Department Resources

Coronavirus Information for Specific Audiences

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Archived page: This page is no longer being updated and is available as a reference only.

If you need a vaccine, find out how to make an appointment.

While many are staying at home during the pandemic, people who live in apartments or condos should consider additional steps they can take to limit the spread of the COVID-19. Property owners also can take extra precautions to help keep their residents safe. See the recommendations.

The Health Department offers the following guidance for Community-Based Organizations to enhance the safety of your staff and volunteers and reduce their risk of COVID-19 infection, as well as providing guidance on how the risk of potential transmission to clients can be reduced.

The following lists recommendations for service providers and the rationales for those recommendations. The CDC also has extensive guidance for providers that highlights additional situations and issues for consideration.

Develop, review or update a written pandemic operations plan
Rationale: Working with staff to consider key services provided and how those may change during a pandemic will be important to meet the needs of the community and your organization. Issues to consider include how services can be delivered effectively and safely for staff, volunteers, and clients; how needs and practices may change when COVID-19 is sporadic vs widespread in the community; and how this can be done with reduced staffing due to illness, a need to care for other family members, and people staying away to avoid risks. The CDC guidance provides a good discussion of planning considerations.

Rigorously practice personal protective behaviors, social distancing, and environmental disinfection, to reduce acquiring and transmitting COVID-19
Rationale: Spread of COVID-19 is primarily by respiratory droplets which travel less than 6 feet through the air. To facilitate staff in adhering to personal protective behaviors, adopt rigorous hand washing policies and practices in your office environment. Hard surfaces contaminated with secretions can remain infectious for hours to days; frequent handwashing and not touching one’s mouth, nose or eyes will prevent self-inoculation. There is no evidence that respiratory aerosols spread through ventilation systems or that virus remains in airspaces; nevertheless, increasing air exchanges by opening a window or delivering services outside may reduce risk.

Treat every staff and client interaction as if it creates some degree of risk; however, transmission of COVID-19 by people who do not have symptoms is likely low
Rationale: Some people who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been asymptomatic, and some families have reported situations where an asymptomatic person appeared to have transmitted illness to others. However, asymptomatic transmission is less likely to happen because asymptomatic people have a lower viral load, and they are not spreading secretions through coughing or sneezing. Nevertheless, because the risk is not zero, rigorous application of preventive behaviors is important in all settings.

Screen staff and volunteers for fever, cough and shortness of breath before starting work
Rationale: People may not perceive low grade fever or may disregard symptoms because they want to be able to provide services to others. Screening will ensure that people are not ill and serve as a reminder of the importance of not working when sick. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or greater or who has cough or shortness of breath should self-isolate and contact their healthcare provider or access information from the Health Department for further advice.

Consider roles of staff and volunteers who are older or at higher-risk to reduce the chance they will become infected with COVID-19
Rationale: People at greater risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 include: older adults (65 years old or older); people with underlying illnesses (e.g., heart or lung disease, diabetes); and people whose immune systems are suppressed by illness or medication. Employees and volunteers in these groups should not be placed in situations where there is an appreciable risk of COVID-19. If possible, consider having them provide services from their homes via phone or computer. Protecting those at increased risk is particularly important as disease spreads in the community.

Clean and disinfect thoroughly and frequently
Rationale: COVID-19 survives on hard surfaces (plastic, metal) for hours to days depending on environmental conditions. Thorough cleaning and carefully following manufacturer instructions (especially contact times) is important for effectiveness. Fabric surfaces should be cleaned if grossly contaminated but is not a likely source of infectious virus. Food deliveries provided in a cardboard box also are unlikely to pose an appreciable risk to staff or clients though good handwashing before and after touching something that has been handled by others is good routine practice.

Modify what services are provided, how they are provided, and phase changes based on the extent of the local outbreak
Rationale: Because of the importance of social distancing, develop strategies that will maintain social distance, as possible, during service delivery. Increase use of phone and online services. Increase teleworking. Change office configurations to increase distancing. Consider increased needs for counseling and mental health services as the outbreak progresses.

Plan for shortages and limit use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Rationale: National shortages of facemasks and other PPE might limit availability for your staff. Maintaining social distance (6 feet or more) eliminates the need for a facemask. If a client is coughing or sneezing, ask them to cover their nose and mouth with their shirt or a cloth. If facemasks are available for staff, use them only when in contact with clients. Unless facemasks are soiled, they can be reused; place them in a paper bag between uses and wash hands thoroughly before and after touching a reused mask to prevent possible hand contamination. N95 respirators are not needed except in certain clinical situations. Homemade cloth facemasks may provide some protection, but effectiveness is not known.

