Cirque du Soleil’s Big Top tent is set up at Lerner Town Square in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Lawsuit Seeks to Disqualify School Board Candidate — The Fairfax County Republican Party and three residents argue Marcia St. John-Cunning should be removed from the Franconia District race, saying six signatures on her campaign petition are invalid. Endorsed by local Democrats, St. John-Cunning is competing against GOP-endorsed Kevin Pinkney to succeed Tamara Derenak-Kaufax, who isn’t seeking reelection. [Patch]
Singer Challenges Wolf Trap’s Merchandise Sales Commissions — Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has drawn some criticism after acoustic singer Sarah Beth Tomberlin told fans that the venue was seeking a 41% cut of all her merchandise sales. Tomberlin instead opted not to sell merch when she opened for Ray LaMontagne on Sunday (Sept. 17). [DCist]
Rep. Jennifer Wexton Won’t Seek Reelection — Updated at 4:45 p.m. — The Congresswoman representing Virginia’s 10th District announced yesterday (Monday) that she won’t pursue a fourth term next year after getting diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurological disorder with no cure. Wexton’s decision opens up a “vulnerable” seat that’s mostly based in Loudoun County but includes a portion of Fairfax County around Clifton. [Washington Post]
French Bistro Opens in Vienna — “Acclaimed Chef Roberto Donna, executive chef at Roberto’s Ristorante Italiano, opens his newest dining enterprise, Le Bistro, Tuesday…Le Bistro replaces what used to be Blend 111, at 111 Church St. NW. Donna posted a menu for the restaurant’s September 15 soft opening on the Vienna VA Foodies Facebook page.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
FCPD Makes Arrests in Drugs Investigation — “Detectives initiated their investigation in March of 2023, following a tip regarding a narcotics distribution ring operating in the Mount Vernon District. Through their diligent efforts, the detectives gathered substantial evidence and successfully apprehended four individuals, who now face multiple charges.” [FCPD]
Classes Set to Begin at New Reston University — “Trine University will begin offering classes at its new Reston, Virginia, education center in October. Located at 1881 Campus Commons Drive, the center will offer four master’s degrees in a hybrid format,” including business, engineering management and information studies programs. [Trine University]
Long-Awaited Park Finished on Route 1 — “Fairfax County officials held a ribbon cutting Sept. 16 to mark the opening of North Hill Park, a 12-acre public park located on the eastern side of Richmond Highway between Groveton and Hybla Valley.” The site includes trails, a playground, a fitness area, pickleball courts and a basketball court. [On the MoVe]
It’s Tuesday — The weather forecast for today indicates a sunny day with a high temperature near 76 degrees. As for tonight, expect mostly clear skies and a low temperature of around 56 degrees. [Weather.gov]
The value of an office building just outside the Mosaic District will determine whether Fairfax County has to go to court to boost a Merrifield sewer’s capacity.
The owner of 8315 Lee Highway is the lone remaining holdout in land rights negotiations with the county, which has reached agreements for six of the seven properties that will be affected by the project, land acquisition staff reported to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week.
While hopeful that a resolution can be achieved without a court visit, the board voted 8-2 last Tuesday (Sept. 12) to authorize staff to complete the land acquisitions — including by exercising the county’s eminent domain powers if necessary.
“A lot of times, this is the impetus to get to the finish line,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said before the vote. “…This has been a long process, and to make sure we’re continuing to make progress on this, hopefully, we reach an agreement before it has to go to court.”
The sewer capacity upgrade will replace a 12-inch-wide line with a 20-inch PVC pipe wrapped in 30-inch steel casing. The new pipe will extend 563 linear feet between the corner of Route 29 and Eskridge Road and the U.S. Postal Service’s Merrifield facility.
The project will also add three new manholes. The existing sewer line will be abandoned in place.
The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services determined that existing pipes were “at risk” of overflows that could affect nearby buildings and the environment “due to the current average daily flows and the current pipe size,” according to a staff report in the board meeting package.
“The goal of the project is to alleviate this public health risk concern and provide additional capacity to account for the growing population size upstream of the pipes in the Merrifield area,” staff wrote.
DPWES says it hopes to begin construction on the project in January to avoid disrupting post office operations during the busy winter holiday shopping season.
