Tag: health
FCPS sets metrics for ending mask mandate
Fairfax County Public Schools will begin to roll back its mask requirements when the county reaches “moderate transmission rates” and remains there for seven consecutive days, the school system announced. Meanwhile, both the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have passed bills allowing parents to have their children opt out of school mask mandates. Gov. … Continued
Vape store opens in Annandale
House of Vape opened Feb. 12 on John Marr Drive in Annandale. The shop sells health-promoting CBD and Delta-8 products made from cannabis but not psychoactive.Delta-8 is especially good for back pain, arthritis, and anxiety, says employee Garrett Beach. CBD products come in many forms, including gummies, bath bombs, water, and chocolate bars. Edible CBD … Continued
Watch out for counterfeit face masks
There is some concern that the free N95 and KN95 masks distributed to Fairfax County employees might be counterfeit. Fake masks are a nationwide concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reports 60 percent of the N95s it evaluated in 2020 and 2021 were counterfeit. An employee who works in … Continued
Health officials confirm measles case
The Fairfax County Health Department is warning residents they might have been exposed to a person with measles if they were at certain places on Feb. 2 or 3, including Inova Fairfax Hospital. These are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites associated with the confirmed case of measles:• Grand Centreville Plaza, … Continued
Schools try Test to Stay program
Seven Fairfax County schools, including Glasgow Middle School and Bailey’s Elementary School, began implementing the Test to Stay pilot program Jan. 31, Test to Stay (TTS) allows students who are close contacts to people who tested positive for Covid at school to stay in the classroom, rather than quarantine at home – if they take … Continued
Brabrand defends mask mandate
Speaking at a virtual town hall Jan. 24, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand said he hopes FCPS will get to the point where masks are optional, but “now is not the time.” FCPS is working with health officials to develop a “roadmap” laying out the health metrics for determining when masks are no … Continued
Statewide conflict brews over masks
When students go back to class this week, some parents will be telling their kids to disregard Fairfax County Public Schools’ requirement that masks be worn indoors. Parents opposed to masks feel empowered by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Jan. 15 executive order giving parents the authority to defy the statewide school mask mandate. A group of … Continued
Covid testing site opens in Fairfax
The Virginia Department of Health is opening a community Covid testing center at the Fairfax County Government Center on Saturday, Jan. 15. The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are free and are available by appointment only. The testing center will be in a large tent in parking lot B at the southwest corner of the … Continued
Covid tests available at library
A limited supply of free Covid-19 rapid antigen test kits will be available Wednesday, Jan. 12, at four Fairfax County libraries, including George Mason Regional Library in Annandale. The library opens at 8 a.m. Only 300 tests will be available at each branch. The last time the libraries offered Covid test kits, they were snapped … Continued
New quarantine guidance for students
Fairfax County Public Schools has issued new Covid guidance on quarantine and isolation. The new rules take effect Monday, Jan. 10. FCPS has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that reduces isolation and quarantine to five days. FCPS also adopted the CDC’s recommendation for a five-day period of isolation for staff. FCPS … Continued
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 … Continued
Free Covid test kits will be available at libraries
Fairfax County public libraries will distribute free Covid-19 rapid antigen at-home test kits beginning Friday, Dec. 3. BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Card test kits will be available at 21 libraries, including George Mason Regional Library in Annandale and Thomas Jefferson Library in Falls Church.
Inova forms partnership with DispatchHealth to bring healthcare to patients’ homes
Medical house calls are coming back to Northern Virginia residents. Inova has formed a partnership with DispatchHealth, which sends healthcare providers to patients’ homes for urgent illnesses and injuries that aren’t severe enough for an emergency room visit.
Annandale-based Korean American advocacy organization rebrands itself
Hamkae Center staff at the open house. [Korea Times] The Virginia branch of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) has rebranded itself as the Hamkae Center. The organization celebrated its new name and expanded mission at an open house Nov. 18 at its new headquarters, at 6715 Little River Turnpike, Annandale.
School news roundup: escape room, vaccine clinics, and more
Students solve a problem in Jackson Middle School’s Escape Room. [FCPS] The following news items about schools in the Annandale/Mason District area are from Fairfax County Public Schools and individual schools. COVID vaccine clinics – Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 16, the Fairfax Health District and Fairfax County Public Schools will offer the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children … Continued