New Food Pick-Up Sites — Grab-and-go-meals are available at no cost for students at 21 sites. Breakfast is served from 8-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Reston Association Discontinues All Walk-in Service — Members can no longer pay their annual membership assessment in-person and should instead conduct services online. “Amid ongoing concern about the coronavirus (COVID-19), Reston Association’s top priority is the health and safety of our employees, members and visitors,” writes RA CEO Hank Lynch. [Reston Association]

Tips on Stay Engaged During Social Distances — “Social distancing can feel isolating and tedious, but Fairfax County offers residents numerous activities and services with which you can engage while following good social distancing practices.” [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn is encouraging residents to give back to their communities as growing concerns about the coronavirus prompt event cancellations and working remotely.

Alcorn, who represents Vienna and Reston on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, took to social media last week to let local organizations and nonprofits know that his office wants to connect them to volunteers and needed assistance.

“Whenever we have the opportunity to step up and help, we should,” Alcorn said. “There’s a lot of concern in the community.”

If you are a community organization/nonprofit who needs volunteer assistance to help neighbors impacted by coronavirus in #HunterMill, we can help get the word out. Send an email to [email protected] with details. pic.twitter.com/cQN9nkZCOV

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

As of Sunday, March 15, the Virginia Department of Health says there are 10 presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Fairfax County — a number that officials say is expected to grow.

Alcorn said that local organizations are expecting higher demands for food and assistance, especially from people who work in the service industries who have limited or no sick leave and for seniors, who are at a higher risk of getting more severely ill from the virus.

“The anxiety level, particularly for seniors, is very high,” he said, noting that there is a “sizable” elderly community in the Hunter Mill District. “I think we can do a lot as we get through this public health challenge by reaching out to our more vulnerable communities and our neighbors and let them know that we care.”

By Friday (March 13), Alcorn’s office had created a “How to Help Your Neighbors” list on the Hunter Mill District page on the Fairfax County website.

“Locally, specifically in Hunter Mill, we’re focusing on giving folks something to do,” he said, adding that his office is helping to connect people who want to help with organizations that need extra volunteers.

Expecting a higher demand for underresourced families, Cornerstones, a local nonprofit organization that aims to promote self-sufficiency, is looking for donations to help with meal delivery and its food pantry.

Embry Rucker Community Shelter, which is run by Cornerstones, is seeking donations of tissues, hand sanitizer and cleaning products, Alcorn said.

The Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center and Connections for Hope Partnership in Herndon are also looking for cleaning products, he said.

Several organizations, like Second Story in the Vienna area, are asking for gift cards instead of volunteers.

Other opportunities on Alcorn’s list in the Reston area include “non-contact” drivers needed for Meals on Wheels deliveries in the Lawyer’s Road area and donations to Reston-based Shelter House.

ICYMI: If you are able, please consider donating or volunteering to assist our local community organizations. @ShelterHouseInc has a convenient way to donate through @amazon: https://t.co/uwNwi5YRV3
See other opportunities to help below👇 https://t.co/EoxjYQdbyH

— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) March 15, 2020

People interested in the local organizations’ opportunities focused on the coronavirus can also check out Alcorn’s email newsletter and social media accounts.

“You can contact any of the organizations or call [my] office,” he said. “We’re going to continue expanding the list of needs.”

Alcorn emphasized “one overall need that also we want to make sure gets out there” — blood donations.

“A lot of folks donate blood to Inova,” he said. “We don’t want to get into a situation where [there’s] a low blood supply.”

Additionally, Alcorn is urging people to take “normal precautions,” like practicing good hygiene and frequent hand washing.

“My hope and expectation are that our community will rise to the occasion,” he said.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider plans to declare a state of local emergency tomorrow (Tuesday) due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In a statement, Jeff McKay, the board’s chairman, said the board is expected to hold an emergency session tomorrow at 10 a.m as part of its next phase of emergency response.

The institution of a local emergency declaration activates the county’s Emergency Operations Plan and allows the county to quickly mobilize county resources. The board must vote to pass the declaration.

So far, all county agencies have been direct to shift to core functions. Residents are strongly encouraged to conduct any needed business online. All county parks, libraries, and school buildings are closed for two weeks beginning today.