However, the county and CJC Associates LP, which owns the building at 8315 Lee Highway, are still “very far apart” in their assessments of the site’s redevelopment potential and the project’s impact on its value, Land Acquisition Division Director Dennis Cade admitted at last week’s public hearing.
Negotiations for sewer and temporary access and construction easements needed to allow construction and equipment staging on the property have been underway since spring 2022, according to Jocelyn Campbell, a right-of-way agent for the county.
Confirming that his company recently presented a counteroffer to the county, CJC Associates partner Jim Coakley said “outside parties” have estimated that the building could lose about $325,000 in income from leasing during the construction period.
“People will not want to move to the building with all the construction that’s happening and all those other elements that are there,” Coakley told the Board of Supervisors.
There has also been disagreement about the value of the land. Coakley said an appraisal from the county had compared it to industrial properties in Lorton and the Alexandria area that are “nowhere near a Metro station” or prime development sites.
He noted that the county recently signaled support for a proposal to redevelop a nearby commercial property at 2929 Eskridge Road with mixed-use housing.
“We’re very excited to see you’re looking at potentially approving 3.0 [floor area ratio] right across the street from us, right next to the Mosaic District, so I think that’s really been helpful,” Coakley said. “That also speaks to the valuation of our land, which we think is very valuable.”
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck voted against authorizing the land acquistions, asking why the county hasn’t considered Coakley’s suggestion that construction access be provided via the post office instead of his property.
“I don’t think the property owner’s concerns have been addressed. I don’t have enough information to support this,” Storck said.
An engineering team found the proposed alternative would be too disruptive to the post office and require additional construction, since the parking lots for the two properties currently aren’t connected, DPWES staff said.
Cade emphasized that negotiations can continue even after certificates for the land rights are filed with the state, and the county still hopes to reach a voluntary agreement without having to go to court.
“Knowing that we do have six of the seven gives me more hope that we’re moving in the right direction,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said. “…It’s unfortunate that we’re not fully there yet, but I am hopeful that we’ll continue in that direction.”
(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) An Arlington man faces criminal charges after Vienna police learned that a vehicle he reported as stolen had, in fact, been involved in two different crashes.
The Vienna Police Department got a report on July 30 from a supposed resident who said his vehicle had been stolen out of his garage on Battle Street SE sometime between midnight on July 29 and 9 a.m. on July 30.
“A resident left his vehicle unsecured in the garage with the keys inside overnight,” police said in a summary from its recap of the week of Aug. 4. “Due to a storm and power outage, the garage door was unable to close. The following day, the resident discovered the vehicle was stolen.”
The VPD noted at the time that the vehicle was later located in another jurisdiction.
A subsequent investigation, however, linked the vehicle to a crash in Arlington County where the driver fled the scene with two children, according to an update in the VPD’s latest recap, which covers the week of Sept. 8-14.
“Investigation revealed the driver was the owner of the vehicle who made the stolen vehicle report the following morning,” Vienna police said.
According to the Arlington County Police Department, its officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of North Bryan Street around 10:07 p.m. on July 29 for a single-vehicle crash “with unknown conditions.”
“The preliminary investigation indicated the driver of the vehicle struck a stop sign and utility pole at 16th Street N. and N. Bryan Street before exiting the vehicle with the two juvenile occupants and running from the scene prior to police arrival,” an ACPD spokesperson said.
Vienna police arrested the 42-year-old Arlington man on Sept. 7 after Detective Brad Reedy obtained a warrant charging him with making a false report to a law enforcement officer.
The man has also been charged by Arlington police with two counts each of child neglect and hit and run of unattended property.
“He was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where the warrants were served on him,” the VPD said.
In a separate, more recent incident, Vienna police responded at 7:14 p.m. last Tuesday (Sept. 12) to an assault in the Cedar Park Shopping Center parking lot, according to the weekly recap.
The officers located two men who advised they were getting into an Uber when three or four men approached the vehicle, pulled them out of the vehicle, and began assaulting them. The two men had visible signs of injury, but refused rescue. They reported they did not know the men who attacked them and advised they did not wish to pursue charges against them. Officers searched the area for the suspects but could not locate them.
