January 14, 2020
To the Fairfax County Community,

As you may have heard, Governor Northam announced today that Virginia is preparing to expand vaccination eligibility to 65+. The Health Department will begin registering individuals in these new groups, next Monday, January 18. It will take some time to get through this group however. Vaccine supply is limited and our ability to vaccinate is dependent on the amount of supply we are provided from the state.

Let me break down some numbers for you:

  • Currently Virginia in its entirety receives about 110,000 doses of vaccine a week.
  • 168,000 residents in the Fairfax Health District are considered to be within phase 1B.
  • As of this morning at 5am, the Fairfax County Health Department had vaccinated 15,980 people since Christmas. This does not include vaccinations administered by Inova or at long-term care facilities.
  • As of late Wednesday (January 13), 31,000 residents had scheduled an appointment with our Health Department since Monday.

In addition, we are pleased to be working with Inova Health System to vaccinate frontline essential workers and 40,000 public and private school staff and teachers. More on this below.

We are leading the Commonwealth in vaccinations and are processing folks as quickly as we can. The Board has directed staff to put all necessary resources into vaccinating the public, understanding that the availability of the vaccine is driven entirely by the state and federal governments. I say this because, we need your patience.

I want to assure you that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be.

See below for the full January 14 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.
Vaccinations in Fairfax FAQs
How do I register for the COVID-19 vaccine? 

  • Information about how to sign up is available online – specifically the drop-down menu “How do I get vaccinated if I’m eligible.”
  • To get an appointment, adults age 75 and older can either call 703-324-7404 during the hours listed on the site or fill out the pre-screening form available here.
  • If you complete the online form, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment. This form will be updated soon to allow residents to schedule a time themselves online if they meet the requirements.  

Is it better to use the online form, call or both?  

  • Although the online form is the preferred option, residents should use whichever method is most appropriate for them. 
  • You do not need to do both. If you have completed the online form, a Health Department representative will contact you to schedule your appointment.  

I pre-registered online yesterday but did not call. Is that OK?
 
  • Yes, that is OK. The Health Department will contact you to schedule an appointment.
  •  It may take few weeks to get through the 1B phase depending on vaccine supply, but your registration is in queue and you will be contacted to schedule an appointment as vaccine supply and appointments become available.  

When can someone who submitted their information online expect to receive a call? 

  • If someone has submitted their information online, the Health Department will contact the individual to schedule an appointment.
  • Again, it may take a number of weeks to get through the 1B phase, but the registration is in queue and the individual will be contacted to schedule an appointment as vaccine supply and appointments become available.  

How do I schedule my second appointment for the vaccine?
 
  • For individuals who are receiving the vaccination from the Health Department, you will receive an email alerting you it is time to schedule your second appointment.
  • For individuals who receive their vaccination from clinics, you will receive information directly from your employer (for frontline essential workers) or agency (for individuals living in correctional institutions).
 
Where are you vaccinating people? 

  • The Fairfax County Health Department is currently offering vaccinations at five locations throughout the County Tuesday-Saturday.
  • Residents will be notified where to go when they schedule their appointment. 

What's the role of Inova Health System?

  • During the past few weeks, Inova has been offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to any healthcare worker covered in phase 1A of the Commonwealth’s Vaccination Plan.
  • Inova is now working with the Fairfax County Health Department to vaccinate frontline essential workers and school teachers and staff.
  • Local health districts will reach out to engage the frontline essential worker groups as they become eligible. The following Fairfax County groups are eligible to receive a vaccine through Inova.
  • Law enforcement/Corrections, and Fire/Hazmat – Please reference scheduling instructions available through your department or local health district.
  • Public and private schools within Fairfax County – Scheduling instructions are available through your employer and/or the County Health Department.
  • People should not schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine with Inova unless they have been instructed to do so by their local health district, public safety jurisdiction, or school district. Appointments are required.
  • The latest information related to Inova Health System’s vaccine efforts can be found here.

Vaccine Resources:

Other News
  • If you are facing eviction or having trouble paying your rent, here is a list of resources available at this time.
  • 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.
Health
Common Health Questions:

  • 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
  • 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.
  • The CDC recommends wearing non-medical masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. It is now required in Virginia.
  • 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
  • Fairfax County's data dashboard is here and the Virginia Department of Health's is here.
  • Visit the County site on COVID-19, Health Department Website, and see their FAQs.
  • To view multilingual health materials visit the County's Language Portal.
  • 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
  • Email: ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov. This account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm.
  • Inova has a helpful FAQ.
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
Contact the Office

chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov | 703.324.2321 |