Health Department

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our administration office at 10777 Main Street in Fairfax is open during regular business hours 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Clinic services are not offered at this location.
703-246-2411 TTY 711
10777 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22030
Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H.
Director of Health

Healthcare Provider’s Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Health Advisory

SUMMARY

On April 18, Fairfax County and all Virginia began offering COVID-19 vaccination to Phase 2 individuals (all persons 16 years old and older). Reaching countywide coverage levels consistent with herd immunity requires continuing to mobilize people to schedule their vaccination and addressing vaccine hesitancy. Research and experience consistently show that a healthcare provider’s recommendation is the most influential factor in people’s decision to get a vaccine. Actively communicating with your patient population encouraging COVID-19 vaccination and being ready to discuss vaccination with hesitant individuals is a critical step in reaching vaccination coverage goals. Additionally, there still is opportunity for providers to sign-up with the Virginia Department of Health and CDC to provide COVID-19 vaccine in your practice. 

SUGGESTED ACTIONS 

  • Actively discuss and encourage COVID-19 vaccination for your patient population.
    • For all adult patients seen in your office or through telehealth, ask whether they have been vaccinated, encourage them to do so, and be prepared to answer any questions.
    • Communicate with all adult patients in your practice by email, a letter, or a phone call from office staff, to provide your recommendation for vaccination and offer to discuss any concerns.
    • Post materials in your office waiting area and exam rooms promoting vaccination. Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) resources are available online.
  • Ensure that you and your staff are prepared to build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines among your patients and inform patients how to sign-up for vaccination.
    • Be familiar with CDC’s Vaccinate with Confidence materials and other sources of information that provide facts about COVID-19 vaccines.
      • CDC’s Vaccinate with Confidence strategy
      • Slide deck highlighting the importance of increasing confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, including tips for healthcare workers to increase vaccine confidence among their patients
    • Use FCHD tools (flyers, posters) to inform patients how to schedule their vaccination using the VaccineFinder system, or if they need language assistance or help managing the online system call the FCHD call center at (703) 324-7404 or the Virginia Department of Health at (877) 829-4682. 
    • Address any safety concerns related to the recent pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. See CDC’s Health Advisory at HAN Archive - 00442 | Health Alert Network (HAN) (cdc.gov).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Vaccine Finder Registration Information

  • All individuals in the Fairfax Health District who are 16 or older are eligible to receive a vaccine.
  • Patients can now use VaccineFinder to search for appointments and then schedule directly with any provider based on the day, time and location that is most convenient.
  • Fairfax County is no longer accepting registrations on our website.

Providers interested in administering COVID-19 Vaccines have two options.  

  1. Enroll with VDH to become a COVID-19 Vaccinator at your office or clinic. For more information: Virginia Department of Health Healthcare Professionals.
  2. Sign up as a vaccine volunteer.
    1. MRC (Medical Reserve Corps) – This volunteer program supports the local health department and local emergency response teams, COVID-19 Vaccine response is supported by the MRC.  
    2. Virginia Volunteer Vaccinator Registry Program – This registry is for providers who wish to only assist in administering COVID-19 Vaccine. Once the pandemic is over, there will be no ongoing volunteer opportunity here. Registration process and training for this program is streamlined. 

Fairfax Health District vaccine data as of April 10, 2021

  • 45.8% of all persons aged 18 years and older have received at least one dose.
    • If current rates of vaccination continue, Fairfax Health District is on track to meet the goal of 75% of the +18 year old population having at least one dose by May 31.
  • Efforts to vaccinate persons aged 65 years or older have been successful with 77.0% having already received a first dose. 
  • Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination are present in Fairfax Health District.
    • Geographic pockets of lower COVID-19 vaccination rates are most pronounced in the Mount Vernon, Bailey’s Crossroads, Annandale, and Herndon areas of the district.
    • District-wide racial and ethnic group vaccination rates are not available from the Virginia Department of Health. However, based upon pre-registration data for eligible Phase 1 Priority Groups, Black and Hispanic populations are under-represented indicating that they are being vaccinated at a lower rate compared other racial ethnic groups, both for those who are 65 years or older and for other adult age groups. 
Fairfax Virtual Assistant