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Status Update on Wednesday, July 15


City of Falls Church
Date Cases Hospitalizations Deaths # Cases per
100,000 People
Wednesday, July 15 54 10 7 365.6
Monday, July 13 53* 10 7* 358.8
Wednesday, July 8 54* 11 8 365.6
Monday, July 6 55 11 8 372.3
Wednesday, July 1 52* 11 8 352.0
Monday, June 29 56* 11 8 379.1
Wednesday, June 24 57* 11 7 385.9
*NOTE: These numbers went down as the Virginia Department of Health found that the individuals lived in the Fairfax County part of Falls Church, not the City of Falls Church.

Fairfax Health District (includes the City of Falls Church, City of Fairfax, Fairfax County, and towns within the county)
Date Total Cases Hospitalizations Deaths
Wednesday, July 15 14,781 1,769 516
Monday, July 13 14,682 1,729 514
Wednesday, July 8 14,379 1,713 510
Monday, July 6 14,331 1,679 510
Wednesday, July 1 13,986 1,640 503
Monday, June 29 13,966 1,627 493
Wednesday, June 24 13,714 1,597 464

Sources: Fairfax Health Department and Virginia Department of Health
Where to Find Important Information
More Quick Links

COVID Check from the Virginia Department of Health

If you’re feeling sick or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the sooner you act the better. Start with these resources to help protect yourself, your family, and your friends as we all work to stop the spread.
  1. Check your symptoms.
  2. Find a test.
  3. Get answers.

Contact Tracing: Answer the Call, Protect the Community

A representative of the Fairfax Health Department, called a case investigator or a contact tracer, will contact you if:

  • You were tested for COVID-19 and the test showed you have this virus (a positive test)
  • You were identified as being in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Close contact means that you were within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes during the time they could have spread infection.
  • Contact tracers will only talk to you about information that is important for the case investigation. And if needed, they can help refer you to medical and other support services.

PLEASE answer the call. You can help protect yourself, your family and our community by simply answering the phone when we call. 

Staying Safe at an Event or Gathering During COVID-19

NOTE: The Fairfax County Health Department is the heath department of the City of Falls Church. Any programs, services, and information provided by Fairfax Health is available for or applies to City residents. The following is adapted from the health department's website.

COVID-19 continues to circulate in our community and there is no way to ensure zero risk when attending events and gatherings. But there are three things to consider when deciding whether to attend an event:
  1. Time and Numbers: The more people you interact with, and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading.
  2. Social Distancing: The closer you are to other people who may be infected, the greater your risk of getting sick. Indoor spaces are more risky than outdoor spaces where it might be harder to keep people apart and there is less ventilation.
  3. Community Transmission Rate: The higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 during a gathering.
 

There are also things to consider if you are the one planning an event or hosting a gathering. Keep the tips below in mind.

Consider Your Attendance Options
Try to offer options for attendees at higher risk for illness that can limit their exposure risk. For example, when possible, try to offer virtual meeting options. For everyone’s safety, consider limiting event attendance to people who live in the local area, and rotate or stagger shifts and arrival times to limit the number of attendees in a venue at the same time.
The risk of COVID-19 spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:
  • LOWEST RISK: Virtual-only activities, events and gatherings.
  • MORE RISK: Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear cloth face coverings, do not share objects and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city or county).
  • HIGHER RISK: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that are adapted to allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
  • HIGHEST RISK: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.
Precautions to Consider When Gathering In-Person
Staying home continues to be safest. However, if you decide to plan an event or gathering, take the following precautions:
  • Assign a Contact: Designate someone to be responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns.
  • Set Criteria for Attendance: Advise attendees prior to the gathering that they should not attend if they have symptoms of, a positive test for, or were recently exposed to (within 14 days) COVID-19.
  • Monitor for Symptoms: Immediately separate attendees with COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, etc.). Individuals who are sick should go home or to a healthcare facility, depending on how severe their symptoms.
  • Have a Plan in Place: Establish procedures for safely transporting anyone sick to their home or to a healthcare facility. If you are calling an ambulance or bringing someone to the hospital, call first to alert them that the person may have COVID-19.
If you learn that anyone who had attended your event presents symptoms or is diagnosed with COVID-19, advise those who have had close contact with the person to stay home, self-monitor for symptoms and follow public health guidance if symptoms develop.

