Despite strong recommendations from federal, state and county officials to cancel large gatherings due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Reston Association allowed social gatherings with more than 20 people to take place at The Lake House.

The community building, which is located at 11450 Baron Cameron Avenue, is available for rent for weddings, birthday parties, and other events. Cars with license plates from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and other nearby states were spotted in the facility’s parking lot on the evening of Sunday, March 22.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam officially banned all gatherings of 10 people or more starting on Tuesday (March 24). But prior to the ban, local, state and federal officials urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. In mid-March, Northam issued a public health emergency order banning more than 10 patrons in restaurants, fitness centers, and theaters. He also issued an order banning gatherings of more than 100 people on March 15.

On March 18, the Centers for Disease Control strongly urged that groups with 10 or more people not gather.

“Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities,” the CDC said. “Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies.”

When asked how many guests were in attendance, RA spokesman Mike Leone said the organization did not have any events with more than 100 people “because The Lake House can’t host a tabled event for that many people.” He also noted that after March 15 order, the facility was no longer configured for theater-style seating, which can seat up to 145 people.

After this article was published, the RA clarified that two rentals occurred within the 8-day period between March 15 and March 22. On March 14, a wedding took place with 80 guests and on March 22 a baby shower with 70 guests.

The association’s staff reached out to individuals with rental agreements to see if they were interested in canceling their events prior to Tuesday.

“At that time, federal and state government strongly urged individuals to not have social gatherings over 10 people — but there was no formal order in place mandating that. Most of the events that continued to take place at The Lake House were weddings and lifetime celebrations — as was the case this past weekend. These types of events, especially weddings and wedding-related events were planned months, and in some cases a year or more in advance, making couples elect to move forward with their once in lifetime celebration,” Leone said.

Leone said that RA took proactive measures to “socially distance staff while events were taking place” and disinfected all tables before and after events. A professional cleaning crew also came into the venue after an event to “disinfect the entire facility.”

He also noted that many individuals would have trouble rebooking elsewhere and had “already sent out invitations to guests months in advance.”

“We left it to the individual/couple to make the decision if they wish to move forward and refunds were provided to those who canceled their reservations.”

However, the RA took a stricter approach with activities, events, and services directly under its purview after the statewide ban on gatherings of more than 100 people.

The Walker Nature Center’s Nature House was closed to the public on Monday, March 16. All recreational activities and events were canceled through March 29, according to a March 10 press release.

In a March 16 letter to members, RA CEO Hank Lynch discontinued all walk-in service at RA’s headquarters due to the “need to support social distancing.” Members were directed to pay their annual fees online, call or email staff, or drop-off payments in a box at the building. The payment process has been plagued by technical issues.

Since the ban went into effect, RA says it has taken immediate steps to cancel all reservations through mid-May at The Lake House, conference center, Brown’s Chapel, the Glade Room, and picnic pavilions.

“We know this will create a hardship for some who have planned their wedding or celebration during that time period but we must comply with the Governor’s order. We will continue to monitor the coronavirus and will not continue event rentals until it is safe to do so,” Leone said.

Photo via Reston Association

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn: Reston Master Plan Review Delayed — “We’ve had to delay initiation of the planned task force process,” Alcorn said, Wednesday morning during a video call with reporters. “We’ve heard from a number of folks who had volunteered to be on a task force. I don’t expect we’re going to initiate any task force activity until we make sure we can have a robust process.” [Reston Patch]

Distinguishing Between Social Distancing, Quarantine, Self-Isolating — Social distancing refers to staying out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings and maintaining distance from others when possible. Self-Isolating refers to staying at home, not going out, and not accepting any visitors. [Fairfax County Government]

Three Inova Respiratory Illness Clinics Open — Three Urgent Care locations in Dulles South, North Arlington and Tysons will conduct physician-ordered tests and evaluate patients with respiratory illness symptoms. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

The number of known coronavirus cases in Fairfax County has jumped by a little over 65 percent overnight. The county now has 76 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up from 46 yesterday (Tuesday).

