Community Notice from
Dranesville Supervisor John Foust
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Dear Neighbor,
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to evolve and impact our community, I will continue to highlight resources and updates that I hope you will find helpful along with information about upcoming virtual meetings, ways to provide input, and County programs.
This email includes tips for cleaning and disinfecting at home, information about an upcoming Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan Task Force
meeting, a link to the Route 7 Corridor Improvement Project July newsletter, Metro updates, and more.
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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Tips for Cleaning and Disinfecting at Home during COVID-19
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While the current science indicates that the coronavirus may remain on surfaces for hours or days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been no documented cases of infection from contaminated surfaces or objects, such as doorknobs, countertops, keyboards, or toys.
According to the CDC, the virus is spread more commonly through respiratory droplets.
Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces is still recommended as a best practice, especially if you are living with someone who is ill or suspected to be ill.
The CDC defines cleaning as removing dirt and germs, although this process does not kill germs. After cleaning, surfaces can be disinfected with chemicals that will kill any germs. Follow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s guidance on
how to safely and effectively use disinfectants.
High-touch surfaces, such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, toilets, and electronics should be regularly cleaned with a household cleaner and disinfected with an
EPA-registered product.
For electronics, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on what cleaning and disinfecting products to use. If no instructions are available, use wipes or sprays with at least 70% alcohol.
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If there is someone in your household who is ill with COVID-19, the CDC recommends daily cleaning of frequently touched surfaces in common areas in the home. However, consider cleaning an infected person’s bedroom and bathroom only as needed to reduce your own exposure to the sick person.
The CDC also advises wearing disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting. If reusable gloves are used, they should only be used for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes.
It is unknown how long the virus may remain infectious in the air. The CDC recommends improving a room’s ventilation to help clear respiratory droplets from the air from someone who is ill with COVID-19.
This information is available online
here.
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Fairfax County Public Schools Update
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On Tuesday, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) announced that the 2020-21 school year will begin virtually for all students on September 8. Should health conditions improve, FCPS will look to phase students into in-person learning, starting with students who require intervention support, followed by elementary school students, select special education students, and English learners.
Read Superintendent Brabrand's message to parents
here.
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Routine Immunizations for Children
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The Fairfax County Health Department is offering nine additional community childhood vaccination clinics and has expanded district office hours to provide Tdap vaccine at three clinics in Fairfax County. Parents are encouraged to take advantage of one of the free vaccination clinic opportunities soon, so their children are immunized in time for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Vaccines are still required to enroll into Fairfax County Public Schools even though all students will start the year with virtual learning. Parents, especially those with children under 2, are also encouraged to call their child’s provider to see if any vaccinations are due to take advantage of these free clinics.
To protect families at the community vaccination clinics and district offices, only a select number of appointments per site will be made available. Visitors will be asked to limit the number of individuals they bring to the appointment and everyone 2 years of age and older will be required to wear face coverings that cover their nose and mouth. In addition, the Health Department will be conducting temperature checks at the entrance, visitors will be spaced at least six feet apart, and vaccination stations will be separated by partitions.
Click
here to view all locations and times.
To schedule an appointment, call 703-246-6010, TTY 711. To minimize face-to-face time during the vaccination clinic, families are encouraged to send a picture of their child’s vaccination record ahead of time.
This information is available online
here. More information on childhood vaccinations can be found on the Health Department’s Childhood Immunizations
webpage.
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Route 7 Corridor Improvements July Newsletter
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Metro will add more buses, more trains, and more hours of service beginning on Sunday, August 16, restoring most service to pre-COVID levels while maintaining COVID-19 protocols.
Metrorail will add 15 hours more service per week, with opening times returning to normal and the system closing two hours later each night in anticipation of potential increases in ridership after Labor Day. Beginning Sunday, August 23, Metrobus will offer more buses, running more frequent service, restoring approximately 75 percent of pre-pandemic service. Weekday service will improve on 174 routes with most routes operating close to normal. Buses will operate until midnight, an additional hour.
Metro remains on track to re-open six Fairfax County stations on the Orange and Silver lines August 16. The stations west of Ballston - McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston East on the Silver Line plus West Falls Church on the Orange Line – had been closed since late May to complete work for Silver Line Phase 2 and platform reconstruction.
The remaining Orange Line stations, Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church are on target for completion around Labor Day, September 7.
Current and future service information is available online
here.
The increased service will allow Metro to provide greater transit options for the region, while still maintaining COVID-19 cleaning protocols. Trains, buses, and stations are cleaned daily, high-touch surfaces wiped down and disinfected, and routine deep-cleaning is completed at stations.
Customers are reminded that masks or face coverings are required when traveling on Metro per guidance from the CDC to protect the health and safety of others. This includes stations, trains, buses, and MetroAccess vehicles.
As ridership increases, social distancing may not be possible on trains and buses. Customers may wish to consider traveling during off-peak hours and other travel alternatives such as walking, biking, or scooters if possible.
Metro also announced an additional investment in its After-Hours Commuter Service Program which gives qualified workers a subsidy toward a shared ride on Lyft for trips between their home and workplace between midnight and 4:00 a.m., when Metro is unavailable. Metro is increasing the subsidy from $3 to $6. Eligible workers may apply online at
wmata.com/afterhours.
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Fairfax County is proactively working to address climate change and its various impacts. The Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) is one initiative focused on developing goals and implementing strategies and actions that will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in Fairfax County.
The CECAP Task Force is comprised of representatives and experts from dozens of community groups and prominent local organizations with a demonstrated interest in energy and climate issues, as well as a liaison from each of the
CECAP Focus Groups. The Task Force will work alongside County staff and consultants to develop a CECAP vision statement, energy and climate objectives for the plan, and priorities for possible climate change mitigation strategies. Task Force members will also review draft and final CECAP work products and will meet up to ten times over the course of the CECAP planning process. Read the
Operating Guidelines and Rules of Order for the Task Force and District Focus Groups for more detailed information.
Task Force meetings are open to the public. A virtual meeting will be held on
Wednesday, July 29 at 6:00 p.m. Information on how to join the meeting will be posted
here.
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Dive Back into Swim Lessons with the Park Authority
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With the continued opening of RECenters, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) recently announced the return of its Learn to Swim classes starting August 1.
Lee District, Oak Marr, and Spring Hill RECenters will be offering an abbreviated summer schedule throughout the month of August.
FCPA's commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable learning environment will continue with the necessary modifications made to its traditional class offerings. A few of these modifications are:
- Smaller class sizes
- Fewer class offerings to cut down on crowding
- All swim instructors will wear personal protective equipment
- Class structure will change to allow for social distancing
Learn to Swim Classes are available for children ages six months to 12 years of age and will run on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until noon.
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Beautiful Me: Celebrating Children of Color
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It is important for young children to recognize and celebrate our diversity. Adults are invited to join the Fairfax County Public Library for a virtual event on Wednesday, July 29, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to learn about library books and resources that will help you have conversations about race with your preschool aged children (ages 3-5).
Click
here to register to receive an invitation to the online presentation.
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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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