newsletter

March 20, 2020

Neighbors in the 42nd District,

I will be hosting a Tele-Town Hall on Tuesday, March 24 at 7-7:45pm to answer questions about the state’s guidance and actions to address the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) pandemic and give updates on the 2020 legislative session. Join us using the following call-in information:

Dial-in: (605) 472-5239 |Access Code: 811044 | Submit questions here.

I can hardly believe how dramatically our lives have changed because of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the last week or so. I know this is a time of deep uncertainty for many of us. As we move forward together, I appreciate all of the hardworking frontline professionals who are ensuring essential services continue and all of our neighbors that are reaching out to offer comfort and
help. I hope you and your families are doing well. As always, please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Below, please find updates from Governor Northam and our state agencies, Fairfax County Health District, and other community partners.

Best, Kathy

https://www.kathyfordelegate.com/coronavirus-resources 

State Agency Updates

COVID-19 Testing

Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey has shared that private labs and public universities are working quickly to develop and deploy tests. This would help us increase our ability to test Virginians and to get those results back sooner, and it would be in addition to testing available through Virginia’s public labs. Please know our state agencies are working with our private lab partners and universities
to ramp up their abilities as soon as possible.

Elective Surgeries

The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association members have adopted guidance on elective surgeons during the pandemic, which you can find here. It is similar to guidance from the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which you can find here. 

Education

  • The U.S. Department of Education announced it will accept waivers from states with regard to federal testing requirements for students. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced it is preparing Virginia's waiver to seek testing and accreditation relief. VDOE is also considering actions necessary to provide relief to students on state mandated SOL tests, which go beyond those mandated by the
    federal government. Please see the agency’s full announcement here.

Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC)

  • Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control has provided a notice to all distilleries that they can now produce hand sanitizer to help meet the increased need in our Commonwealth. You can find the notice here. 

Transportation

  • Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will close all district offices, residencies, area headquarters, and the Richmond Central Office starting at 5pm on March 20 and will start a visitor-by-appointment process. VDOT-operated rest areas will remain open to the public. You can find their announcement here. 

  • E-Z Pass has closed all walk-in customer service centers until April 1. Customers can still use www.expassva.com or call 877-762-7824 to
    complete transactions.

Fairfax Health District - Community Transmission of COVID-19 

Fairfax County Public Health officials have noted evidence of community transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus in parts of Northern Virginia. You can find the announcement here. 

It is imperative that all of us practice social distancing as much as possible to limit the spread of COVID-19. As a reminder, per CDC guidelines, Governor Northam recommends gatherings of no more than 10 people and that people over the age of 65 and Virginians with
underlying health conditions self quarantine. 

Inova Health System

Inova Health System will suspend all in-person visitation as of Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 8 p.m. and encourage video meetings between patients and loved ones. Understanding that a family member, caregiver or visitor may be crucial for clinical and patient care, exceptions to Inova’s Visitation Guidance can be made in extenuating circumstances. More information on the temporary visitation restrictions is here and additional information on Inova’s plans is here.

Safeway - Special Hours for Seniors and Other Vulnerable Individuals

Safeway announced its Eastern stores are now offering early shopping hours for seniors and other vulnerable individuals on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7am-9am. Safeway is asking all other customers to please respect this time that is set-aside to protect those most
vulnerable. 

Animal Safety

The CDC has created a helpful Frequently Asked Questions page for pet owners, which you can find here. 

Census

The 2020 Census has kicked off! Ensuring an accurate count is important for everyone in Virginia - Virginia receives nearly $10.2 billion in federal funding for schools, healthcare programs, and more! Homes across the 42nd District have begun to receive letters in the mail with instructions on how to complete the census. Virginia loses out on about $12,000 over 10 years for every person that is not counted in the
Census, so please respond by July 31 in one of three ways: by mail, by phone, or online. You can get more information about the 2020 Census at 2020census.gov/.