One Injured in Herndon Vehicle Crash — Yesterday afternoon (Sunday), Herndon police shut down “two lanes into town and one lane out of town on Sterling Rd…due to a crash investigation. Light pole blocking 3 lanes. Dominion power responding. One patient has been transported w non life threatening injuries.” [Herndon Police/Twitter]
Fairfax City Opens Addiction Recovery Center — “With a ribbon cutting held Friday, the city’s new 6,700-square-feet addiction recovery center run by the Chris Atwood Foundation stands to help those in the community fighting the disease and looking for resources, particularly low-income families.” [WTOP]
Three Arrested for Fraud at Tysons Galleria — “Officers found 36 fictitious driver’s licenses, 32 stolen credit cards, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier’s uniform and stolen mail in a rental car outside Tysons Galleria on Thursday after surveilling two men for credit card fraud, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.” Two men and a woman found in the rental car were arrested. [Patch]
Virginia Gives OK to African American History Course — “After more than six months of review…Virginia students will now be able to take the College Board’s Advanced Placement course covering African American studies. The Virginia Department of Education determined that the class did not conflict with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s controversial first executive order.” [WTOP]
Metro Proposes Simplifying Bus Route Names — “Trying to figure out the various Metrobus routes can be a puzzle with a mix of letters, numbers, and street names, express or limited-stop service…For the first time in its 50-year history, Metro is looking to revamp the bus system and simplify routes with its Better Bus, Better Names campaign.” [WMATA]
County Jail Program Trains Inmates as Chefs — The Fairfax County Adult Detention Center has partnered with the food service company Aramark on a culinary program that provides chef training to inmates, who cook food for the jail. Once they finish their sentence and get out of jail, participants are guaranteed a job. [NBC4]
Starbucks Gives Grant to Help Lake Accotink — “The Starbucks Foundation awarded the Friends of Lake Accotink Park (FLAP) $1,000 from its Neighborhood Grants program, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced. A local Starbucks employee nominated FLAP for the grant in recognition of its work to protect the natural and cultural resources and support projects and programmatic opportunities at Lake Accotink Park.” [Annandale Today]
Regional Transportation Group Hits Funding Milestone — “In one decade, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) has distributed $1 billion to its nine member jurisdictions and five towns, supplying the region’s localities with critical funding to address their unique transportation needs. To celebrate this milestone, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held during the September Authority meeting.” [NVTA]
It’s Monday — The forecast predicts partly sunny weather with a high temperature around 75°F and a north wind ranging from 7 to 11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Monday night will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 58°F and a northwest wind around 8 mph. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County police car with lights flashing (file photo)
A child has been hospitalized with serious injuries after he was hit by a sedan while riding his bicycle on Idylwood Road, police say.
“Officers are on scene of a serious crash involving a cyclist at Idylwood Rd and Greenbrier Way in Dunn Loring,” the Fairfax County Police Department said in a tweet at 1:04 p.m. “A juvenile male was taken to the hospital in serious condition.”
Police and medics with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to the scene of a crash “involving a child” around 12:05 p.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz. The boy was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital.
An FCPD spokesperson confirmed that the child was the cyclist.
“One vehicle was involved (which was a sedan),” the FCPD told FFXnow by email.
As of 3 p.m., Idylwood Road remains closed between Greenbrier Way and Gallows Road, according to police.
Idylwood Rd between Greenbrier Way & Gallows Rd will remain closed as officers investigate. #FCPD
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) September 16, 2023
A senior at Langley High School, a county planner who helped craft an environmental plan for Reston, and a local business dedicated to reducing waste are among the recipients of this year’s Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Awards.
Handed out annually since 2000, the awards recognize residents, county staff, businesses and other organizations “who demonstrate extraordinary leadership within the community and exceptional dedication to the preservation and enhancement of the county’s natural resources,” according to the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.
Announced at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (Sept. 12), the winners were selected by the Environmental Quality Advisory Council, an advisory group appointed by the board. The council administers the awards with OEEC’s support.
“By giving their time, passion and expertise for the betterment of our environment, these awardees are true climate champions,” said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, who chairs the board’s Environmental Committee. “We applaud them for leading by example and helping to ensure that our county residents and visitors can enjoy a healthy and beautiful Fairfax County for decades to come.”
