Community Notice from
Dranesville Supervisor John Foust
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Dear Neighbor,
I hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend and a successful virtual start to the school year. This email includes a message from the Fairfax Health Department Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu urging all of us to stay vigilant in slowing the spread of COVID-19, information about how to submit relevant documents for food, financial and medical assistance, and what to do if someone in your workplace tests positive for COVID-19.
In addition, this email includes information on a new program the Old Fire House Center is offering for 7 - 12th grade students living in the McLean Small Tax District 1A-Dranesville. Stuff the Bus will have 2 opportunities to donate to our local non-profits as well as ongoing virtual donation opportunities. Information on a new SmartTrip app for i-phone and apple watch, and Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles credentials extensions, is also below.
Please share this email 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.
Sincerely,
John
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Message from the Health Department |
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Fairfax Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu addresses the current state of the pandemic and the important steps we all must take to stay safe and keep COVID-19 cases down in our community.
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How to Submit Documents When Applying for Food, Financial and Medical Assistance |
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During this pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of residents needing public assistance. Although some Fairfax County Government buildings have reopened, the Department of Family Services lobbies will remain closed for the immediate future. For people applying for food, financial and medical assistance (SNAP, TANF and Medicaid), there are multiple ways to submit documents without coming to the lobbies.
Fax: 703-653-6679
Mail: 12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 232, Fairfax, VA 22035
Outdoor Drop Boxes: Outside each Fairfax County Human Services building, there are drop boxes with the Family Services logo on them. These boxes are secure, and items are picked up multiple times throughout the day. Documents deposited in these boxes before 4:30 p.m. will be date stamped with the current day. Documents received after 4:30 p.m. will be date stamped for the next business day.
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What to Do When an Employee
Tests Positive for COVID-19
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While many residents have been working virtually to provide essential and necessary services throughout the pandemic, many more are slowly beginning the return to work on-site. Wearing protective face coverings and practicing social distancing remain key and should continue. Still, it is possible that exposure to the COVID-19 virus can occur.
Here’s what to do if someone at your workplace tests positive for COVID-19.
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Report the Exposure – Employers should notify the Virginia Department of Health online of any reports they receive of positive COVID-19 tests among employees, subcontractors, contract employees and temporary employees present at the place of employment within 14 days of the positive test result. Additionally, employers must notify the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry online within 24 hours of discovering three or more positive test results within a 14 day period.
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Communicate with Staff – Employers should notify all employees about an exposure within the workplace. This notification should not include personally identifying information on who is infected. Employees who had close contact with the person diagnosed with COVID-19 will need to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms. Staff who need to quarantine and monitor for symptoms will be notified by the Health Department and may be asked to get tested. Staff who do not hear directly from the Health Department do not need to take additional precautions. Continue to encourage safe work and home practices, such as maintaining six feet of distance, handwashing, monitoring for symptoms and wearing a face covering or mask whenever it is necessary to come within six feet of others.
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Outline Clear Return-to-Work Guidelines for Exposed Employee(s) – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Virginia Department of Health guidance, an employee can return to work once either of the following situations is met:
- a. If the employee had symptoms of the COVID-19 illness and was confirmed by a test or a healthcare provider’s diagnosis, that person may return after:
- The employee has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications; AND
- Symptoms have improved and no new symptoms have developed; AND
- At least 10 days have passed since symptoms started.
- b. If the employee never had symptoms of illness but was confirmed positive by a COVID-19 test, the employee is cleared to return to work 10 days after the date of the positive test so long as no symptoms have developed since the test.
See more information on when to isolate and when to quarantine here.
A negative test result should not be required because the test may remain positive long after an individual is no longer contagious. This is because the test may detect dead virus particles that cannot be spread to others.
On its Business FAQ page the CDC website also recommends that employers close off areas used by a sick person and do not use them until after cleaning and disinfection. Wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. If it is not possible to wait 24 hours, wait as long as possible. Ensure safe and correct application of EPA-approved disinfectants and keep disinfectant products away from children.
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Old Firehouse Learning Connection Program |
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The Old Firehouse Center is offering a new program for residents of McLean Small Tax District 1A-Dranesville. Old Firehouse (OFC) Learning Connection is a supervised e-learning program held at the Old Firehouse Center, supervised by our staff, designed for students in 7th -12th grades. The program will provide a supervised environment for students to complete their school led virtual instruction. Staff will provide limited socially distant recreation opportunities for students during their breaks. Program waivers, participant contracts and additional information will be sent to all registered participants prior to the start of the program.
