Yesterday, Fairfax County reported four additional coronavirus cases, including one teacher. No additional cases were reported today. Fairfax County libraries, rec centers, and park facilities will be closed for two weeks. FCPS food distribution has been expanded to 18 sites beginning tomorrow. Finally, Governor Northam has implemented a ban on mass gatherings of more than 100 people. Read below for details on all this and more.
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Coronavirus Response in Fairfax County
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Information about the additional cases:
- Three individuals from the same household are close contacts to a presumptive positive case that was previously announced on March 12. They came to our attention as part of a contact investigation in that case. Specimens were collected on the three individuals on March 12 and sent to the Virginia state lab for testing. Everyone is currently doing well and isolating at home.
- One of the individuals is a Fairfax County Public Schools teacher at Lynbrook Elementary School. The Fairfax County Health Department is conducting an investigation to identify individuals who are at risk of exposure and will be contacting those individuals directly to provide further guidance and testing if necessary.
- The fourth case is an individual in his 70s who traveled on a similar Nile River cruise as other positive COVID-19 patients. The individual sought care on March 10 and was hospitalized. Specimens were collected and sent to the Virginia state laboratory for testing. The individual is doing well and now isolating at home.
The Health Department is working closely with the Virginia Department of Health and local health care providers to identify additional people who came in close contact with these individuals in order to decrease the spread of the illness. Those identified as close contacts will be self-quarantined and actively monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms. If they start experiencing symptoms, they will immediately undergo testing.
The total number of cases in the Fairfax Health District is now 10. The results are considered presumptive, pending confirmation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has not yet occurred for any of the cases.
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can cause mild to more severe respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person. COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The Health Department recommends that the public do the following to protect themselves and others from respiratory illnesses:
- Individuals at increased risk for severe illness, including pregnant women, older adults and persons of any age with underlying health conditions should avoid non-essential travel, public gatherings, or places where large groups of people congregate, such as ticketed events (such as theaters, concert halls, and sporting events).
- Avoid travel to all areas where there are outbreaks of COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are mildly sick with a fever, stay home until you have been fever-free for 24 hours, except to get medical care.
- Those with high risk factors and who have fever or new or worsening cough, should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick. Call ahead to let them know of your symptoms.
- Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about COVID-19.
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Effective Monday, March 16, Fairfax County park, library and community facilities will be closed for two weeks. The impacted facilities include recreation, nature, community, resource and teen centers, as well as golf courses, historic sites and (permitted use of) athletic fields and picnic shelters.
The county has also closed all senior center and adult day health care facilities.
- Learn more about COVID-19 on the county’s website.
- Call 703-267-3511 with questions. The call center is open from 9:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.
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FCPS is announcing expanded sites for food distribution, listed below in their announcement. Importantly, they are also announcing the closure of all school facilities, except for food distribution, the postponement of the plan to distribute laptops to students tomorrow, and the closure of all FCPS administrative offices until further notice, except for defined essential personnel. Others will be expected to work remotely.
Beginning tomorrow, March 16, we are expanding the grab and go food distribution sites to a total of 18 locations. The food distribution is set up outside the schools. Breakfast will be served from 8-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the locations listed below:
- Annandale Terrace ES, 7604 Herald St., Annandale
- Bailey's Primary ES, 6111 Knollwood Dr., Falls Church
- Braddock ES, 7825 Heritage Dr., Annandale
- Brookfield ES, 4200 Lees Corner Rd, Chantilly
- Burke School, 9645 Burke Lake Rd., Burke
- Centre Ridge ES, 14400 New Braddock Rd., Centreville
- Crestwood ES, 6010 Hanover Ave., Springfield
- Cunningham Park ES, 1001 Park St., Vienna
- Dogwood ES, 12300 Glade Dr., Reston
- Garfield ES, 7101 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield
- Graham Road Community Center, 3036 Graham Rd., Falls Church
- Fort Belvoir Upper ES, 5980 Meeres Rd., Fort Belvoir
- Hutchison ES, 13209 Parcher Ave., Herndon
- Hybla Valley ES, 3415 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria
- London Towne ES, 6100 Stone Rd., Centreville
- Mount Vernon Woods ES, 4015 Fielding St., Alexandria
- Providence ES, 3616 Jermantown Rd., Fairfax
- Weyanoke ES, 6520 Braddock Rd., Alexandria
FCPS has been flooded with generous offers from employees and community members to volunteer at our food distribution sites. Due to state training requirements for food distribution, we are encouraging those interested in helping to contact one of our community partners. These partners are in continuous support of our FCPS families and are connected with the larger effort of Fairfax County, Their contact information is available
here
.