The lone winner in the individual county resident category was Mei Torrey, a rising senior at Langley High School who “promotes and actively seeks opportunities to increase awareness of, and take action on, local sustainability issues,” the OEEC says.
Now president of her school’s Saxons Go Green environmental club, Torrey has organized fundraisers and worked with the nonprofit Clean Fairfax to design and distribute reusable bags to local retailers and low-income communities, according to the county.
The 2023 award lineup features three winners in the “county employee” category:
Hugh Whitehead, an Urban Forester with the Urban Forest Management Division. In 2016, Mr. Whitehead initiated a tree planting program in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools. Since 2016, a total of 494 trees have been planted at twenty-one different K through 12 schools including seven Title 1 schools. This program not only supports the Board’s Sustainability Initiatives, reforestation goals, and recommendations from the Joint Environmental Task Force, but furthers educational opportunities throughout the county.
Joe Gorney, a Planner with the Department of Planning and Development, Environment and Development Review Branch. Mr. Gorney works collaboratively with other county agencies on a diverse range of environmental review topics, working to create a sustainable future for residents and employees. He was the staff lead for the Environmental Plan guidance update for the Reston planning study, designating Reston as “biophilic” community.
Craig Carinci, Director of Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, Stormwater Planning Division. Mr. Carinci provides excellence in leadership through monitoring and improving stream health. During his tenure as Director, Fairfax County has restored over 100,000 linear feet of streams, facilitated by his open-minded leadership and business acumen that fearlessly encourages his team to push forward on initiatives and collaborate with partners to achieve cost savings.
The Environmental Excellence Awards for organizations and businesses went to Trace the Zero Waste Store, which can be found at 140 Church Street NW in Vienna, and the grounds committee of the Montebello Condominium Unit Owners Association.
Launched in fall 2021, Trace sells entirely plastic-free household and personal care products, including towels, cutlery, lotion and bags for food storage and waste.
“The store’s owner, Mala Persaud, goes above and beyond to educate residents through the Zero Waste Store’s website and community events,” the OEEC said. “There is always a good turnout whenever Ms. Persaud co-hosts a ‘Recycling: Ask Me Anything’ event with the Fairfax County Solid Waste division.”
The Montebello condo association’s grounds committee consists of 14 members tasked with helping preserve, maintain and enhance the residential property at 5905 Mount Eagle Drive in Huntington.
“Members put in many hours each year to develop and advocate for projects, identify and address threats to the grounds, introduce new approaches, undertake citizen science projects, host resident engagement programs, communicate through newsletters and materials, and much more,” the OEEC said. “Their impact benefits the residents, the neighborhood and the county.”
All of the award winners will be honored at a ceremony this fall, though an exact date and location haven’t been announced.
“We are fortunate to have these leaders working tirelessly in our community to preserve and protect the natural world we all share,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “Their contributions make a significant impact and inspire others to join in the effort to build a more sustainable future.”
The Town of Vienna and Fairfax City believe two cooks would be better than one when it comes to concocting a culinary workforce program to support their local restaurants.
The economic development teams from both localities have joined forces to develop a program that could provide job training or help businesses identify prospective, qualified employees.
The initiative is still in its developmental stages, the Town of Vienna Economic Development Division and Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) told FFXnow. A survey to get input from local businesses on their biggest staffing needs and concerns is set to close today (Friday).
“We have been collaborating closely with our local restaurateurs to gain a deeper understanding of their staffing requirements and needs through a survey,” Vienna Economic Development Director Natalie Monkou and Fairfax City Economic Development Programs Manager Tara Bowery said in a joint statement. “Once these are clarified, we will have a clearer picture of the potential program’s scope and can begin to solidify the programmatic details.”
The localities started discussing the idea of a workforce development program focused on food service after observing similar challenges for their businesses during the height of the pandemic, which strained an industry where business longevity was rare and work precarious even before COVID-19.
According to CNN, there were about 72,000 fewer restaurants in the U.S. last year than in 2019, with one research firm projecting in February that another 1,000 restaurants could be gone by the end of this year.
Citing Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, the National Restaurant Association says that, as of August, employment has nearly returned to pre-shutdown February 2020 levels, but hiring is still lagging for full-service restaurants. Earlier this year, about 62% of restaurants reported being understaffed.