Old Firehouse (OFC) Learning Connection will run from Tuesdays through Friday with drop off at 7:00 a.m. and pick up at 5:00 p.m. Parents and/or guardians must transport students to and from the OFC Learning Connection program. Wifi will be provided but students must bring their own laptop (with charger), and headset/headphones. Please bring computers or devices fully charged each day. Students must bring their own lunch, snacks and drinks. A water fountain/bottle filler will be available for students. For program requirements, COVID-19 precautions and more information visit the program website here.
Registration is now open. To register click on the session below or call 703 448 8336.
A number of spaces have been reserved for families that have financial needs to attend. If you need a scholarship to attend for a free or reduced cost, send an email to oldfirehouse@mcleancenter.org as soon as possible.
For more information on this program and other McLean Community Center programs click here.
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For the past nine years, Stuff the Bus has held food drives twice a year during times when donations often drop off – after the winter holidays and during the summer. Hosting drives during these critical times ensured that area nonprofits were able to meet the needs of hungry people in Fairfax County.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for food in our area, so Stuff the Bus is working to respond to the demand. In May, food drives were held on two days at 21 locations throughout Fairfax County. The response was immense, with 33.6 tons of food collected for area nonprofits.
Fastran or CUE buses will be parked at 21 locations throughout Fairfax County to collect food donations on Saturday, September 12 and Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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McLean Government Center
1437 Balls Hill Road
McLean, VA 22101
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Great Falls Library
9830 Georgetown Pike
Great Falls, VA 22066
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For the full list of the 21 locations and more information on Stuff the Bus, click here.
For those who are unable to donate in person but want to contribute, donations can be made to the virtual Stuff the Bus food drive by visiting Volunteer Fairfax’s Donation Page to connect with and donate to nonprofits serving our community. |
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Virginia DMV-Issued Credentials Extended |
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The Governor has issued an Executive Directive extending the validity of driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and identification cards originally expiring in August, September, and October 2020 for 60 days beyond the expiration date. Residents who have not yet renewed a driver’s license, learner’s permit, or ID card already expired in August are also eligible for the extension at no penalty.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is also implementing a new option to allow for renewing driver’s licenses online or by mail that would normally be required to be done in person. Beginning in mid-September, customers who are due to renew their eight-year credential in person (because they renewed online or by mail last time) will have two options for renewing.
Option 1: Eight-year/renew by appointment – Schedule an appointment to renew the driver’s license or ID card for the full eight years.
New - Option 2: Two-year/renew remotely – Renew online or by mail a driver’s license or ID card to be valid for two years. DMV will mail the credential to the customer’s address on file. (Customers are encouraged to make sure their address is current.) In two years, these customers will need to visit DMV for their next renewal, a vision screening, and a new photo for an eight-year credential. (This option is not available to customers age 75+ as Virginia law requires an in-person renewal every five years.)
This chart shows you how to do your transaction from the comfort and protection of your own home.
DMV has reopened 72 customer service centers for specific services, that generally require and in-person visit, by appointment only. Three months of appointment opportunities are available at any time on the calendar. Each day additional appointments are added to the end of the available 90-day period. Residents are encouraged to check back regularly to view the updated availability as locations reopen and appointments are added. For more information or to make an appointment click here. |
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SmarTrip now on iPhone and Apple Watch |
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The SmarTrip app has arrived for iPhone. Instantly add funds, buy money-saving passes, check balances, set up Auto Reload, and manage SmartBenefits from your employer all from the palm of your hand.
Cards purchased in the SmarTrip app automatically get added to Apple Wallet to pay for transit in the Washington, DC area including: all 91 Metrorail stations in DC, Maryland and Virginia, all Metro parking garages and lots, all Metrobus routes. Local bus systems in DC, Maryland and Virginia - including ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector, Cue, RideON, THE Bus, Circulator, Loudoun County Transit, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transit/PRTC.
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SmarTrip on iPhone and Apple Watch is now available on iPhone 8 and later as well as Apple Watch Series 3 and later. For more information, visit wmata.com/ApplePay. |
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Fairfax County is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to utilize the resources listed below:
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