The meeting will be broadcast on Fairfax County Government Channel 16 and streamed online. State Gov. Ralph Northam also banned public events of greater than 100 people.

As of Saturday, March 14, the county has identified 10 presumptive cases of coronavirus.

Photo via Fairfax County Government

South Lakes High School’s food pantry — which serves students in the South Lakes pyramid — is accepting a final round of drop-off donations today.

The pantry is expected to close its physical location today after Fairfax County Public Schools’ moved to close all school buildings today (Monday), except 18 sites that operate as food distribution centers.

Drop-off donations will be accepted today from until 10:45 a.m. at the school (11400 South Lakes Drive). Bags will be distributed from 2:30-4 p.m.

Roberta Gosling, a coordinator of the efforts, says that distribution is expected to shift to coordination with county-wide initiatives.

Gosling stressed that the situation is “very fluid.”

As of Saturday, the pantry volunteers had originally planned to scale back hours and offer 200 pre-packed “grab and go” bags on a weekly basis. Volunteers were also expected to assemble later this week to assemble the packages.

The pantry is in need of the following items:

• Pasta sauce
• Canned tomatoes
• Pasta
• Dry rice
• Dry beans
• Cereal
• Oil
• Peanut Butter
• Crackers in boxes
• Oatmeal
• Applesauce
• Soup
• Bar soap
• Toilet Paper
• Tuna
• Microwave popcorn (individual packages)
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Maxi pads (24-unit packs)

Photo by Roberta Gosling

Senior centers and adult health care centers operated by Fairfax County are closing today until further notice, according to a press release issued today (Sunday).

The news comes as fears of an outbreak of coronavirus continue. So far, the county has documented 10 presumptive cases. That number is expected to increase over the coming days, according to health officials.

County officials say that the move was motivated by “an abundance of caution.” The respiratory disease is especially dangerous for seniors and those with preexisting medical conditions.

The county is expected to offer meal delivery services to registered participants on an as needed basis.

“We apologize for any disruption this may cause but believe that it is prudent to take this additional precautionary measure to ensure the health and well-being of older adults in our communities,” the statement reads.

Photo via Fairfax County Government

Local health department officials have identified four new presumptive cases of coronavirus, bringing the county’s total to 10.

Three individuals from the same household were linked to a presumptive case that was announced on March 12. One of those individuals is a teacher at Lynbrook Elementary School in Springfield.

The fourth individual is in his 70s and was traveling on a Nile River cruise that has been linked to other patients.

All county residents have been isolated in their homes and their results were sent to the state’s main laboratory for testing.

As the number of local cases slowly increases, the county’s health director says there’s no evidence that the respiratory disease is rapidly spreading in the community yet.

“At this time, there is no evidence of sustained community spread of the novel coronavirus and the risk to the general FCPS community remains low,” said Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Director of Health with the Fairfax County Health Department. 

The respiratory disease claimed its first life in Virginia earlier today (Saturday). A man in his 70s near Norfolk died earlier today, according to the Virginia Health Department.

Photo via Unsplash

Though Fairfax County and independent groups announced several closures in the area, not everyone seems willing to give up the weekend fun.

Reston Now checked out several events and compiled important updates from around the area.

For people looking for things to do, a staffer at Kalypso’s Sports Tavern said that St. Patrick’s Day festivities scheduled for this weekend are still on, as of today (March 13).

On Saturday (March 14) animal lovers can attend the Lucky Dog Animal Adoption event at Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) from noon to 2 p.m. and head to the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Lake Anne Plaza.

Today, the Reston Community Center announced several cancelations and closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All artist events have been canceled, including the following, which were supposed to take place over the weekend:

• “The Diary of Anne Frank” shows on Friday (March 13) and Saturday (March 14)
• the Reston Community Orchestra performance on Sunday (March 15)
• the Kundalini Yoga and Meditation session on Sunday

Though the Reston Community Center itself is not closed, staff are working to keep surfaces clean and disease-free with improved measures, the website said. Updates can be found on the community center’s website.

The Lucky Leprechaun 5K, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed, according to its Facebook page. For more information, registrants can check out the PR Races website.

At the Reston Regional Library, the St. Patrick’s Irish Dance Performance has been canceled, along with the Learn How to Read Braille Workshop, according to a library representative.