Despite those nationwide trends, the FCED and Vienna Economic Development Division say their culinary scenes are “growing and exciting,” as showcased in regular Restaurant Week campaigns that they organize, respectively, in summer and winter and in the spring.
“Through these events and other economic development initiatives, our respective economic development agencies have learned more about our local restaurants and food-based businesses,” the agencies said.
Monkou and Bowery hope that, by combining resources and experiences with promoting businesses both locally and regionally, they can enhance the planned workforce development program’s impact.
“Our interest lies in forging partnerships with regional agencies, recognizing that collaboration amplifies the impact of our initiatives,” they said. “…We believe that joining forces will bolster the culinary workforce, ultimately contributing to the economic vitality of our communities.”
There’s no set timeline yet for when the program could launch, but with the survey closing today, the economic development leaders expect to refine their vision over “the coming weeks.”
“Our economic development offices will continue working together and with our respective business communities in the coming weeks to define critical aspects of the program and develop the program scope and timeline to support the needs of our local restaurant community,” Monkou and Bowery said.
Photo via Daniel Bradley/Unsplash
Fairfax County officials are exploring ways to crack down on the illegal use of fireworks.
At a meeting Tuesday (Sept. 12), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to consider expanding the enforcement powers of the Fairfax County Police Department related to fireworks.
Currently, FCPD officers don’t have jurisdiction to issue citations for individuals using fireworks illegally — a problem that Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who introduced the proposal, says “stifles” the county’s ability to prevent and end unlawful fireworks displays.
The county’s code currently designates the Office of the Fire Marshal as the only enforcement agency for issues related to fireworks, which can only be sold locally from June 1 to July 15 each year.
Around Independence Day, the office lacks bandwidth and staff to respond to calls for service and on-site safety protocol, according to Lusk.
The change was sparked by an increase in the number of fireworks-related incidents tackled by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, particularly around the Fourth of July.
According to the board matter, Deputy Fire Chief John Walser has said that this July 4 had “the most significant number of incidents of any [day] in the time I have been in the Fire Marshal’s Office.”
Between July 1 and 4, the police department received 60 calls of service related to fireworks displays in the Franconia District station alone. Just on July 4, county firefighters responded to 12 fires, “almost all of which were certainly related to fireworks,” Lusk said.
Staff will now work on drafting language for an ordinance that will be considered by the board before the end of the first quarter of 2024. A renewed interagency public awareness campaign on fireworks rules and safety is also planned.
Photo via FCFRD/Twitter
Virginia Reps Raise Alarm Over Potential Federal Shutdown — “The fractious, divided House of Representatives has until the end of the month to approve the funding needed to keep the federal government open. If…the government runs out of money, it’ll likely have dire consequences for the D.C. region, which is home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and military service members.” [DCist]
Lee Chapel Road Hill Removals Fully Funded — State Sen. George Barker shared on Wednesday (Sept. 13) that the state will provide $4 million to eliminate two hills along a stretch of road where two teens were killed in a crash, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity confirmed yesterday. Fairfax County has already allocated $5 million to the project. [WTOP]
Downtown McLean Design Guidelines Approved — “The Board of Supervisors endorsed new design guidelines for downtown McLean on Sept. 12…This marks a significant step forward in the ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the downtown area and give it a more attractive and vibrant look.” [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Technician Named Firefighter of the Year — “Technician Julie Tomesheski, assigned to Reston Fire Station 25 has been named the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Firefighter of the Year. This is the highest honor given to a firefighter by the department…She will be presented her award by Fire Chief Butler in a ceremony at the county’s Public Safety Headquarters on Oct. 30.” [Hunter Mill District News]
County Leaders Urge Preservation of Merrifield Cemetery — At a public hearing Tuesday (Sept. 12), Fairfax County supervisors stressed the need to protect the Thompson Family Cemetery, as developer Federal Realty seeks to revamp the adjacent Pan Am Shopping Center. A ground survey is recommended, but the lot isn’t part of the proposed redevelopment. [Gazette Leader]
Lorton Realtor Plans Temporary Homes After Morocco Earthquake — “Last week’s deadly earthquake in Morocco claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people and left many homeless and displaced. The images of the devastation…are motivating members of the D.C. area’s Moroccan community to help, and that includes an ambitious plan to build temporary villages coming from a Lorton, Virginia, man.” [WTOP]
