Five Things You Need to Know about COVID-19 Today

Posted at 11:30 a.m.

Cold weather and end-of-year holiday celebrations are likely to bring more people indoors for family gatherings and events in the days and weeks to come.

That’s why it’s important that we fight “intervention fatigue” and keep doing what has been proven to work — mask-wearing, social distancing and staying home whenever possible — to keep COVID-19 cases from surging and overwhelming our health care systems.

“While having Thanksgiving virtually certainly doesn’t taste nearly as good, it will be safer for you, for members of your family and for others who may usually get together,” said Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, director of epidemiology and population health for the Fairfax Health District.

Here are five things to know about the pandemic and how to stay vigilant.

COVID-19 Cases are Still Climbing

COVID-19 cases continue to climb in our health district, just as they are in the region, the state and the nation.  We are now averaging more than 200 cases per day, more than any time since early June. The percent of positive PCR tests for COVID-19 is now over 7 percent – also the highest since June. So far deaths and hospitalizations for COVID-related illness are not increasing as significantly, though these generally trail case increases by several weeks.

Although community spread is occurring in all areas of the county, Hispanics continue to bear a disproportionate burden compared to other racial and ethnics groups – they’re currently more than three times as likely to get COVID-19 infection than Whites who are not Hispanic.

We Need More People to Answer the Health Department’s Call and Help us “Box-in” the Virus

The Health Department’s team of case and contact interviewers – numbering over 300 contracted staff – are working quickly to control the spread of the virus by reaching out to individuals with COVID-19 to ensure they isolate at home and to identify people who were in close contact with them who may be at-risk of infection.

Case investigators successfully reached and interviewed 88 percent of new cases last week. Some individuals cannot be reached because of missing contact information or, more often, because they do not respond to phone, electronic or mail communication. Among close contacts of a COVID-19 case with complete identifying information, 89 percent were reached and assessed by a contact tracer this past week. Similar to COVID-19 cases, some people fail to respond to phone, electronic or mail communications.

If you are identified as someone who has COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who does, a Health Department staff member will contact you. It is important to answer the phone, listen to the voicemail, and/or return the call if asked to do so. We will never ask for your social security number, financial or bank account information, passwords, or other personal information unrelated to COVID-19.  Unless you give permission, your name will not be revealed to those you came into contact with — even if they ask.

When the health department recommends you go into quarantine for 14 days, it is because you have been in close contact with a person with COVID-19, which places you at increased risk of developing infection (including asymptomatic infection) and spreading the infection to others. If you are asked to quarantine, you should stay home for 14 days after your last close contact with a person who has COVID-19.  By quarantining for 14 days, you lower the chance of possibly exposing others to COVID-19, especially those who are at higher risk from getting sick. A negative test for COVID-19 during quarantine does not mean you can end quarantine early.

You can help protect yourself, your family, and the Fairfax community by simply talking with us when we call and by following guidance for how long to stay home and away from others.

Learn more about our case and contact tracing efforts.

Community Health Care Workers Can Help You Successfully Isolate or Quarantine

Nearly 70 community health workers are also continuing to support the pandemic response by connecting individuals to resources needed to effectively isolate and quarantine. Since Sept. 1, CHWs have received referrals for over 4,000 COVID-19 cases. Not only have they helped with food, shelter and other basic needs, they even assisted 50 residents with the emergency ballot process so they could exercise their constitutional right to vote without leaving their home on Election Day.

Fairfax County has many resources to help people safely isolate and quarantine and meet other basic needs. Visit our website, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/covid-19 or call us at 703-267-3511.

Wearing Masks Can Protect You from COVID-19, Not Just Others

We’ve known for some time that wearing a cloth face covering can keep you from spreading COVID-19 to others. In an updated scientific brief issued last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites growing evidence that cloth masks can also reduce the amount of infectious droplets inhaled by the wearer. And the protective benefits of masks are stronger the more people wear masks consistently and correctly, the CDC says.

As for which mask to choose? Cloth masks made with multiple layers made of higher thread counts do a better job of protecting the wearer than single layers of cloth with lower thread counts.

Getting a Flu Shot Now is One Way to Keep Yourself Healthy this Holiday Season

As we move further into cold and flu season, it will be more important than ever that we practice protective actions because they are effective at stopping the spread of germs and will protect us from cold and flu viruses as well as COVID-19.

One thing each of us can do right now, to protect ourselves and our loved ones from getting the flu is to get a flu shot. It is recommended for everyone six months or older. Getting the flu shot will not keep you from getting COVID-19, but it will help protect you and your family from an unnecessary illness or hospitalization. And it will help protect our health care resources as we continue to fight the pandemic.

Go to www.staywellnova.com to find out where to get your flu vaccine.

Fight 'intervention fatigue' and keep doing what has been proven to work -- mask-wearing, social distancing and staying home whenever possible -- to keep COVID-19 cases from surging and overwhelming our health care systems. Click To Tweet

Stay Informed

Call our Health Department Call Center at 703-267-3511 with Coronavirus questions; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive updates from Fairfax County about COVID-19; text FFXCOVIDESP to 888777 for updates in Spanish.
Email questions or concerns to ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov. This email account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. through 6 p.m.
Visit a web portal for coronavirus that serves as a one-stop online resource for information.
Learn more about COVID-19 on the Health Department Coronavirus (COVID-19) Webpage or FAQ page.
Follow the Fairfax County Government Facebook Page and Health Department Facebook Page.
Follow @fairfaxcounty and @fairfaxhealth on Twitter.