The county has the most number of cases, followed by Arlington, which has 46 cases, according to recently released statistics from the Virginia Department of Health.

So far, the state has 391 cases of the more than 5,370 people who have been tested. Nine people have died as a result of the respiratory illness.

The state’s testing capacity has expanded to include commercial labs, which could explain the jump in confirmed cases.

Inova Urgent Care locations in Dulles South, north Arlington and Tysons will begin evaluating patients with respiratory illness symptoms and collecting samples for physician-ordered tests from patients’ vehicles.

Here’s more from the county on the new clinics:

Before visiting any Inova Respiratory Illness Clinic, contact your regular physician for evaluation. For assistance with recommendations, to arrange for a physician appointment, or if you do not have a primary care physician, call 1-855-IMG-DOCS. Your regular physician can evaluate your symptoms to determine if testing is indicated based on COVID-19 testing criteria and provide a testing order, or refer you to the Inova Respiratory Illness Clinic for evaluation.

These clinics will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Addresses and contact information for the Inova Respiratory Illness Clinics are:

• Inova Urgent Care – Dulles South
  24801 Pinebrook Rd. #110
  Chantilly, VA 20152
  703-722-2500

• Inova Urgent Care – North Arlington
  4600 Lee Hwy.
  Arlington, VA  22207
  571-492-3080
• Inova Urgent Care – Tysons
  8357 Leesburg Pike
  Vienna, VA 22182
  571-665-6440

Inova Urgent Care Center at North Arlington and Tysons will operate exclusively as respiratory illness clinics.  All other urgent care centers, including Inova Urgent Care – Dulles South, remain open to see all patients.

With social distancing protocols in place, the Herndon Town Council unanimously passed a local emergency declaration due to growing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The declaration, which was passed Tuesday night, follows a similar move by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week and State Gov. Ralph North’s declaration on March 12.

The move allows the council to activate the town’s emergency management plan and seek aid as needed. Town departments, agencies, and volunteer organization can also develop a more coordinated response to handle the public health crisis.

The council also formally adopted its Emergency Management Plan, a 93-page document that outlines emergency roles, coordination responsibilities, and recovery options.

Lesa Yeatts, the town’s attorney, said that although the town used the plan since 2015, it had never been formally considered by the council.

The formal adoption of the plan on Tuesday night also makes Police Chief Maggie DeBoard the emergency management coordinator for the town.

Yeatts said the town is working “feverishly” to meet the needs of residents and ensure continuity of service.

Councilmembers thanked the town’s staff and the police department for their tireless work during the pandemic.

Vice Mayer Sheila Olem also urged town residents to practice social distancing as much as possible.

“This is really serious. Please stay away from each other as much as you can.”

Photo via Town of Herndon

Education technology giant Blackboard, which operates its global headquarters in Reston, is a major force in the shift to digital teaching and learning during COVID-19..

The company — which is contracted by Fairfax County Public Schools and many other jurisdictions nationwide — is partnering with K-12 districts and higher education institutions in the region as COVID-19 forces schools to close for the remainder of the school year.

Earlier this week, State Gov. Ralph Northam ordered all schools to close through the academic year. The Fairfax County School Board is expected to release information on online teaching, impact on seniors and grading over the next several days.

“We appreciate and support the work that our superintendent and staff have done to set in motion the distance learning initiative. Adjustments will be made over time as we learn from our students and staff. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has provided school districts additional guidance regarding continuity of learning that has an equity focus,” wrote board chairwoman Karen Corbett Sanders on Tuesday.

Classrooms will likely leverage Blackboard Collaborate, an online classroom solution, to complement Blackboard’s existing online communication tools and website.

“We reach over 50 percent of the top 100 U.S. largest school districts with our educational communications and learning management tools,” a Blackboard spokesperson told Reston Now in an interview.