Vienna Kid Competes in National Go-Kart Race — “Lucas Palacio zooms down the pavement at 65 mph, maneuvering tight turns likely better than you can, except he’s 4 feet, 5 inches tall, still seven years shy of getting a driver’s license — and in a go-kart…This month, Lucas will race in the GoPro Motorplex Karting Challenge in North Carolina.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Halloween Haunt Set for Lorton Return — “The Workhouse Arts Center’s immersive scare-inducing outdoor haunted trail is returning this fall for its 10th year. This year’s Workhouse Haunt event, titled “Haunt: Game Over,” will run on weekends from Friday, Oct. 6, through Saturday, Oct. 28. Haunt will also perform on Halloween night, Tuesday, Oct. 31.” [Inside NoVA]
It’s Friday — This Friday’s weather forecast predicts a sunny day with a high temperature near 76 degrees . Later in the evening, the sky will remain clear while the temperature drops to a low of around 55 degrees. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 4:45 p.m.) A new batch of COVID-19 vaccines is on the way, as the disease appears to be surging once again.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday (Sept. 14) that it recommends everyone 6 months and older get the shots, which have been updated to provide improved protection against the variants fueling the current rise in illness and hospitalizations.
Slated to become available this week, the new vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are rolling out in time to coincide with the annual fall flu shot season, an approach that the Fairfax County Health Department supports.
“People are able to get the flu shot and the updated COVID-19 vaccine together and this fall (September or October) is a good time to be protected against these illnesses as people spend more time indoors and viruses may be more apt to spread,” FCHD spokesperson Lucy Caldwell said by email.
With Covid no longer considered a federal health emergency, the updated vaccines are the first ones not being allocated by the government. Instead, doctor’s offices, pharmacies and other providers must order them directly, making it less clear when they’ll become available.
The FCHD advises residents to check vaccines.gov or contact their doctor, pediatrician or local pharmacy to see if they’ll have the vaccine. Retail pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS have said that appointments will become available through their websites this week.
The cost of the vaccines is covered by private insurance, along with Medicare and Medicaid. The roughly 7% of Fairfax County residents who aren’t insured should be able to get the shots for free from providers participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access program, according to the FCHD.
The county health department also anticipates obtaining a vaccine supply later this month, Caldwell says. Residents of the Fairfax Health District, which also includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, will be able to make an appointment by calling 703-246-7100.
Caldwell noted that the health department’s supply is typically reserved for individuals who don’t have a primary care provider or another option for getting vaccinated. It also doesn’t accept private insurance as payment, though it’s in-network for Medicaid.
“Staying up to date and getting the new, updated vaccine is important,” the FCHD said. “The virus continues to evolve and protection against it from previous vaccination decreases over time. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer, more reliable way to build protection than getting sick with COVID-19. Getting vaccinated also reduces your chances of getting long COVID, which can last weeks, months, and even years, after initial illness.”
About 80% of Fairfax Health District residents 6 months and older — or 942,180 people — completed their initial round of vaccinations, according to FCHD data. About 50% of that population has received at least three doses, but just 25.7% got the most recent booster.
People should wait two months after their last Covid shot or two to three months after an infection before getting the updated vaccine, according to the FCHD.
After a relatively quiet spring and early summer, Fairfax County has seen an increase in Covid since July, including upticks in hospitalizations, emergency department visits and outbreaks, the health department says.
As of Sept. 2, the county admitted 52 new hospital patients with Covid over that week, a 15.6% increase over the preceding week for a hospitalization rate of 2.6 people per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC.
As of Tuesday, the Fairfax Health District was averaging 111.7 cases over the past seven days — case levels not seen since February, per Virginia Department of Health data.
The FCHD says it has been “closely tracking emergency department visits and hospitalizations from COVID-19 and identifying and investigating clusters of cases in schools, long-term care facilities, and other settings.”
“FCHD has the ability to scale up resources if necessary,” Caldwell said. “But the optimal situation is for people in our community to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine and take other measures that reduce the spread of illness, like good handwashing, so that we can prevent or mitigate a possible surge.”
