As families, educators and school systems grapple with how to return to school during the coronavirus pandemic, some parents are turning to “learning pods” this fall.

Learning pods — also known as “pandemic pods” — are essentially micro-schools. Small groups of kids learn together in-person either from a tutor or parents.

A New York Times survey found that most of the families who said they plan to use learning pods said that they address both concerns about health risks at school and desire for in-person education.

Some local parents say that having multiple families chip in makes hiring a tutor more affordable and that the pods will make it easier for them to go back to work than if their kids were learning virtually.

However, the concept has raised questions about the wealth disparity with education.

Fairfax County Public Schools recently brought up concerns about “tutoring pods,” saying that the school system is declining requests from parents to have FCPS teachers lead their pods.

“While FCPS doesn’t and can’t control these private tutoring groups, we do have concerns that they may widen the gap in educational access and equity for all students,” the statement said. “Many parents cannot afford private instruction. Many working families can’t provide transportation to and from a tutoring pod, even if they could afford to pay for the service.”

Let us know in the poll and comments below what you think of learning pods.

Photo by Element5 Digital/Unsplash

As restaurants look to serve diners indoors safely during the pandemic, Silver Diner has started using a new system to keep the interiors of its restaurants sanitized.

The regional chain says that it is the first U.S. restaurant to install an air purification system that uses three technologies — ultraviolet light, bipolar ionization technology and HEPA filtration, according to a press release.

The systems were installed at all of Silver Diner’s locations by last Wednesday (Aug. 12), according to co-founder and head chef Ype Von Hengst.

“I think that in this world you’ve got to adapt and change to fit what’s needed,” Hengst said. “It’s our responsibility as restaurateurs to create a new norm.”

Already, Hengst said that both the Reston and Tysons locations have seen a substantial jump in customers who feel safe about eating inside.

Silver Diner spent roughly $500,000 on the system for the restaurants, according to Hengst, who added that the cost was worth it to protect staff and customers. The air purification system was designed by Veteran LED, a veteran-owned lighting and energy management firm.

The technology has been used before in hospitals, schools and medical care facilities but never a restaurant, according to a press release.

Depending on size, each location has a large air purifier filer that covers roughly 1,000 cubic feet of air and then smaller purifiers that support roughly 250 feet of additional cubic footage, according to Hengst.

“Germicidal UV-C lights installed throughout the HVAC system work to disinfect air and surfaces inside the system. Heavy-duty handheld UV-C light sterilizers are being used on high touch areas as part of the closing duties of the staff,” the press release said. “At night, when the restaurant is closed, the interior is bathed in germicidal UV-C light to help kill pathogens in the air and sterilize surfaces.”

Hengst said that the UV-C ceiling fixture runs for one hour each night. The restaurant claims that the system gets rid of 99.9% of the encountered pathogens.

While UV-C lights have been used as a disinfectant for decades and researchers found it can deactivate coronaviruses, the dosage, time duration and distance from the source can all impact how effective the lights are, Discover Magazine reported.

It’s unclear how effective UV treatment is against COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency cannot confirm whether it may be effective.

Additionally, Silver Diner locations are going to continue using personal protective equipment, printing menus on anti-microbial paper, requiring temperature checks, social distancing and following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Hengst.

Before the pandemic hit the NoVA area, Hengst said that he was beginning to notice a roughly 10% profit increase at both the Reston and Tysons locations, which he attributed to population growth in the areas.

Since Silver Diner installed the new technology last week, Hengst said that more and more people are requesting to sit inside, though it is too early to see if sales are increasing again.

In the months to come, Hengst said he hopes more restaurants can use the technology to “help open up the world again.”

Photos courtesy Silver Diner

Fairfax Connector will resume full service on all routes beginning Aug. 29, bringing a return to a new normal after months-long disruptions in service.

The bus service — which is the largest local bus system in the state — will also feature new services, including a new commuter route from Stringfellow Road Park and Ride to Southwest DC.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay thanks customers for being patient with past service reductions. Throughout the pandemic, the bus service maintained roughly 70 percent of its service in order to cater to customers who depend on it for essential jobs and vital services.

“As we return to full service, the health and safety of Fairfax Connector passengers and personnel continue to be our top priority. Working together to diligently follow public health and safety guidelines will result in safer travel conditions for all,” McKay wrote in a statement.

