To the Fairfax County Community,
I understand why you may be anxious to call and frustrated. An online registration portal with scheduling will be available soon and in the meantime the Health Department has a pre-screening questionnaire here. After confirming your eligibility, your contact information is submitted to the Health Department for a follow up call or email. As of 4:50 pm, 7,325 people had already completed the online form and 853 residents scheduled an appointment through our call center for a total of 8,178 inquiries today.
I understand that everyone is eager to get vaccinated and that's great. Regardless of where we are in registering residents, vaccine supply is limited and we need your patience.
See below for the full January 11 edition of my newsletter. For COVID-19 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. |
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Where Are We:
- It is important to remember that appointments will be dependent on vaccine supply.
- Older adults:
- For adults age 75 and older, call the Health Department’s vaccine hotline at 703-324-7404 (Monday-Friday, 9 am-7pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am-5pm) to register for an appointment.
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A pre-screening questionnaire is also available here.
- Frontline essential workers:
- Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, closed vaccination clinics for police, fire and hazmat, corrections, and homeless shelter workers will be conducted by the Health Department. There will be no need for individuals working in these sectors to contact the Health Department to schedule appointments.
- Dates for the other Phase 1b frontline essential worker categories will be announced in the future.
- 40,000 teachers and staff will be vaccinated in a partnership between the Health Department and INOVA. More will be announced on this program soon.
- People living in correctional facilities and homeless shelters:
- Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, closed vaccination clinics for residents of correctional facilities and homeless shelters will be conducted by the Health Department. There will be no need for individuals working or living in these facilities to contact the Health Department to schedule appointments.
Prioritization:
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Phase 1a: healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents.
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Phase 1b: Frontline essential workers, persons aged 75 or over, and people living in correctional facilities and homeless shelters. This also includes but is not limited to:
- First responders
- Childcare/K-12 teachers/staff
- Corrections and homeless shelter workers
- Grocery store workers
- Public transit workers
- Mail carriers (USPS and private)
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Phase 1c: Essential workers not in 1b, people aged 65-74, and people aged 16-64 with a high risk medical condition or disability. This also includes but is not limited to:
- Utility workers
- Construction workers
- Food service
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This information can also be found here.
Where to Get Vaccinated:
- Once a vaccine is more widely available, you will be able to get the vaccine, wherever you normally receive your flu shot. Residents will be encouraged to use Vaccine Finder to see which doctors are providing the vaccine in the community.
- Vaccines will eventually be available at hospitals, public health facilities, private practices, pharmacies, urgent care centers, and safety net providers.
Vaccine Resources:
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Our local Connection Newspapers need your help - the pandemic has put them at risk. Support one of America's oldest papers by donating to their GoFundMe here.
- Fairfax Water is providing financial relief for customers in need by administering funds through Virginia’s COVID-19 Municipal Utility Relief Program. You must apply for this relief program by January 22. This deadline was extended from December 30. Learn more here.
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Common Health Questions:
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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
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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.
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The CDC recommends wearing non-medical masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. It is now required in Virginia.
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The New York Times (access to COVID-19 content is free) speaks 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
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Fairfax County's data dashboard is here and the Virginia Department of Health's is here.
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Visit the County site on COVID-19, Health Department Website, and see their FAQs.
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To view multilingual health materials visit the County's Language Portal.
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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
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Email: [email protected]. This account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm.
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Inova has a helpful FAQ.
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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
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