Town of Herndon to end state of emergency trigged by COVID-19 pandemic

By the end of the March, the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer be declared an emergency in the Town of Herndon.

The move follows efforts by neighboring jurisdictions to end formalized states of emergency.

“All emergency actions in response to COVID-19 have been taken and the public health emergency triggered by COVID-19 has diminished to the point that it no longer necessitates a state of local emergency and disaster,” the draft resolution says.

Fairfax County voted unanimously last month to end its state of emergency on March 1, marking a major public health milestone. Loudoun County, Prince William, Alexandria, and Arlington all took that step last year to end their states of emergency.

Here’s more from town spokeswoman Anne Curtis:

Like other jurisdictions, the COVID pandemic triggered the town’s enactment of a local State of Emergency legislation in March 2020. This enabled the town to adopt a Continuity of Governmental Operations Ordinance, giving us the flexibility and authority to adapt operations and adopt practices that enabled us to weather the emergency, like outdoor dining and fully virtual meetings. The Continuity Ordinance expired by law in late 2021. The act of “formally” repealing will have no effect on the daily lives of town citizens.

The end of the declaration comes exactly three years after the town was in the thick of the pandemic.

The item is up for consideration at a Herndon Town Council meeting at 7 p.m. today (Tuesday).

Currently, community level transmission in Fairfax County is low. 

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