A breakdown of new service being offered is below:

Route 699: Enhanced service on this route includes two additional morning and afternoon rush hour trips from the Fairfax County Government Center to Downtown Washington, D.C. (Foggy Bottom); adjustments to the departure times to better align with rider demand; and morning and afternoon rush hour reverse commute trips from Downtown, Washington, D.C., to the Fairfax County Government Center.  This route is supported by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) Commuter Choice Program and I-66 toll revenues.

Route 334: Enhanced weekday service operating every 30 minutes during rush hour and every hour during non-rush hour to better serve the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) facility in Springfield by way of Springfield Center Drive and Metropolitan Center Drive, with access to the Franconia Springfield Metrorail Station, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Army Museum.

Routes 340/341: Minor route adjustments to maintain efficiency and dependability.

Transdev, the bus system’s operations contractor, will implement improved cleaning protocols, especially on common touchpoints like door handles and handrails.

Customers must continue to enter and exit the bus through the rear doors. A face mask is still required while riding the bus.

Riders are encouraged to practice social distancing by keeping six feet apart, when and if possible.

The number of new COVID-19 cases appears to be remaining steady in Fairfax County, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.

The Fairfax Health District’s percent positivity has hovered between 5-7% since mid-June. Currently, it is at 6.4%, while the percent positivity statewide is 7%.

The weekly average of new COVID-19 cases has remained between 16-200 since mid-June in Northern Virginia. Statewide, the average has been dropping since mid-July after a spike.

The epidemic curve for the Fairfax Health District, which shows the number of new cases in a week by the date symptoms started, has remained mostly the same since June and saw a decrease in early August, according to Fairfax County’s dashboard.

As of today, the Fairfax Health District has a total of at least 17,154 cases, 1,975 hospitalizations and 550 deaths. Statewide, there have been more than 103,000 confirmed cases, 4,400 probably ones and 2,396 deaths.

The Herndon area (zip code 20170) has the fifth-highest cases per 100,000 people in Fairfax County, according to the county. The Dunn Loring area (zip code 22027) is the sixth-highest.

While the age group for people ages 18-49 has seen the most number of cases, people ages 65 and older have died the most from the virus in the county.

State health officials have pointed to a lag in reporting cases for spikes in daily updates on the VDH website.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash, image via Fairfax County

After a months-long closure, Herndon Community Center is opening its doors to the community once again.

The center will reopen on Thursday, August 20 at 7 a.m. Although the pool and fitness area will be open, locker rooms, spa, sauna and racquetball courts will remain closed. Family changing rooms and restrooms will be open.

One-on-one personal training sessions are also available, along with online personal training. Costs vary from $36 to $349 for Town of Herndon residents and $48 to $464 for all others. Costs vary based on the duration and number of sessions requested.

Reservations are required to use the fitness and pool areas. Outdoor sessions will take place at the turf field of Bready park.

The center will be open on weekdays only from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. HCC has no immediate plans to reopen the center on weekends.

The town will reassess its hours after a two-week period following reopening.

Facemasks must be worn in HCC, but can be removed when patrons are ready to exercise or swim.

HCC is instituting a number of safety measures in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. Patrons will be asked to complete a health screening when entering the facility. Hand sanitizer will be available at the center’s entrance and in the fitness room.

Image via Google Maps

Reston Hospital Center is joining three other regional healthcare organizations in a public service campaign.

The “Wear a Mask” campaign, which launched late last week, urges residents to wear a mask in public settings.

Recent studies have show that wearing masks can led to a “significant slowdown” in daily COVID-19 growth rates over time.

“We are in this battle against COVID-19 together,” said Thomas Taghon, RHC’s chief medical officer. “It doesn’t matter your political affiliation, what you do for a living, who you work for, where you live, or how much money you have, COVID-19 is an equal opportunist when it comes to infecting people.

Here’s more from RHC on the initiative:

For hospitals and their frontline medical teams treating COVID-19 patients, prevention remains critical in fighting this pandemic. While healthcare workers continue to fight COVID-19 inside hospital walls, they are relying on the public to do their part by wearing masks, using good hand hygiene and social distancing.

“Science has proven that masks are effective in slowing the transmission of the virus,” said Zan Zaidi, MD, clinical physician executive, Novant Health UVA Health System. “We see this in communities wher mask adoption has been embraced — statistics show a reduction in death and infection.”

