Covid cases rising again in Fairfax County

A temporary vaccine clinic at a school. [WJLA]

The omicron variant hasn’t been officially reported in Fairfax County, but it’s likely here and spreading.

The Fairfax Health District is currently experiencing a 5.4 percent COVID-19 positivity rate. That is expected to increase as people spend more time indoors and as the more-transmissible omicron variant takes hold. 

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,234 deaths from COVID and 4,217 hospitalizations in the Fairfax County Health District. On Dec. 16, 377 new cases were reported.

The Fairfax County Health Department presented an update on COVID to the Board of Supervisors Dec. 14. Here are some highlights: 

• The number of COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County hit the lowest levels in June 2021 as vaccination rates soared. 
• Cases began rising again in July as the Delta variant spread. However, hospitalization and death rates didn’t climb as fast, indicating the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing severe illness.
• The disparity among racial and ethnic groups is shrinking, although Blacks and Hispanics still have higher rates of COVID cases than Whites and Asians.
• Children ages 5-9 have the highest infection rates compared to other age groups. 
• During the current school year, FCPS reports 1,361 students have been infected with COVID. That represents 0.76 percent of all students.
• 70 percent of all student cases were in elementary schools, 21 percent were in high schools, and 9 percent were in middle schools. 
• 77 percent of all Fairfax Health District residents and 87 percent of residents age 18 and older have received at least one vaccine dose. [Schedule a vaccine appointment here.]
• 68.3 percent of all residents and 78.8 percent of residents age 18 and up are fully vaccinated. 
• 87 percent of residents age 12 and up and 37 percent of those ages 5-11 are vaccinated. 
• In September and October, 335 vaccination sites operated in the Fairfax Health District. That includes 147 pharmacies, 108 healthcare providers, 74 equity clinics, and six sites operated by the county. In November, additional vaccination sites opened, including public school clinics.
• The Health Department has hired community health workers to support people in quarantine with food or other assistance and to help vulnerable people access vaccinations.