The company is currently working with Amazon Web Services, an Amazon subsidiary that provides cloud computing platforms, to ensure the company can meet increased demand.

The spike in global demand for cloud-based learning solutions like Blackboard due to the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented. But the company says it can apply lessons learned and best practices from situations like Hurricane Harvey and H1N1.

Blackboard is working with clients to understand how they might use the company’s services in two-week intervals to “improve our own processes and readiness,” the spokesperson said.

“These two-way conversations help us plan so that we can be more proactive with changes to our capacity.”

Photo via Blackboard

Fairfax County announced today that it is closing both its indoor and outdoor parks “until further notice” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The health and wellbeing of our community, park visitors and staff remain our highest priority,” according to the county. “By limiting park usage to exercising on trails, we hope to reduce the largest crowd gatherings, thus improving the ability to social distance and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Earlier this month, the county closed indoor parks for two weeks starting Monday, March 16. Yesterday, the county announced the closure of its playgrounds, skate parks and restrooms.

Now, all of the Fairfax County Park Authority parks will be closed by tomorrow night.

“This change is in response to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s order to close public access to recreational facilities,” according to the county.

The county’s full list of new closures include:

• parking lots
• athletic fields
• sport courts
• restrooms
• nature centers
• visitor centers
• golf courses
• historic sites
• picnic areas
• playgrounds
• amusements
• boat launches
• skate parks
• off-leash dog areas
• outdoor fitness equipment
• any areas for open recreation

Additionally, Park Authority programs and events through April 14 and programs at Fairfax County Public Schools through June 15 have been canceled.

People can still use the trails around Fairfax County as long as they keep 6 feet away from other people and don’t form groups.

“While all parks and amenities are closed, trails will remain open for individual use, but not group use,” the county said. “All social distancing recommendations are in effect.”

Local employees and restaurant managers are seeking relief as temporary closures and storewide layoffs add financial strain and stress due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Staff from Red’s Table, CraftHouse, PassionFish, Cooper’s Hawk and Uncle Julio’s have launched crowdfunding campaigns.

Diane Edwards, a former full-time employee at Red’s Table, told Reston Now the lay-offs of 30 staff members have put her in a challenging financial situation.

“The past few weeks have been uncertain and stressful and the foreseeable future does not appear to be any different. Although I have applied for unemployment, it is not guaranteed when I will receive aid. Money is becoming scarce as I still have bills to pay and basic necessities need to be fulfilled as well,” Edwards said.

Ryan Tracy, the restaurant’s owner and manager, launched the public funding campaign for his employees.

“Unfortunately it seems this could go on for some time. I have been searching for remote employment but haven’t had any luck,” said Stanley Kaplan, 27, who has worked at the restaurant for around eight months.

So far, it has raised $5,660 of the $40,000 goal.

“We look forward to all of our team members coming back to work, where they will have jobs waiting for them. Until then, we thank you for your generosity and support during these unprecedented times,” Tracy wrote.

Other employees have launched campaigns of their own.

“The donations we are asking for extend further than the employees of Uncle Julio’s; it will be reaching the families of our staff as well,” the campaign for Uncle Julios’s reads.

Nine bartenders from Cooper’s Hawk in Reston are also out of work and seeking donations.

“We do not know how long we will be out of work and considering the majority of our money was made via tips, it would be greatly appreciated if you would show your support,” the bartending team wrote.

On Monday, State Gov. Ralph Northam ordered all restaurants to switch to carryout, delivery, and curbside pickup by tonight.

Photo via Oscar Garcia/GoFundMe

Fairfax Connector Suspends Fares, Begins Rear Door Boarding — The bus service has temporarily suspended fare collection and all customers must enter and exit the bus using the rear doors. Fares will be suspended because fareboxes and SmarTrip equipment is at the front entrance of buses. Service continues in order to “serve Fairfax County residents who. Have no alternate way to travel during this emergency.” [Fairfax County Government]

Stonebridge Companies Acquires Residence Inn — The Denver-based company will manage the 168-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Herndon.  The hotel is located at 315 Elden Street. [Hotel Executive] 

Playgrounds, Parks, and Park Authority Restrooms Now Closed — “Effectively immediately, all Fairfax County Park Authority playgrounds, skate parks and restrooms will be closed until further notice. Portable restrooms will be placed near all bathrooms. Signs will be posted at all affected locations. Park visitors are asked to adhere to all closure notices and current social distancing recommendations.” [Fairfax County Government]

Herndon-Fish Offers Emergency Financial Help — “At least for the time being, we are making no changes in our criteria for providing assistance, and our operations remain in place to make this possible. Because our efforts related to providing emergency financial assistance are done by phone and online, we can carry out these activities without endangering the health of those involved. Changes in our revenue receipts or alterations in government policy could mandate that we alter these policies in the future, but they remain in place for now.” [Herndon-Reston Fish]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

A decision on the previously deferred plan to bring a new telecommunication tower to Herndon High School’s football field has been delayed, along with other votes and hearings on Reston and Herndon developments.

The project was set to go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission last week on March 18.

The approval of signage for Commerce Park, a 260-unit multifamily building north of Sunrise Valley Drive and west of Commerce Park Drive, has also been delayed. A public hearing was planned for Wednesday, March 25. Another comprehensive sign plan by Reston Hospital Center was also slated for discussion on April 22.

Tweaks to change lot lines for Montessori Children Center (2745 Centreville Road) were set to go before the commission on April 2.

A plan to rezone roughly one acre of land from one residential unit to three residential units on the north side of Old Courthouse Road, just 300 feet east of Ervin Street, has also been delayed. The proposal by two residents was set for an April 29 public hearing.

County government officials have not yet indicated when the regular schedule for public meetings will resume. The county passed an emergency declaration last week.

As hospitals around the region attempt to manage the number of beds and available equipment to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Reston Hospital Center says emergency planning began weeks ago.

Currently, RHC, which is part of the HCA Virginia Health System, has sufficient bed capacity, staff, and supplies. As the situation evolved, the hospital center has also developed a staff contingency plan, including the use of HCA Healthcare’s in-house staffing agency, said Todd McGovern, the hospital’s director of marketing and communications.

Virginia has roughly 17,469 beds, 69 percent of which are occupied, according to data from the Harvard Global Health Institute. Over the next six months, the institute estimates hospitals in the state will need more than triple the number of beds that are currently available.

Reston Hospital Center has 231 beds. Because occupancy varies daily, the hospital did not provide current capacity when asked by Reston Now.

McGovern also noted the hospital has the ability to add additional bed capacity in the hospital, if needed.

“Reston Hospital Center has well-established protocols in place to care for patients with infectious diseases, and our emergency planning efforts related to COVID-19 started weeks ago. We are working in partnership with local and state health departments and the CDC, and continue to monitor the situation closely,” he wrote in a statement.

Earlier this month, hospital staff began screening visitors and patients to protect the hospital and community.

“We also continue to work closely with state and local health departments and the CDC.”

Photo via Reston Hospital Center

The number of known coronavirus cases in Fairfax County has jumped from 16 on Thursday to 31 on Sunday.

Fairfax County has the second-highest number of cases after James City, which has 32 cases, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health.

So far, state officials have identified 219 cases in the state of 3,337 people who have been tested. Three people have died as a result of the illness, including a Fairfax County resident. The man was in his 60s and acquired COVID-19 through contact with a previously reported case.

“We are saddened by the first confirmed death of a Fairfax County resident due to COVID-19. Our hearts go out to his loved ones,” Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Director of Health at Fairfax County Health Department said in a statement. “The health of our residents is our top priority and we ask that everyone do their part to slow the spread of the virus in our community: practice social distancing, wash your hands, and cover coughs and sneezes.”