Community Notice from
Dranesville Supervisor John Foust
Dear Neighbor,

This morning the Fairfax County Health Department announced that 3 more essential worker groups are now eligible to register to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The registration form is also now available in Spanish. The Health Department also has added a link for anyone who needs to cancel their registration. This email also includes information on resources for landlords to get rental assistance on behalf of their tenants. See below for more details.

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
Registration Now Open for Three More
1b Essential Worker Groups
Beginning today, March 17, individuals who live or work the Fairfax Health District that fall into the following categories are now eligible to register to get a COVID-19 vaccine:

  • Food and Agriculture
  • Manufacturing
  • Grocery Store Workers

See below for specific category details defined by the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health.

These are the next three priority groups of frontline essential workers in Phase 1b as outlined by the Virginia Department of Health. We are now accepting registrations for the first six categories on this list:

  1. Police, fire, and hazmat (currently eligible)
  2. Corrections and homeless shelter workers (currently eligible)
  3. Childcare/K-12 Teachers or Staff (currently eligible)
  4. Food and Agriculture (currently eligible)
  5. Manufacturing (currently eligible)
  6. Grocery store workers (currently eligible)
  7. Public transit workers
  8. Mail carriers (USPS and private)
  9. Officials needed to maintain continuity of government
  10. Clergy/Faith leaders
  11. Janitorial/Cleaning staff
We are opening these categories because our vaccine supply will be increasing over the next few weeks and we will be able to move through our current waitlist at a faster pace. We expect to move into Phase 1c by mid-April and move into Phase 2 by May 1 in accordance with VDH guidance.

Employees should be prepared to show some form of work-related identification or paystub as the vaccine appointment could be offered by one of our vaccine partners that may require ID.

As a reminder, Fairfax County is not participating in the statewide registration system at this time. You should register on our website.

Food and Agriculture
According to the CDC, the following categories are included in the Food and Agriculture priority group:
  • Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
  • Beverage manufacturing (does not refer to public serving such as breweries)
  • Food manufacturing (does not refer to public serving such as restaurants)
  • Nursery, garden center and farm supply stores
  • Veterinary services

The Virginia Department of Health has also approved these categories:
  • ABC workers
  • Alcoholic beverage producers
  • Butcher and slaughterhouse workers
  • Food banks, food pantries and food distribution sites
  • Wholesale producers of meat, vegetables and foods

Manufacturing
According to the CDC, the following categories are included in the Manufacturing priority group:
  • Asphalt paving, roofing and saturated materials manufacturing
  • Chemical manufacturing
  • Computer and electronic manufacturing
  • Electrical equipment, appliance and component manufacturing
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing
  • Industry machinery manufacturing
  • Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing
  • Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing
  • Other miscellaneous manufacturing
  • Other petroleum and coal products manufacturing
  • Paper manufacturing
  • Petroleum manufacturing
  • Plastics and rubber product manufacturing
  • Primary metal manufacturing
  • Transportation equipment manufacturing
  • Wood kitchen cabinet and countertop manufacturing
  • Wood product manufacturing

Grocery Store Workers
According to the CDC, the following categories are included in the Grocery Store Workers priority group:
  • Food and beverage stores
  • General merchandise stores, including warehouse clubs and supercenters

The Virginia Department of Health has also approved these categories:
  • Convenience store workers
  • Farmers market vendor (if selling food)
  • Grocery shopping services
  • Retail stores that sell food and other products
COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Form Now Available in Spanish
Residents may now register for a COVID-19 vaccine (when eligible) using a new Spanish form that’s now available.

If residents cannot register online, then please call 703-324-7404 and assistance can be provided in Spanish (and other languages).
El formulario de registro de la vacuna COVID-19
está disponible en español

Personas en el Condado de Fairfax ahora pueden registrarse para una vacuna COVID-19 (cuando sea elegible) usando un nuevo formulario en español que ya está disponible. El formulario se puede cambiar entre inglés y español seleccionando el idioma en la parte superior derecha de la pantalla.

Cuando las personas envían formularios en español o en inglés, su lugar se conservará independientemente del formulario que se haya utilizado.

Si las personas no pueden registrarse en línea, se les pide que llamen al 703-324-7404 para brindarles asistencia en español (a igual que en otros idiomas).

Como recordatorio, el condado de Fairfax no participa en el sistema de registro estatal en este momento. Todas las personas del Distrito de Salud de Fairfax deben registrarse con nuestro registro en línea.

Para obtener más información sobre COVID-19 en español, visite el blog en español y las redes sociales.
Select Private Health Care Providers to Offer
COVID-19 Vaccine
The Health Department is pleased to announce that in the coming weeks more partners will begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, in the Fairfax Health District, vaccine is being administered by the Health Department and through partnerships primarily with health care organizations, pharmacies and urgent care clinics. There are also several pharmacies in the health district that are offering vaccines through a partnership with the federal government.

Through coordination with the Virginia Department of Health, a small number of private health care providers will also begin offering their patients COVID-19 vaccine. These health care providers have worked with the Virginia Department of Health and the Fairfax County Health Department to ensure they meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to be COVID-19 vaccine immunizers.

There are many providers who are still working through the process to become approved. The Fairfax County Health Department is providing assistance to these practices to help them meet the necessary requirements with the goal to increase this number over time so residents will have options to get their vaccination from their trusted provider.

If you receive your vaccine from a private provider and you previously registered with the Health Department, use our self-cancellation form to remove yourself from our list so others may be be contacted more quickly for a vaccination appointment.

If you meet the current eligibility groups, register for the COVID-19 vaccine with the Fairfax County Health Department. Or, you may also sign up to receive vaccine from one of the federal pharmacy program partners.
Fairfax County Landlords: Apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program For Your Tenants
Funds are now available for Fairfax County landlords seeking rental assistance on behalf of their tenants. A new Landlord Portal, which launched recently, is connected to the efforts of the Evictions Taskforce and will provide landlords a front door to access the Emergency Rental Assistance funds.

To be eligible for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, tenants must meet three criteria:

  • 1. They must be experiencing income loss as a result of COVID-19.
  • 2. The monthly rent for the property must not exceed 150% of the Fair Market Rent (FMR) value.
  • 3. The annual household income of the tenants must not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
If your tenants meet these criteria, apply now through the Landlord Portal. For more details, the eligibility and application process provides instructions to access the portal, information needed to complete requests, FAQs and specific instructions to create rent assistance requests. You can also contact staff at 703-324-5580 or NCSEvictionSupport@fairfaxcounty.gov with questions.

For landlords with properties outside of Fairfax County, assistance is still available through the Virginia Rent Relief Program. If you submitted a request prior to Feb. 15 with the Virginia Rent Relief Program for a property in Fairfax County, please verify with the VRRP before you enter a request here for the same property.

Fairfax County residents who need rent, mortgage, utility, food or other basic needs assistance should call Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880, TTY 711. CSP is available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.. Services are available in multiple languages, and the system now includes a call-back feature so people do not have to wait on hold.
Stay Informed about COVID-19
Fairfax County is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to utilize the resources listed below: