County’s June 10 Situation Report: COVID update and Happy Creek Road closing approaches

Warren County ranked next to last in percentage of the population being fully vaccinated in a June 10^th County Emergency Management update related to COVID-19 statistics in the Lord Fairfax Health District (LFHD). According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) 32.2% of Warren’s population is fully vaccinated, which is just 2.4% below the average LFHD vaccination rate of 34.6%. Statewide in Virginia, VDH reported a 46.7% rate of fully vaccinated citizens.

Vaccination rates in the six-jurisdiction Northern Shenandoah Valley-based Lord Fairfax Health District were:

1/ Clarke County 44.6%;

2/ Winchester City 38.5%;

3/ Shenandoah County 36.8%;

4/ Frederick County 36.4%;

5/ Warren County 32.2%;

6/ Page County 31.6%.

Barring medically established physical reasons for not being vaccinated, citizens are being urged to take advantage of the increasing availability of FDA-approved vaccines as a preventative, not only from becoming symptomatic if exposed to COVID-19 Coronavirus strains but also as a preventative from passing the virus to others if exposed. As previously reported, relaxing CDC, State, and local social distancing and masking standards are aimed at an increasingly vaccinated population, with unvaccinated people urged to continue to social distance, mask, and wash their hands more regularly than normal as noted in the below report.

See above-cited and related information, as well as info on the June 19 closing of a portion of Happy Creek Road into early August, from June 10, 2021, County SITREP (Situation Report) below:

County Emergency Services Coordinator Rick Farrall briefed the county supervisors on June 8. That briefing focused on the dynamics of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, referenced below, in which the County has applied for $7.8 million in relief funding to be distributed through 2026. Royal Examiner Photo by Roger Bianchini

COMMUNITY INFORMATION, 6-10-21, 1:42 p.m.: 

COVID update, information & LINKS, June 10, 2021, 1:42 p.m.:

5. COVID-19 Information (Current Data):
6. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), the number of total COVID-19 cases per locality are: Clarke 991, Frederick 8,084, Page 2,115, Shenandoah 4,328, Warren 3,064 (121 are/were hospitalized, 59 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 1.92% total cases), Winchester 2,937; the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
7. Note – Regional population fully vaccinated according to VDH site (avg 34.6%):
8. Clarke – 44.6%
9. Frederick – 36.4%

iii.      Page – 31.6%

36. Shenandoah – 36.8%
37. Warren – 32.2%
38. Winchester – 38.5%

2. Commonwealth: 7,521,258 people tested (PCR only); 677,425 total cases [2.0% positive rate (PCR only)]; 30,086 total hospitalized; 11,270 total deaths (1.66%total cases).
3. Note:  46.7% of Virginia population fully vaccinated according to VDH site.
4. United States:  As of June 9, 2021, there are 33,224,075 total cases and 595,625 total deaths (1.79%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

Coronavirus-related information

1. Current Executive Orders and Local Directives (not all inclusive):
2. Local – Designation of Critical and Essential Employees during an Emergency Memorandum, effective May 7, 2020, until further notice

2. Key Leader Public Messaging (CDC) – Take Prevention Measures:
3. Vaccinated People:
4. Prevention measures not needed
5. Unvaccinated People:
6. Wear a mask
7. Stay 6 feet apart

iii.      Wash your hands

3. Valley Health – VDH Lord Fairfax Health District Vaccine Information (as of 6/1/2021)

1. STATEWIDE:  Get your shot and help others make a plan to get vaccinated. Getting a shot has never been easier—vaccines are readily available at many supermarket pharmacies, hospitals, doctor’s offices, local health department clinics, and state-run community vaccination centers. To find a vaccine provider near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov, call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682), or text your ZIP code to GETVAX (428829). Call center representatives are available from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. All Virginia residents aged 12 and older are eligible to get vaccinated.
2. LOCALLY:  VDH will offer a COVID-19 clinic every Wednesday in June (except 6/30) at the 15th St. Cafeteria in Front Royal; call 877-VAX-IN-VA or the Heath Department to schedule an appointment.

4. Executive Order 79 (2021) (Effective May 28, 2021):
5. EO-79 is in furtherance of Amended Executive Order 51 (2020).  Further, this Order terminates Seventh Amended Number Seventy-Two (2021) and Order of Public Health Emergency Nine, shall be effective midnight on May 28, 2021, and shall remain in full force and effect until amended or rescinded by further executive order.
6. EO-79 (2021):  https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-79-and-Order-of-Public-Health-Emergency-Ten-Ending-of-Commonsense-Public-Health-Restrictions-Due-to-Novel-Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf
7. EO-51 (2020):  https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-51-AMENDED-Declaration-of-a-State-of-Emergency-Due-to-Novel-Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf
8. CDC Update as of May 28, 2021.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html
9. Updated Choosing Safer Activities infographic with new considerations for the example activity for outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Emergency Coordinator) 

1. Overallproject coordinator is Rick Farrall, Emergency Coordinator
2. Warren County’s total allocation is $7,801,386
3. An application was submitted to the Department of Treasury

iii.      Details to follow

LONG-TERM (scheduled completion over 3-months)

3. FEMA Emergency Protective Measures (Category B) Reimbursement (Deputy County Administrator)
4. Warren County.  Main lead is Taryn Logan, Planning Director
5. All departments/staff send monthly expense update to Taryn NLT the last working day of each month
6. Approximate County expenditure to date is approximately $510,000 (5/18/2021)
7. Town of Front Royal.  Main lead is B.J. Wilson, Finance Director
8. Approximate Town expenditure to date is $70,000 (10/14/2020)

4. Point of Distribution (POD) (Parks and Recreation)
5. POD established at the 15^thSt. Gym/Cafeteria in coordination with VH/VDH for the mass distribution of critical medical supplies as required (COVID-19 vaccination).  Another term being circulated is “CVC” or Community Vaccination Center.

Coming traffic pattern change

2. 2.       Happy Creek Road Closure:
3. A portion of Happy Creek Road (Route 624) will close next Saturday, June 19, 2021 through approximately August 6, 2021.  VDOT’s (and Norfolk Southern) intent is to complete the reconstruction project before our public schools resume classes in August.
4. The project will impact Happy Creek Road from the Town of Front Royal limit east to Dismal Hollow Road; it includes work on the railroad crossing site just prior to Dismal Hollow Road.
5. Residents and First Responders will have local and emergency access to the areas west and east of the railroad crossing.  Once Norfolk Southern begins work on the crossing site, no vehicles will be able to pass from one side to the other until construction is complete.
6. Please plan your travels accordingly.