Clinical leaders at Inova Health System, Novant Health UVA Health System, Reston Hospital Center, and Virginia Hospital Center all agree that wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing is working.

“We cannot let our guard down,” said Jeffrey DiLisi, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Virginia Hospital Center. “We must keep at it, to protect one another and ourselves from a virus for which there is not yet a vaccine or a cure.”

#MaskUpNOVA Together is better..proud to be part of our community effort with our other colleagues in healthcare😷 pic.twitter.com/gF0FXODibH

— Jennifer W Siciliano (@siciliano_w) August 14, 2020

Photo via Reston Hospital Center/Facebook

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) plans to hold a virtual job fair on Wednesday to hire educators.

The job fair is scheduled to take place in two sessions, with the first running from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and the second from 3-7 p.m.

People interested in participating are urged to learn about the school system, apply to open jobs and register for one or both sessions, which have attendance caps.

During the virtual job fair, job hunters will be able to chat one-on-one with HR or school representatives from FCPS.

FCPS has more than 90 job opportunities listed online. The majority of the open positions are for high school and middle school teachers.

Fairfax County Public Schools will have a virtual start to the year. But a new program launched by Fairfax County will offer full-day, on-site programming for children in elementary and middle school.

The program, “Supporting Return to School,” aims to ensure that “all families have equitable access to the services they need to support children’s virtual learning,” according to the county.

Here’s more from the county on the initiative:

SRS will provide support for children’s active and engaged learning during the FCPS virtual academic day and promote children’s social, emotional and physical development. In addition to participating in distance learning, children will have opportunities to explore, engage, relax and enjoy activities that follow the SRS 2020-21 program curriculum, The Great Outdoors: Road Trips Through the Americas. What a perfect time for a virtual journey and to spend real time outdoors!

Enrollment begins on August 24 and space is limited. Each classroom will have a group of no more than 10 children who stay together every day. The program takes place on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 37 FCPS schools.

A sliding fee scale is available for income-eligible families. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack will be provided.

Photo via Unsplash

Reston Association‘s Board of Directors will hold a special meeting next. Week to discuss budgetary matters.

The board will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 19 to discuss the formation of the fiscal year 2021 budget.

RA CEO Hank Lynch is set to offer information about assumptions related to the budget, which will be formed with the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Laura Kowalski, RA’s director of recreation and environmental education, will also present information about her department’s request for parks and recreation.

The meeting is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Log-in information is available online. RA’s fiscal committee will also participate in the meeting.

“Shop local” has become a popular refrain during the pandemic as small businesses struggle with the economic fall-out and health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

Several small businesses have permanently closed during the pandemic, but many have found ways to keep their doors from shutting. Owners have said over the last few months that affluent residents, loyal customers and community support give Reston-area businesses advantages.

Fundraisers to support businesses’ operations and employees, social media efforts by residents to promote local eateries and loans and grants from the government also aim to keep small businesses alive.

Even as businesses grapple with the pandemic, many are giving back to the community. Some local restaurants are donating meals to people facing food insecurity, while others are hosting food drives.

Let us know in the poll and comments below how much you have been spending at small businesses during the pandemic.

Photo by Lucrezia Carnelos/Unsplash

Metro’s services are gearing up for a return to a new normal.

More buses, trains and expanded hours of service are planned to begin this Sunday (Aug. 16), restoring most service to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Metrorail plans to add 15 hours of more service per week. Opening times will also return to normal, with the system closing two hours later each night in anticipation of ridership increases after Labor Day.

The system is expected to restore roughly 75 percent of its pre-pandemic service beginning August 23. Buses would operate until midnight and weekday service would return with 174 routes.

The opening of six Fairfax County stations on the Silver Line — including Wiehle-Reston East — is also on track to open on Sunday.

Here’s more from Metro on the planned service changes:

Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on Sundays and close daily at 11 p.m.

Weekdays Red Line trains will operate every 5 minutes during peak periods and 12 minutes off-peak; all others lines every 8 minutes during peak periods and 15 minutes off-peak.

On weekends Red Line trains will operate every 12 minutes; all other lines every 15 minutes.

Six stations west of Ballston re-open – McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, Wiehle-Reston East and West Falls Church.

Arlington Cemetery Station remains closed as Arlington National Cemetery is currently closed to the general public. 

Face masks or covering are required to travel on Metro, including at stations, trains, buses and MetroAccess vehicles.

Metro also warns that social distancing may be impossible due to projected ridership increases. Customers can consider traveling during off-peak hours.

Moving forward! #wmata #SilverLine #HunterMill https://t.co/MU916lwEFY

— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) August 13, 2020

Photo via Fairfax Connector

JINYA Ramen Bar will open in in Reston Town Center this Friday (August 14).

The restaurant is takeout and delivery online due the COVID-19 pandemic at the new location (11964 Market Street). Orders can be placed online or via common delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub. Indoor dining is expected to resume in the fall. Items on the menu include mini tacos, rice bowls, ramen, curry, and salads.

For the first 10 days of business, the RTC location will offer a pork-based ramen bowl called Tonkotsu Black Ramen for $10. Other special crisis include $8 for three cocktails and $8 for chicken tenders with beers.

Here’s more from the company on the special items being offered:

The Tonkotsu Black Ramen boasts a satisfying pork broth simmered for 20 hours, balanced with fresh thin noodles and garlic oil, and topped with pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, nori dried seaweed, seasoned egg, garlic chips, fried onion and spicy sauce. JINYA provides a wide range of ramen bowls in addition to salads, rice and curry bowls, mini tacos, and small plates. 

JINYA’s selected cocktail specials include the Garden of Todai-Ji with matcha-infused tequila, rose water, basil, simple syrup, lime and prosecco. The other two options are the JINYA Manhattan with Filibuster Boondoggler Whiskey and the Purple Dragon Mule. 

The Reston location will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.

The chain has several locations across the country, including Fairfax, North Bethesda, and the District.

Photo via JINYA

At the Reston Hospital Center, staff members are seeing a decline in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-related patients.

Compared to August of 2019, Reston Hospital Center Emergency Room admissions are down 20 percent and the hospital only had six COVID-19 patients currently, which is the lowest number since May, according to David Jacobs, the chairman and medical director for Reston Hospital Center’s emergency department.

But, this trend is concerning, Jacobs said — especially when it comes to non-COVID related visits.

The downward trend is partially due to people avoiding the emergency room in fear of catching COVID-19 at the facility. Additionally, people aren’t coming in close contact with others, and therefore avoiding catching other communicable diseases, Jacobs added.

Jacobs says he’s concerned over the drop in admissions since this means people might not be seeking help when they need it, leading to medical complications that otherwise would have been avoidable.

Examples of this include not being able to diagnose appendicitis in time or someone ignoring the beginning stages of a heart attack, Jacobs said.

To keep people safe when they come into the emergency room, the Reston Hospital Center has set up strict protocols, according to Jacobs. These include separating people with COVID-19 from other patients, use of personal protective equipment, regular temperature checks, the requirement of face masks for anyone who enters the building and frequent cleaning.

When considering a visit to the emergency room, Jacobs said there is little risk of catching COVID-19 at the facility since staff members stick to the health protocols set in place. It is far more dangerous to ignore symptoms and avoid seeking medical help, he said.

Jacobs said people should seek immediate medical attention when they notice warning signs such as:

• difficulty speaking
• unusual and sudden weakness in legs or arms
• chest pain
• new or worsening abdominal pain

One grievance Jacobs said he has heard repeatedly from patients is that they find it difficult to schedule a time to meet with their regular health care providers.

“I think the whole medical system is readjusting and struggling with how to safely see patients,” he said, adding that Reston Hospital Center has availability for people who need to be seen. “We are open and we have capacity.”

Practitioners are also concerned about an increase in drug and alcohol abuse.

“I think more people are out of work and have more time on their hands,” he said adding that people have also been coming in with mental health issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts that can feed off from stress associated with the pandemic.

Though the medical facility doesn’t have a detox center on-site, it does have medical professionals who can give consultations and direct people towards further help.

Some good news is on the horizon. Unlike elsewhere in the country, Jacobs said he hasn’t noticed a rise in child abuse or domestic violence cases at Reston Hospital Center.

“I’ve certainly heard and read about that but can’t say that I’ve experienced that or heard about a spike in the Reston area,” he said. “I think that’s an issue of concern that follows with a lot of these drug and alcohol and psychiatric related issues but I think to-date we haven’t seen a spike in our department.”

Going forward, Jacobs said he hopes people won’t avoid the emergency room because of fear over COVID-19, as hesitation could be deadly.

“We have five months of experience with this,” he said.

Photo courtesy Reston Hospital Center