Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Fairfax County sets new daily record for Covid cases, prepares for testing site

Published January 10, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated January 11, 2022 at 12:25PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days as of Jan. 10, 2022 (via Virginia Department of Health)

Fairfax County has a new single-day record for COVID-19 infections.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, the county reported 3,463 new cases on Saturday (Jan. 8), surpassing the previous daily record of 3,111 cases set on Dec. 31. Before Dec. 22, the county had only seen more than 1,000 cases in a day once — on Jan. 17, 2021.

News

FCPS commits to in-person classes, shares plan for handling staffing shortages

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 6, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:52AM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand discusses plans to manage potential surges in COVID-19 infections when schools reopen (via FCPS/YouTube)

Updated at 4:05 p.m. — Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed again tomorrow (Friday) due to tonight’s anticipated snowfall, using its last allotted traditional snow day.

Fairfax County Public Schools reiterated its commitment to in-person instruction today (Thursday), even as it acknowledges that surging COVID-19 cases will likely result in staffing shortages.

Opinion

Poll: Should FCPS return in person this week?

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 4, 2022 at 9:30AM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:53AM

A Fairfax County Public School bus in snow (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County students have already gotten a couple extra days of winter break, thanks to yesterday’s snowstorm, but some community members are calling on Fairfax County Public Schools to extend its closure further, citing concerns about rising COVID-19 cases.

A Change.org petition started over the weekend urges FCPS to utilize some of its built-in snow days to either delay an in-person return in the hopes of mitigating a post-holiday surge or establish an online option for students who would prefer to remain at home.

News

Fairfax County doubles COVID-19 caseload from Christmas to begin new year

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 3, 2022 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days as of Jan. 3, 2022 (via Virginia Department of Health)

2022 is off to a sobering start, as COVID-19 cases continue to soar in Fairfax County.

The county is now averaging 2,132 cases per day for the past week, according to Virginia Department of Health data. That dwarfs last winter’s surge, which peaked at a seven-day average of 697 cases on Jan. 17.

News

New Year’s 2022: What will be open and closed in Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 30, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:55AM

2022 written in fireworks (via Moritz Knöringer/Unsplash)

With New Year’s Day arriving this Saturday, many Fairfax County government facilities and services will be taking tomorrow (Friday) off.

Here is a breakdown of the county’s schedule for the New Year’s holiday:

News

Former priest charged with sexual abuse of children in Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 28, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

A retired priest who headed the Catholic Diocese of Arlington’s Office of Child Protection and Safety for seven years has been indicted for allegedly sexually abusing a boy in Fairfax County two decades ago.

Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General announced this morning (Tuesday) that a grand jury handed down two felony charges against Terry Specht, 69, of Donegal, Pennsylvania on Dec. 20.

News

Over Christmas, COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County exceed last winter’s surge

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 27, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County COVID-19 cases over the past 180 days, as of Dec. 27, 2021 (via Virginia Department of Health)

Fairfax County saw more COVID-19 cases over this past holiday weekend than at any other point in the pandemic.

The 1,550 cases reported on Christmas Eve (Friday) represented a new single-day record, surpassing the 1,485 cases that came in on Jan. 17, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

News

Fairfax County libraries run out of COVID-19 tests, with timing of next shipment unknown

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 21, 2021 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County Public Library is all out of COVID-19 rapid tests once again.

The library system has received 34,652 test kits since Dec. 1 as part of the Virginia Department of Health’s free testing kit pilot program, but as of 10:30 a.m. today (Tuesday), they have all been distributed.

News

FCPS starts effort to allow collective bargaining for school workers

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 20, 2021 at 3:30PM

Tina Williams, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, speaks at a rally prior to a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow collective bargaining of county government workers (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County Public Schools is moving to give its workers collective bargaining powers.

An FCPS webpage launched Friday (Dec. 17) explains that the school system is developing an ordinance establishing the scope and rules of collective bargaining, which will enable labor unions to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions for their members.

News

With omicron in the air, Fairfax County’s COVID-19 surge reaches new heights

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 20, 2021 at 2:00PM

The novel coronavirus is spreading exponentially in Fairfax County, outpacing even last winter’s surge.

The Fairfax County Health Department reported 569 COVID-19 cases this morning (Monday) for the Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, pushing the total for the pandemic up to 102,362 cases.