Additionally, two checklists are available for download to help your organization plan:

If you have additional questions, please email ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Find COVID-19 and other resources from the Virginia Department of Health. Find resources.

The CDC has several videos available in American Sign Language. See the playlist.

Please note: The Environmental Health lobby remains closed to the public. However, the county government remains open for business online and by phone and mail. Learn more.

See the COVID-19 Updates for Food Establishments page for the latest guidelines.

Helpful Tips and Information for Food Establishments Poster

Related Information

Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Information for Consumers

Food Resources / Recursos Alimenticios

Grocery Shopping & Pharmacy Pick-up Service

Please note: The Environmental Health lobby remains closed to the public. However, the county government remains open for business online and by phone and mail. Learn more.

This information provides current resources or information specifically for businesses.

Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes

Returning To Work: Employers should not require employees to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or a healthcare provider’s note to enable them to return to work. An employee can return to work once certain situations are met. Learn more about what employers should know.

Watch: Fairfax County Businesses Adapt During the Pandemic

Infographics:

Stay Safe at Work: English | Spanish
Tips for Creating a Healthy & Safe Workplace: English | Spanish

The Health Department is working to prevent and mitigate outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Please see: COVID-19 Prevention and Mitigation for Long-Term Care Facilities.

See the COVID-19 and Children page for more information

While fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, can get sick from COVID-19, and can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to others.

While most reported cases in children are either asymptomatic or mild, there have been cases of severe illness and some children do need to be hospitalized. In spring 2020, doctors recognized a severe syndrome in children, many of whom had evidence of recent COVID-19 infection. multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).

Fairfax County Public Schools has developed information for talking to children about coronavirus.

The CDC also offers information for Children and Teens.

VDH has Guidance for College Students on College Campuses.

School-related Information

For school district- specific information, please visit:

Fairfax County Public Schools: Coronavirus Update
Falls Church City Public Schools: FCCPS COVID-19 Planning

FCPS offers grab and go food distribution sites, including pop-up sites in the community, curbside pickup at two schools, and meal delivery along some bus routes. Details on locations and times is available here.

Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe illness means that the person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die. See more information for Older Adults from the CDC.

We are learning more about COVID-19 every day. The below list of underlying medical conditions is not exhaustive and only includes conditions with sufficient evidence to draw conclusions; it is a living document that may be updated at any time, subject to potentially rapid change as the science evolves. For the latest information, please visit CDC's People with Certain Medical Conditions page.

Adults of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19:

Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes mellitus

COVID-19 is a new disease. Currently there are limited data and information about the impact of underlying medical conditions and whether they increase the risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Based on what we know at this time, people with the following conditions might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
Cystic fibrosis
Hypertension or high blood pressure
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
Liver disease
Overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2, but < 30 kg/m2)
Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Many travelers are concerned about the current COVID-19 pandemic and may be wondering how to travel safely, or if it’s a good idea to go at all. Airports, bus stations, train stations, and rest stops are all places travelers can be exposed to the virus, both in the air and on surfaces. These are also places where it can be hard to social distance. Learn more about steps to take before and after traveling.

Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, but there are times when travel may be unavoidable. Because each of us plays a part in slowing the spread of COVID-19, follow these Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations before, during and after your trip.

For more travel-related information, please see:

CDC's Websites:

VDH’s website: Virginia Travelers have questions.

Cruise Ship Travel

CDC recommends that all people defer travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide. See the Level 3 Travel Advisory and Guidance for Travelers Returning from Cruise Ship and River Cruise Voyages.

On April 9, 2020, CDC renewed the No Sail Order and Other Measures Related to Operations Order. See Cruise Ship Guidance.

Infographics:

Stay Safe at Work: English | Spanish
Tips for Creating a Healthy & Safe Workplace: English

Find worker safety information from the CDC, including:

Employees: How to Cope with Job Stress and Build Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

What Construction Workers Need to Know about COVID-19

What Food and Grocery Pick-up and Delivery Drivers Need to Know about COVID-19

What Grocery and Food Retail Workers Need to Know about COVID-19

What Mail and Parcel Delivery Drivers Need to Know about COVID-19

What Rideshare, Taxi, Limo, and other Passenger Drivers-for-Hire Need to Know about COVID-19

Travel

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Shopping

Older adults and shopping

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Grocery Stores

Grocery stores and older adults

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Gas Stations

Gas statins and older adults

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Banking

Medical Care

Medical Care and Older Adults

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Health Department

Health Department Alert:

Department Resources

Coronavirus Information for Specific Audiences

COVID-19 Tools for the Fairfax Community

INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

COVID-19 Language Portal

Coronavirus Disease Resources