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School-age students are welcome to come to any of the sites to pick up a meal during these time periods.
All meals are available at no cost to children 18 years and under. Adult lunches are available for purchase for $2.
Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services
provides access and referrals to both government and community based resources for Fairfax County residents in need. If you are facing difficulties - including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, healthcare and more other needs, please call (703) 222-0880 for assistance.
Click
here
to learn about additional food resources in every part of Fairfax County.
Food for Others
Food for Others has three food distribution programs and sites all around the neighborhood. Bring a picture ID with a current address.
Click
here
to view neighborhood sites.
Other places you can go for food *
Every Saturday
Columbia Baptist
3245 Glen Carlyn Road
Falls Church, VA 22041
(703) 820-6910
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
4th Saturday of the month
St. Stephens UMC
9203 Braddock Road
Burke, VA 22015
(703) 978-8724
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
4th Saturday of the month
Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
6304 Lee Chapel Road
Burke, VA 22152
(703) 455-7500
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
*Please call the organization beforehand in case procedures have changed.
Other County Resources
For help with rent, utilities, housing services, clothing, jobs, health services, and other needs, please contact the following services:
Emergency Information and Referral Services
From anywhere in Northern Virginia, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, dial 2-1-1
Aunt Bertha – Connecting People and Programs:
On this website you will be connected with social service programs and organizations based on your zip code. Click
here
to visit.
County Services: Fairfax
County
Coordinated Services Planning
(703) 222-0880
Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 – 4:30 p.m.
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Guidance for Mass Gatherings
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Gatherings over 100 banned, as per Governor Northam
While gatherings with fewer than 100 people may continue, there is no threshold below which an event can be deemed completely risk free. For events of any size, organizers and participants each have responsibilities to reduce the chance of disease transmission.
- Status of COVID-19 spread in the community – Inform participants that an event may be canceled at any time if there is evidence of significant sustained community spread of infection. See the Health Department website, for the current status of COVID-19 in Fairfax County.
- Participation of persons from other areas – Events likely to have people traveling from other countries or other areas in the U.S. where there may be sustained community spread of the novel coronavirus should consider canceling.
- Availability of other modalities for the event – If an event can be held by videoconference or some other modality that does not require people to be present, organizers are strongly encouraged to use an alternate modality.
- Participation of high-risk individuals – Events attended by a significant number of people at higher risk for severe consequences of COVID-19, such as older adults or persons with chronic diseases or immunocompromising conditions, and pregnant women should be canceled at thresholds lower than the 250 people in the general guidance.
Persons considering attending any event, regardless of the number of people attending should consider the risks and benefits in deciding on whether to attend. In particular, persons who are at high-risk of severe disease if they become infected – persons who are older than 60 years old, have chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, lung disease), have a compromised immune system, or are pregnant – should know the status of COVID-19 in the community and not attend the event if local infection is widespread. If they do attend the event, they should be particularly rigorous in applying social distancing and taking other actions to reduce their risk of becoming infected.
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If you’re struggling with mental health issues during this stressful time, please visit the resources below for help.
- Community Services Board Mental Health Emergency Services 703-573-5679 or visit 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive.
- The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, in partnership with PRS CrisisLink, offers a suicide prevention text line in Fairfax. Anyone can text "CONNECT" to 855-11 and a PRS CrisisLink volunteer will respond within minutes. You can also call 703-527-4077, any time 24/7.
- Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis hotline by texting 741741
- Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
- Veteran's Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
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This is a rapidly changing situation, and information is being shared as it becomes available.
- Call (703) 267-3511 with questions. The call center is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.
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