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Dear Neighbor,
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to change daily, I will continue to share resources and updates that I hope you will find helpful. In this email I have included information about the
CDC's recommendation to wear cloth face masks in public, tips for
social distancing with kids, a
video from Fairfax County's Police Chief, additional
Metro service reductions, and more.
I will be sending out more information about this tomorrow, once the County's updated
FY 2021 budget proposal is available, but I hope you will mark your calendar for the virtual budget town hall I will host this
Friday, April 10, at 1:00 p.m. It will be
televised on Channel 16 (Cox Channel 1016; Verizon/Comcast Channel 16), streamed online, and on Facebook at @DranesvilleSupervisor. More information to come tomorrow.
 CDC Recommends Wearing Simple Cloth Face Masks in Public
While social distancing remains the most important way to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that people wear cloth face coverings when it is difficult to stay six feet apart in public places, like the grocery store. These simple cloth face coverings are meant to protect people around you if you are infected but do not have symptoms. A cloth face mask is not intended to protect the person wearing it.
Why Masks Are Recommended
Research shows that many people with coronavirus do not have symptoms, meaning they can transmit the disease to other people without knowing it. Thus, the virus can spread when individuals are in close contact with others through, speaking, coughing or sneezing, even if they are not showing symptoms. As a result, the CDC now recommends using a cloth face covering. These masks are an action everyone should take to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in addition to social distancing, washing hands frequently, and covering coughs and sneezes.
How to Make a Cloth Face Covering
You can make your own cloth face covering using common things around your house, like a t-shirt and rubber bands. Click
here for CDC guidance on how to make your own face mask.
Because surgical masks and N95 respirators are in short supply, the CDC continues to recommend that these masks should be reserved for nurses, doctors, and other medical first responders.
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How to Make Your Own Face Covering
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How to Wear a Cloth Face Mask
Cloth face coverings should:
- Fit snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face
- Be secured with ties or ear loops
- Include multiple layers of fabric
- Allow for breathing without restriction
- Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
When you take off your face mask, be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Wash your hands immediately after removing the mask. Your face covering should be routinely washed depending on how frequently you use it, and a washing machine can be used to clean it.
Who Should Not Wear a Covering
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children younger than two years of age, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance.
COVID-19 and Kids: The Problem with Playdates
On March 30, Virginia Governor Northam issued a stay-at-home order that asks all Virginians to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 by staying home other than to conduct a few excepted essential activities. This order also reinforces a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.
With schools closed and the weather getting nicer, some parents have asked if it is still okay for their children to see their friends. We all need to be doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. Right now, that means we need to limit contact with others as much as possible, so the CDC recommends that children should not have playdates or hang out with children from outside their household.
This applies to everyone, including young children and teenagers. If anyone, including kids, does go outside of the home, it is important to maintain social distance of at least six feet from anyone from outside their own household.
This guidance is in place to limit contact and slow the spread of COVID-19, because even though children do not appear to be at higher risk for the disease, and often show similar but milder symptoms than adults, they can still pass the virus on to others, including older adults and people who have serious underlying medical conditions.
So, what should parents do? First and foremost, remember that social distancing does not mean social isolation, so here are some tips to keep kids busy and healthy:
Help Your Child Stay Active
- Encourage your child to play outdoors - it's great for physical and mental health. Take a walk with your child or go on a bike ride. Just remember to keep a safe distance from others.
- Use indoor activity breaks (stretch breaks, dance breaks) throughout the day to help your child stay healthy and focused.
Help Your Child Stay Socially Connected
Look for Ways to Make Learning Fun
- Have hands-on activities, like puzzles, painting, drawing, and crafts on hand.
- Independent play can also be used in place of structured learning. Encourage children to build a fort from sheets or practice counting by stacking blocks.
Make Healthy Behaviors a Family Activity
- Wash hands often and correctly, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Find a song that will help your family scrub for 20 seconds.
- Make sure everyone covers coughs and sneezes.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid people who are sick and stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.
Fairfax County Police Chief Addresses Coronavirus (COVID-19) Concerns
In the video below, Fairfax County Police Chief Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr. addresses Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's stay-at-home order and how County police are dealing with that order and potential gatherings of more than 10 people.
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Fairfax County Police Chief Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr. Address Coronavirus Concerns
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Chief Roessler added that each and every County resident can help in reducing the spread of Coronavirus and asked that you only leave your home if absolutely necessary.
Additional Metro Service Reductions
As part of its ongoing efforts to limit frontline transit workers' exposure to the public during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, Metro's Pandemic Task Force is further reducing rail and bus hours, starting today, Monday, April 6, 2020, as shown below.
Metrorail
- Monday through Friday, 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Trains every 20 min/line (15 min on Red Line)
- Saturday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Trains every 30 min/line (20 min on Red Line)
- 19 rail stations are closed (no alternate transportation provided)
- Each train's first and last cars are out of service to protect train operators
Metrobus
- Monday through Friday: Buses operate using a Modified Sunday Schedule. Buses will run at Sunday service levels. There will be no service after 11:00 p.m.
- Saturday through Sunday: Bus service on 27 routes only. Buses will run every 30 minutes. There will be no service after 11:00 p.m.
- Consult https://www.wmata.com/ to check weekday and weekend bus routes to make sure your bus is running.
MetroAccess
All subscription trips remain canceled. Please limit travel to only the most essential trips.
George Washington Memorial Parkway Update from NPS
Outdoor areas of the George Washington Memorial Parkway including Great Falls Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island and Fort Hunt Park remain accessible to the public. These areas include trails, picnic areas, overlooks and green spaces.
Starting today, April 6, 2020,
Great Falls Park parking lots will be closed.
Locally, trails, picnic areas, and green space are accessible. Services, including restrooms, porta-johns and parking lots, are not available. If you live close enough to walk or ride a bike you may access the trails, but currently all park gates are closed, and vehicular access is not permitted. There is not sufficient parking outside of locked gates along the parkway for visitors to arrive by car and park outside.
Signs will be posted at affected locations. Park visitors are asked to adhere to all closure notices and current social distancing recommendations.
Stay Informed
Fairfax County is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving coronavirus situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to sign up for coronavirus text alerts and to visit the frequently updated websites listed below.
Please share this information with your friends and neighbors and do not hesitate to contact my office if we can be of assistance; email
Dranesville@fairfaxcounty.gov
or call 703-356-0551.
John
John W. Foust
Dranesville District Supervisor
1437 Balls Hill Road
McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-356-0551
Fax: 703-821-4275
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