Health and Safety Etiquette
A few small steps can go a long way towards keeping attendees happy and healthy.
  • Practice Good Hygiene: Encourage attendees to wash hands often and cover coughs and sneezes. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol and rub hands until dry.
  • Avoid Physical Contact: Discourage attendees from exchanging handshakes, fist bumps and high-fives.
  • Wear Cloth Face Coverings: Encourage attendees ahead of the event to bring and use cloth face coverings. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms. Face coverings are strongly encouraged in settings where individuals might raise their voice (e.g., shouting, chanting, singing).
  • Limit Sharing: Discourage people from sharing items that are difficult to clean, sanitize or disinfect. Limit any sharing of food, tools, equipment or supplies by attendees. Ensure adequate supplies are available to minimize sharing of high-touch materials to the extent possible and clean and disinfect areas and items between use.
  • Spread the Word: Notify attendees and the public of restrictions in place so everyone can practice the same safety measures. Include messaging about behaviors and procedures that promote healthy and safety throughout the event. You may even consider sharing messaging via social media or the event’s website. The Health Department has a selection of ready-to-print and digital resources to get you started.

Wear a Mask in Public Buildings
In Virginia, masks or face coverings are required inside public buildings like restaurants and shops. Doing so helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Do your part so The Little City can stay open -- wear a mask!

Isolation or Quarantine: What's the Difference?

Fairfax Health Now Hiring for the Contact Tracing Workforce

Apply Now

The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) is pleased to partner with the Fairfax Health Department in Virginia to support the Department’s COVID-19 contact tracing efforts. IPHI is currently recruiting for the following positions to be based within the Fairfax Health Department team:
  • Contact Interviewers
  • Case Interviewers
  • Interviewer Supervisors
  • Community Health Workers
  • Community Health Worker Supervisors
  • COVID-19 Epidemiologists
To apply for any of these positions, please see IPHI’s Fairfax Health Contact Tracing Recruitment Portal.

IPHI is also recruiting for a number of internal project support positions to be based at IPHI, including:
  • Program Director
  • Human Resources and Operations Manager
  • Program Manager for Workforce Training and Performance
  • Program Assistant
Please check this page regularly for updates.  For job descriptions and to apply for any of these positions, please see IPHI’s Fairfax Health Contact Tracing Recruitment Portal.

Survey for City Businesses Owners: What Supplies Would Help You Open Safely?

Take the Survey Now

The City's Economic Development Authority (EDA) is reaching out to small businesses to help with the challenges of the pandemic.

The EDA opened a quick five question survey to gauge interest in providing supplies to support the safe reopening of businesses. Business owners are asked about masks or face coverings, hand sanitizer, gloves, "stand six feet apart" floor stickers, and more. City business owners can take the survey at www.choosefallschurch.org/EDASurvey. 

Survey for Child Care in the Autumn

Take the Survey Now

The Recreation and Parks Department is exploring the possibility of offering a daycare program for children of working parents/guardians who are unable to attend school in-person this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have parental responsibilities and either work or live in the Falls Church are, please take this quick survey to help them identify what our area's most pressing daycare needs are.

City Hall Drop Box is the Easy Way to Submit Payments

Receipts Can Be Provided!


Payments are accepted at this secured drop box outside of City Hall! The box is checked several times a day. If you need a receipt, just add a note with your payment, and one will be mailed to you. (A lot of payments can be submitted online, too!)

You are Safest at Home -- limit the number of trips you make! Our staff is Safest at Home, too -- the fewer visitors in City Hall, the fewer staff we need out of their homes!
You are receiving this e-mail because you are subscribed to the COVID-19 Daily Update.

The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703-248-5003 (TTY 711).