Fairfax COVID Case Investigation Process To Prioritize Outbreaks
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — To align with Virginia Department of Health guidance, the Fairfax County Health Department will change its COVID-19 case investigation priorities.
Starting Friday, the health department will no longer conduct individual case investigations for the public. Staff will prioritize investigations and containment responses in long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, healthcare settings, outbreak situations and other high-risk settings.
The health department will no longer provide guidance for individual school cases and close contacts. Starting 5 p.m. Friday, staff will focus on outbreak cases in schools and child care facilities. Schools must report suspected outbreaks of COVID-19 to the health department, similar to other transmissible diseases like the flu or norovirus.
Schools can choose to work on individual cases using the VDH flowchart on what to do if a child is exposed to COVID-19. For an asymptomatic student who is vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, quarantine is not recommended. Those with a positive test are urged to isolate at home for five days and return on days six to 10 with a mask if symptoms improve. Unvaccinated students with an exposure but no symptoms are recommended to use a test-to-stay program if available or quarantine for five days.
VDH made the announcement on Jan. 25 to refocus case investigations on high risk settings. The decision was due to the more-contagious omicron variant making it difficult for public health to track every case, a shorter incubation period of the omicron variant, and increasing use of at-home tests that may not be reported to public health.
"COVID-19 continues to spread across the Commonwealth in high volumes, and Virginians should act quickly when illness is suspected. Please get tested, stay home when you are infectious, and notify your contacts," said Acting State Health Commissioner Colin Greene in a statement.
The Fairfax County Health Department also recommends residents get vaccinated and boosted to prevent serious illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. Other recommended mitigation strategies include wearing a well-fitting mask indoors, maintaining six feet of distancing, avoiding social gatherings and crowds, washing hands frequently and staying home when sick.
After an omicron surge around the winter holidays, COVID-19 cases are trending down in Fairfax County and the state overall. Transmission levels are still classified as high in all areas of Virginia.
The Fairfax County Health Department covers Fairfax County, the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton, and cities of Falls Church and Fairfax.
This article originally appeared on the Kingstowne-Rose Hill Patch
