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

Department Resources

National Fentanyl Awareness Day 2023

May 9 is National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a day to raise awareness about this potent synthetic opioid. Watch this video and see the infographic below to get the  facts on fentanyl and what you can do to help prevent fentanyl overdoses in our community.

Watch: Fentanyl Update

Watch this recording of What you should know about fentanyl in the Fairfax Health District with Jennifer Feltes, population health epidemiologist.

 

At a Glance: Fentanyl Facts

Infographic sharing Fairfax Health District Fentanyl Facts

Fentanyl Facts (Text Version)

In the Fairfax Health District in 2022

  • [Hospital icon on an arrow pointing upward with text "50%"] Non-fatal opioid overdose emergency room visits increased 50% from 2019 to 2022.
  • [80 stick figures shaded dark blue, 2 sitck figures shaded teal] 80 of 82 fatal opioid overdoses, 98%, involved fentanyl.

In 2022, Youth Under 18:

  • [Hospital icon on an arrow pointing upward with text "27 visits"] Non-fatal opioid overdose emergency room visits increased from 0 to 27 from 2019 – 2022.
  • [A row of 7 stick figures] There were 7 fatal opioid overdoses, all involving fentanyl, from 2020 – September 2022.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid. 

  • [Skull and crossbones icon] Up to 50x stronger than heroin and 100x stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, it can be deadly.
  • [Beaker-molecule concept icon] SYNTHETIC. Illicit fentanyl is manufactured in illegal labs.
  • [Pill icon] OPIOID. Opioids are a potentially addictive group of drugs used to reduce pain.

In the U.S.

  • [Map of United States] Fake pills have been found in all 50 states.
  • [Icon representing various drugs in a circle with a line through it]. Illicit fentanyl is being used to make fake prescription pills. It is also found in common street drugs like cocaine, MDMA ,and heroin.
  • [Magnifying glass icon] You can't see, taste, or smell fentanyl. It is often consumed unknowingly by users, and is driving the recent increase in U.S. overdose deaths.
  • [Icon with ! inside a triangle] Assume any prescription pill you see online is fake, including Oxy, Percocet, Adderall and Xanax. Only take pills from your pharmacist.

Call or text 9-1-1 if a situation is immediately life-threatening.

[Icon of naloxone] Naloxone (Narcan) is a nasal spray that reverses fentanyl overdoses and saves lives. Learn more: fairfaxcounty.gov/community-services-board/heroin-opioids/revive.

[Icon of a mouse cursor]

  • Learn more and find support resources: fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/opioids
  • See more Fairfax Health District data: fairfaxcounty.gov/health/opioid-overdoses-data
  • fairfaxcounty.gov/health
  • [Facebook logo] fairfaxcountyhealth
  • [Twitter and Instagram logos] fairfaxhealth

Sources

Learn more

For more data, see the Opioid Overdose Dashboard. 

Find more information about opioids and support resources from Fairfax County. 

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