Photo via Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

Fellowship Square, which operates affordable housing facilities for seniors at Lake Anne Fellowship House and Hunters Woods Fellowship House, has launched a new approach to respond to the outbreak of coronavirus. The living facilities are home to residents who are identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “high risk” due to age.

“The health and safety of our residents and staff is always our primary concern. Fellowship Square is an independent living facility and therefore relies upon the cooperation of its residents in jointly combating this dissimilar virus pandemic,” said Shelley Ducker, a spokesperson for Fellowship Square.

The company is working with its property management company, S.L. Nusbaum, to implement new cleaning procedures. All non-essential activities and programs have been canceled until further notice and bus trips are limited for medical and food supply purposes online.

As part of its “aggressive and pro-active approach,” Ducker also noted that signage at all entrances requests high-risk visitors from entering the building, including those who recently traveled overseas, took a cruise, or show symptoms of illness. sanitizer and hand wipes are also available in high traffic areas. One sign reminds staff to avoid shaking hands with residents and guests to decrease the spread of germs.

“We remain on high alert and continue to monitor news and other viable sources of information,” Ducker said.

This week, Reston Hospital Center also instituted new visitation restrictions. All visitors and patients are being directed to use specific entrances for health screenings.

“Any potential symptomatic patient who arrives can be properly masked and immediately isolated to protect our colleagues and other patients,” according to Todd McGovern, the hospital’s spokesperson. “We continue to work in partnership with the local, county and state health department and the CDC and will provide updates to our hospital and medical staff as necessary.”

Photo via Fellowship House

If the coronavirus spreads in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia, homeless shelters and other services for low-to-moderate-income individuals and families could be hit hard, officials warn.

Cornerstones, a local nonprofit organization that aims to promote self-sufficiency, is preparing for the potential impact of the respiratory disease. So far, 17 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Virginia, a number that officials say is expected to grow.

Kerrie Wilson, the CEO of Cornerstones, says that nonprofit organizations are at risk. The cascading effect of today’s school closure is expected to produce additional strains on services. Wilson said the nonprofit organization will need to balancing competing needs.

“We’ve seen this with other crises such as hurricanes, pandemics, and the federal government shut down impacts a huge number of households in our region. The Coronavirus poses a real and prolonged threat that can undermine the safety net and our undo the upstream workaround opportunity.”

So far, the nonprofit organization is working to protect the health and safety of its employees, staff, and individuals who depend on Cornerstones’ support and services. All non-essential meetings and community events have been postponed and the center is working with local government and schools to develop plans to continue operations for emergency food and shelter, as well as child and family services.

“While we have been fortunate to have only four documented cases in Fairfax to date, we are preparing for when, not if.”

The nonprofit is looking for donations to help with meal delivery after it requested that volunteers refrain from visiting the Embry Rucker Community Shelter until March 27.

Individuals interested in providing raw food donations can email [email protected] and individuals providing bagged meals can contact [email protected] for further assistance.

Other items — which can be dropped off at a shelf outside the center — are also needed:

• Shampoo
• Body wash
• Men’s and women’s underwear
• Cleaning products (bleach, Lysol, paper towels, laundry pods, Windex, empty spray bottles)
• Gift cards for fast food, grocery stores, Target
• Tissues
• Hand sanitizer

The food pantry is also in need of the following, especially for seniors who may be shut off from family members and under-resourced families:

• Grocery store gift cards
• Gas gift cards
• Rice
• Beans
• Lentils
• Cooking Oil
• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Milk
• Clorox Wipes

“We have to balance risk against decision to expand childcare hours to ensure kids and parents have options,” Wilson said. “For people experiencing homelessness and in need of emergency housing and other services, our doors need to remain open – but with options to protect medically fragile guests from those who might have been exposed to risk and to ensure the safety of staff.”

The organization will continue to monitor the situation, which is evolving rapidly, and make additional changes as needed.

“The Coronavirus poses a real and prolonged threat that can undermine the safety net and our undo the upstream workaround opportunity,” Wilson said.

Submission Call: Mary B. Howard Invitational — Greater Reston Arts Center and ‘sindikit invite artist to submit proposals for an upcoming exhibition. The submission should involve the creation of a new project that references an artwork the artist has made in the past. The deadline for proposals is March 15. [Greater Reston Arts Center]

Reminder: Look Out for Census 2020 Mail –Residents should check their mail to see if they’ve received a Census invitation, which could arrive anytime between today and April 1. [Fairfax County Government]

In Case You Missed It: Schools Close Today — Fairfax County Public Schools will close today (Friday). At a press conference yesterday evening, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand initially said there was no plan to close schools due to the limited spread of coronavirus.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

(Updated at 6:40 a.m.)

