May 27, 2021
To the Fairfax County Community,

We have big news to share this week - over 74% of Fairfax County residents ages 18 and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose! This is just over 56% of all County residents.

You can review our vaccine data here and our COVID-19 case data here.

While we still have work to do, I'm excited to share our progress with you. Our community has worked so hard to slow the spread of COVID and I want to thank you for your dedication to that this past year plus. It was never easy.

That said, for those of you who are not yet vaccinated or know someone who is not yet vaccinated, appointments are available across the County for those 12 and up. As I have said since the beginning, we will only stop this virus together. Sign up for an appointment now through the Fairfax County Health Department or any location near you.
County Operations
  • Masking: If you find yourself at a Fairfax County government run location, per CDC guidance and by order of the Governor, we are no longer enforcing mask mandates for employees and visitors who are fully vaccinated. In the following settings masks are still required:
  • Public transit including the Connector and Fastran.
  • Health care facilities including all clinic settings operated by the Health Department and the Community Services Board.
  • Congregate settings including jails, group homes, and shelters.
  • In addition, employees in other workplace settings, including childcare and summer camps, will continue to abide by established CDC guidelines.
  • Finally, we strongly encourage mask usage when other circumstances dictate that it’s appropriate to do so.
  • Fairfax County Public Library: FCPL will resume normal services and introduce new hours starting Saturday, June 5. Patrons will once again be able to visit FCPL branches without time or capacity limits to enjoy the full range of library services and resources.
  • Full details can be found here.
Public Safety Committee
  • At this week's Public Safety Committee meeting, our new police chief presented his plan for what he will focus on in his first 100 days in the job:
  • Fight attrition by developing comprehensive staffing plan and meeting with 2021, 2022, and 2023 retirement eligible police officers.
  • Assess recruiting, hiring, and training efforts to ensure a strategy exists to achieve authorized strength.
  • Initiate SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) reports for every FCPD Bureau.
  • Reach out and meet with the rank & file, professional staff, employee groups, elected officials, community stakeholders, and advocacy groups.
  • Format a weekly CompStat process to examine crime, hiring & attrition, use of force, officer wellness and other measurable data.
  • Align the police department with other county agencies to examine co-responder and blended community service opportunities.
  • Extra focus on internal courageous conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion.
  • Chief Davis also presented a draft of the new police pursuit policy, which details when it is authorized (or not) to continue to follow a vehicle.
  • This update limits the types incidences where pursuit of a vehicle is authorized. The policy, which was last changed in 2019, was updated to increase the safety of the community and officers.
  • You can see the changes here.
  • You can watch the meeting in full here.
Community Spotlight: Beanstalk
  • Agtech company Beanstalk, is receiving $200,000 in Fairfax County and state grants as part of the the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund.
  • The company is investing in a new Herndon headquarters that will create 29 new jobs.
  • Beanstalk is a vertical farming company that uses hydroponic technology and heirloom seeds to increase urban and suburban access to local, fresh produce.
  • Learn more here.
Health
Vaccine Resources:


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
  • Follow mitigation practices:
  • 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
  • Wear a mask (Which is required in Virginia.)
  • What it means to social distance, self-isolate, and quarantine.
  • If interacting with others outside of your household, being outside is safer than inside. You can make your home safer by increasing ventilation and filtration.
  • 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.

COVID-19 Resources:

  • Fairfax County Health Department
  • To view the number of cases in Fairfax County this page is updated at noon daily.
  • 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.
Sincerely,
Jeff McKay
Contact my Office

chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov
| 703.324.2321 |