COVID-19 | FFXnow

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

EXCLUSIVE: Fairfax County adjusts fire, EMS staffing with dozens of workers out due to COVID-19

By David Taube

Published December 29, 2021 at 9:30AM | Updated December 29, 2021 at 4:28PM

The Bailey's Crossroads fire station (File photo via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Fairfax County saw its largest-ever increase in coronavirus cases among fire and emergency medical responders this month, mirroring a surge in case rates compared to 2020.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department data shows that there are 53 positive cases and 14 in quarantine, all staying at home to curb the spread of COVID-19. That’s the most cases the department has seen at one time, according to county figures as of Sunday (Dec. 26).

News

COVID-19 tests shortage continues as daily case numbers climb

By Fatimah Waseem

Published December 28, 2021 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County nurse holds a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

As the winter surge continues following Christmas weekend, COVID-19 tests are becoming increasingly hard to come by in Fairfax County.

Many local testing facilities are booked until at least Thursday (Dec. 30). The shortage comes as COVID-19 cases surpass last winter’s surge. With another 1,441 cases recorded on Christmas Day, the county is now averaging 1,124 cases a day for the past week.

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

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.

News

Fairfax County hopeful vaccination rates can limit severity of “likely” omicron infections wave

By Matt Blitz

Published December 16, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated February 25, 2022 at 11:57AM

7-Day Rolling Average of Vaccination and Booster Rates in Fairfax County (via screenshot/Fairfax County)

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) As Fairfax County prepares for a “likely” wave of omicron infections, officials are cautiously optimistic that vaccination rates and the potentially less-severe illness caused by the variant may prevent a surge like what was seen last winter.

Fairfax County Health Department Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu and epidemiologist Dr. Ben Schwartz lauded the county’s vaccination rates in a status update for the Board of Supervisors’ health and human services committee on Tuesday (Dec. 14).

News

Fairfax County’s COVID-19 case rate hits highest mark since February

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County’s current COVID-19 surge has now surpassed the late summer wave fueled by the delta variant’s arrival.

The county is averaging 216.7 new cases per day for the past week — the most since Feb. 19, when the weekly average was at 228.9 cases, according to Virginia Department of Health data.

News

Fairfax County has tripled COVID-19 case rate over past month

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 6, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated December 6, 2021 at 6:43PM

An illustration of a coronavirus (via CDC/Unsplash)

(Updated at 6:40 p.m.) Like the rest of the country, Fairfax County continues to see increasing levels of COVID-19 transmission.

The county is now averaging about three times as many new cases per day as it was less than a month ago, with a seven-day average of 189.4 cases today (Monday), according to Virginia Department of Health data.

Opinion

Poll: Are you going to get a COVID-19 booster shot?

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 30, 2021 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County nurse holds a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

The Fairfax Health District is doing well when it comes to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

As of yesterday (Monday), 65.5% of residents are fully vaccinated, outpacing the 59.1% national rate, according to Fairfax County Health Department data.