In a late-night decision, Fairfax County Public Schools will close today (Friday) and Monday off so staff can prepare for distance learning due to the recent spread of the coronavirus.

“During the past several hours we continue to hear genuine concerns from parents about keeping our schools open while the coronavirus response escalates around the country.  Schools are closing in Maryland and several other states and a state of emergency was declared in Virginia.  As a result, and in an abundance of caution, I believe it is prudent for FCPS to cancel school tomorrow to help ease parent, staff, and student anxiety,” Superintendent Scott Brabrand wrote in a letter to parents last night.

The change came just hours after Brabrand said at a press conference yesterday (Thursday) that schools are staying open because there is no evidence of “community spread” with the virus.

“FCPS takes very seriously the COVID-19 challenges that are before the community today,” Brabrand said, adding the school system is “working very closely” to monitor the virus with local public health officials.

In a tweet later that day, the school system reversed its decision.

All FCPS schools will be closed Friday, March 13, 2020.
School offices and central offices will open on time with an unscheduled leave policy in effect for 12-month employees. (Condition 2). More details to follow.

— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) March 13, 2020

The school system was under growing pressure to close its schools due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

“We woke up to have a neighboring school division close,” he said, referring to Loudoun County’s announcement that it will close its schools through March 20.

FCPS announced earlier this week that there is a plan with different scenarios for school closures.

“If we were to have a positive response, we would make a decision to close that school or schools were that was to happen,” he said today.

Brabrand added that the schools are undergoing “deep cleans” with a protocol confirmed by medical officials that “kills viruses, including COVID-19.”

As of 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health says that there are 17 cases in the state, with Fairfax County having the most.

Two new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 were announced earlier today in the county, bringing Fairfax County’s known count of coronavirus patients to four.

Also earlier today, Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia.

“This is a very serious matter,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the press conference. “We must accept this is a changing situation hourly.”

McKay said that Fairfax County is “well prepared” and looking to phase-in additional telework and remote work options for county employees.

While county buildings will remain open, McKay urged people to do transactions online if possible.

Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, the director for Fairfax Health, said the risk for the general public in Fairfax County is low.

FCPS announced Thursday evening after the press conference said all extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, field trips, after-school programs, community use activities conducted by groups not affiliated with FCPS are canceled from March 14-April 12.

“SACC centers will remain open,” FCPS said. “We will share with you updates about today’s decisions by March 31.”

FCPS said it a review is underway for the food service and food handling procedures and that several parent-teacher associations are canceling school-based events “due to anticipated low turnout.”

This story appeared on our sister site Tysons Reporter

Image via Fairfax County

The Fairfax County Health Department has identified two additional cases of coronavirus, according to a release.

Both cases are linked to individuals who had contact with someone who contracted the respiratory disease in North Carolina. The health department cautions that both cases are “considered presumptive, pending confirmation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

The Fairfax County residents are in isolation at their homes. Here’s more from the county on the two cases:

The first case is the spouse of a presumptive positive case from North Carolina. The individual, a resident of Fairfax County in his 60s, became ill with respiratory symptoms on March 2, prior to the spouse being identified as a case on March 9. Specimens were collected and sent to the Virginia state laboratory for testing on March 10. The individual is isolated at home.

The second case is a close contact of the presumptive positive case from North Carolina. The individual, a resident of Fairfax County in his 20s, became ill with symptoms on March 6. Following identification of the North Carolina case, specimens were collected and tested by Virginia state laboratory on March 10. The individual is isolated at home.

Today’s diagnoses bring the total number of cases in the Fairfax Health District to four individuals. The other two cases were linked to Fairfax City residents who recently traveled internationally.

“We strongly recommend that all residents, workers, students, and visitors take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against novel coronavirus,” said Fairfax Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu. “Public health will continue working with local, state, federal, and community partners to reduce the risk of community spread.”

State Gov. Ralph Northam also declared a state of emergency beginning today (Thursday).

Photo via Unsplash