community meetings will be hosted by county staff:

• Thursday, January 5, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Zoom
• Thursday, January 12, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Zoom

All community input submitted by January 16 will be reviewed by staff to inform a final draft of the proposed parking requirements. After January 16, public comments can be provided at the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors public hearings, which are anticipated to occur in spring 2023. County staff’s final recommendations will be presented at each of those public hearings.

To review the recommended parking requirements, get the community meeting details, and submit a comment, visit the Parking Reimagined webpage.

Updated COVID-19 vaccines now available for children as young as 6 months

Updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children as young as 6 months. This follows recommendations from the CDC and authorization from the FDA. 

Updated vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna are now available. Here are the important details parents and caregivers need to be aware of:

• Children 6 months – 5 years who completed a Moderna primary series are eligible to receive a Moderna bivalent booster 2 months after their final primary series dose.
• Children 6 months – 4 years who are currently completing a Pfizer primary series (i.e., they have received one or two of their primary doses), will receive a Pfizer bivalent vaccine as their third primary dose.
• Children 6 months – 4 years who already completed their three-dose primary series with the original Pfizer vaccine are not eligible for an updated booster dose at this time. The data to support giving an updated bivalent booster dose to these children are expected in January.

The updated vaccines provide protection from both the original virus strain as well as the more recently circulating Omicron variant. Getting the updated booster dose is important because protection decreases over time and as the virus changes.

In the Fairfax Health District, just 21.9 percent of children under 5 years old (about one in every five) have received one dose or more of a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinating eligible children of all ages against COVID-19 can help keep them from becoming ill and from getting really sick if they do get COVID-19, including protecting them from short and long-term complications and hospitalization.

More information for parents and caregivers about COVID-19 vaccines is available online from the CDC. We encourage you to speak with your health care provider if you have questions about getting your child vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in our community.

Search vaccines.gov to find a location near you. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact their health care provider about getting vaccinated. Most pharmacy locations only vaccinate children aged 3 years or older. Residents who are unable to find a COVID-19 vaccine may call the Fairfax County Call Center at 703-324-7404 to make an appointment at one of the Health Department’s district office clinics.

In addition to getting vaccinated against COVID-19, residents are reminded to keep up the healthy habits that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses like flu and RSV which also are spreading in our community. Actions like staying home when sick, washing your hands, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching your face, and considering ventilation and masking when gathering with others, are all important to keeping yourself and others healthy this winter.

Flu Vaccines

Flu vaccine is available in the community, including at pharmacies, doctors' offices, and grocery stores. Find a location near you using vaccines.gov.

The Health Department is offering flu shots for children and adults by appointment only. Call (703) 246-7100.