January 21, 2021
Dear Neighbor,
Since Monday, January 18, more than 65,000 people have registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine using Fairfax County Health Department's online form. This brings the total number of people on the waitlist for a first dose appointment to approximately 115,000. The Health Department is working to vaccinate everyone, but due to limited supplies of vaccine, it may take months to get through Phase 1B. Unfortunately, we have not yet received a sufficient supply of vaccine doses from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), which has not yet received a sufficient supply from the federal government.
Yesterday, Chairman Jeff McKay sent a letter to Governor Northam informing him that we are not receiving enough vaccine doses to accommodate the increased eligible population. In the letter, Chairman McKay stated, "We stand ready to expand our distribution to more eligible Fairfax County residents, should the Commonwealth increase our vaccine supply."
On Tuesday, January 19, the Health Department also began sending out the first invitations for people to receive their second doses. You do not need to contact the Health Department to schedule your second dose and you do not need to complete the registration form again.
New Fairfax Connector Bus Routes
On the transportation front, tomorrow, Friday, January 22, is the last day to provide your input on the Fairfax Connector's proposed service changes. The following three routes directly affect the Braddock District and are proposed service changes:
- Route 803 - Annandale Rd
- Route 834 - Annandale
- Route 835 - Braeburn Dr. - Pentagon Express
These routes replace existing Metrobus routes, including the 29W. Given WMATA's lack of commitment to these routes, I've been pushing for alternatives so that these communities have reliable transit options. You can submit comments on the proposed changes via an online survey, email, and by phone until tomorrow, Friday, January 22.
Zoning Modernization Community Meeting
Police Chief Search Survey
On a final note, I'd like to highlight the survey to provide your comments on Fairfax County's search for a new police chief which has been extended until Saturday, January 30. All residents and business owners are encouraged to take the community survey to help us know what you would like to see in our new police chief.
Continue reading for more information on:
-COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ List
-FCDOT's Community Input For Their Proposed Service Changes
-zMOD Community Meeting
-Upcoming Stuff the Bus Food Drive
-COVID-19 Business Relief Bill Update
-Pickleball Survey Ending Soon
-Upcoming Lifetime Learning Institute Forum
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Supervisor James Walkinshaw |
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P.S. Forward this message to your neighbors in the Braddock District! Residents can use our sign up feature or email [email protected] to subscribe to the monthly Braddock Beacon newsletter and Advisories like this. |
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COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ List, Part 2 |
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The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) has received many COVID-19 vaccine-related inquiries. Below are a few of the most frequently asked questions that have been asked by Braddock District residents over the past few days.
For background, Fairfax County follows vaccine rollout guidance from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). The County is now accepting registrations to get vaccination appointments from health care workers, individuals age 65 and older, and people age 16-64 with a high-risk medical condition or disability that increases their risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long will it take for me to get a vaccine appointment scheduled if I completed the online form?
As of January 20, there are approximately 115,000 people who have registered to get a vaccine appointment. Unfortunately, vaccine supply remains very limited so FCHD ask for your patience as it may take months for people near the end of this waitlist to get an appointment time. There are plans to increase options for vaccine through pharmacies and health care provider offices over time. Read more about what you should know if you have already registered.
I got a message from the county that my appointment has been canceled because there is not enough vaccine. Is this true and when can I get vaccinated?
Fairfax County has not sent out any cancelation notices to people who have scheduled appointments. If you registered to get vaccinated and have an appointment scheduled to receive your first dose, please keep your appointment.
A communication went out on January 15 to everyone who registered for vaccine indicating that due to limited vaccine availability, it may take some time to get an appointment and to please be patient. This message was intended for those people who DID NOT have an appointment scheduled, but it may have inadvertently caused some confusion. Everyone who has previously filled out an online questionnaire will remain registered and you do not need to re-submit information.
I registered, but did not receive a confirmation email, text or voicemail. How do I know if my registration went through?
Those who registered for vaccine before January 18 should have received an email notification to confirm registration. If you have not seen it, please check your spam folder. If you registered on January 18 or later, you will receive confirmation based on the contact information you provide on the questionnaire. For example, if you provided your email, cell phone and home phone, you will get an email, text and phone call. This is just a way to verify that you have successfully completed the form and you are registered with the Health Department to receive vaccine. The Health Department will use your contact information to schedule your appointment when more vaccine becomes available.
Depending on how many people are filling out the online questionnaire at one time, it is possible there will be a lag in notifications. If you feel you successfully filled out the online questionnaire and did not receive any communication within 24 hours, you will soon be able to contact our call center to confirm you are registered and confirm your contact information.
Do I need to get my second dose exactly 28 days after the first dose?
Individuals who received their first dose from the Health Department so far have received the Moderna vaccine. It is recommended that the same vaccine is given at least 28 days after the first dose. Soon, the Health Department will begin offering Pfizer vaccine, which requires that the second dose be given at least 21 days after the first dose.
The same vaccine must be given for both doses. The recommended interval between Moderna vaccine doses is 28 days and between Pfizer vaccine doses is 21 days. If required, longer intervals are acceptable and second doses given within 4 days before the recommended interval also are considered valid, but not preferred.
If you received your first dose from the Fairfax County Health Department, you will receive an email invitation with a link to schedule your second dose during an appropriate window based on the date you received your first dose. You can expect this notification at least 4 to 7 days before the dose is due. You do not need to contact the Health Department to schedule your second dose and you do not need to complete the registration form again.
I got a message from the county about vaccine supply while I’m on the waitlist and it included a link that said “click here to confirm receipt of this text/email.” If I didn’t click that, did I lose my place in line? Do I need to reregister?
If you did not click that link or if you clicked it later and got an error message, that is ok and you don’t need to do anything else. You are still registered in our system and on the waitlist in the same order in which you were originally entered. That confirmation system is optional.
I filled out a “When Can I Get Vaccinated” form on the VDH website? Does this mean I’m registered in the Fairfax County system to get an appointment?
No, you still need to register to get an appointment with Fairfax County by completing our online form. The form available on the Virginia Department of Health’s website allows residents to see which phase people fall in to.
VDH includes this language as you complete the form: “Submission of this form does NOT reserve a COVID-19 vaccine. The information collected in this form is used for the sole purpose of the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The information provided in this form will be used to determine COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and to plan vaccine administration.”
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The Fairfax Department of Transportation (FCDOT) needs your input on Fairfax Connector proposed service changes! You can submit comments on the proposed changes via an online survey, email, and by phone until tomorrow, Friday, January 22.
Changes affecting the Braddock District include:
Route 803 - Annandale Rd
This route would replace Metrobus 3A and operate 7-days a week. Weekday rush hour service would operate every 30 minutes, non-rush hour service would improve to every 40 minutes, and weekend service would improve to every 45 minutes. The service operates from Seven Corners on weekends.
Route 834 - Annandale
This route would replace Metrobus 29C, providing rush hour service only every 30 minutes (westbound in A.M. and eastbound in P.M.) and will make schedule adjustments to improve efficiency and performance.
Route 835 - Braeburn Dr. - Pentagon Express
This route would replace Metrobus 29W, providing rush hour service every 30 minutes (eastbound in A.M. and westbound in P.M.).
•Call: (703) 339-7200 TTY (703) 339-1608
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Zoning Modernization Update
Community Meeting
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Supervisor Walkinshaw will be holding a virtual community meeting to discuss the changes proposed in the Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project, or zMOD, on Monday, January 25, at 7:00 p.m. You can join the meeting by using this Teams Meeting link. You are encouraged to participate to learn more, ask questions, and provide comments.
The complete zMOD draft is available online on the County website. While it is more consolidated than in the past, the document is still lengthy. Fortunately, the draft includes an Executive Summary which provides project background and an overview of the new structure and each of the new articles. Beginning on page 30 of the draft, there is a very helpful summary of proposed substantive changes. Two topics that have received a good amount of attention are Accessory Living Units and Home-Based Businesses. There is a detailed discussion of these issues on pages 40 and 47, respectively.
Public hearings on the consolidated zMOD draft will be held before the Planning Commission on January 28, 2021, and before the full Board at its March 9, 2021 meeting.
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Upcoming Stuff the Bus Food Drive |
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Fairfax County is excited to announce the next Stuff the Bus Food Drive Series that will take place on Saturday, January 30, and Saturday, February 6, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. On these two dates, buses will be parked at locations throughout Fairfax County to collect nonperishable food donations for area food pantries. In the Braddock District, donations will be received at:
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Supervisor Walkinshaw and Stuff the Bus workers collecting Food Donations. |
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COVID-19 Business Relief Bill Update |
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As part of the recently passed COVID-19 Relief Bill, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened a new round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), its forgivable loan program. The new legislation allocates new money for first and second-time borrowers and clears up some of the administrative headaches and issues with the original round. New borrowers working with community financial institutions in low-income areas began applying as of January 11 and the second round borrowers began January 13.
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Last Chance to Participate in the Pickleball Survey |
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The Park Authority invites the public to participate in an online survey on how to provide for pickleball. This survey will be open through this Sunday, January 24. It will be followed by a public meeting in the spring. More information may be found on the Park Authority’s Pickleball Study website.
To find pickleball facilities near you, use the Park Locator and turn on the “pickleball lined court” filter on the right side of the top bar. |
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Supervisor Walkinshaw playing his first game of Pickleball with local advocates. |
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NOVA's Lifetime Learning
Institute Forum
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The Lifetime Learning Institute of Northern Virginia (LLI/NOVA), affiliated with the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), is a non-profit, member-run organization offering stimulating educational and cultural pursuits to adults age 50 and over.
On February 3, from 9:30 a.m. through 11:00 a.m. LLI/NOVA will host a Forum with speakers Tonya Beres and Erin Scheithe from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Tonya and Erin will discuss the structure and origins of the CFPB and how it helps America’s consumers. They will walk attendees through their consumer complaint process, including the effects of the pandemic on complaints. They will share an overview of consumer education tools and resources that will help attendees and their loved ones navigate complex financial decision-making, products, and services, as well as share information particularly relevant to older adults.
Participation in LLI’s monthly forums is free; however, they do not publish the Zoom URL for security reasons.
Non-LLI members are welcome to attend, but they must register on our website by Noon on February 1. Those who register will receive an email reminder with the Zoom URL just prior to the Forum.
Registration is easy, requiring only a name and email address. Instructions for registering are on LLI/NOVA's page. You can also go directly to the event webpage to register.
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