Arlington Residents and Friends,
This Friday, I want to share with you four big picture updates on where we are in Arlington in responding to COVID 19 and thoughts on where I believe we are headed over the coming weeks.
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First, know that Arlington County is responding to help you and all Arlingtonians stay healthy. We continue to encourage, communicate, and enforce the need for social distancing. We also are serving those have tested positive. We had 64 positive tests as of this morning. Just a fraction of those individuals are in inpatient medical care--approximately 8 patients, give or take 2, depending on the hour. Our County staff who lead in responding to September 11th are working flat out on hospital capacity and the Board is being updated twice daily. We are also working on PPE--Personal Protective Equipment. On both, our staff subject matter experts, with appropriate Board engagement, are doing all we can to be ready for the continued increase we are likely to see and working flat out to prevent infections as well.
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We are also responding to human service needs, including via 703-228-1300 and, for mental health services, 703-228-5150. Click below to learn more:
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Second, a testing site was opened in Arlington yesterday on Lee Highway by INOVA. Both this site at 4600 Lee Highway and the one at 1429 Quincy Street require that you have spoken with a medical provider, so please speak first with your health care provider or call our Covid 19 hotline at 703-228-7999 for information about how to proceed. Testing needs to be focused on health care workers and those with a medically identified priority for testing, but we also are working to expand testing since the better our data, the better we can focus our resources and attention over the coming weeks.
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Click to Watch the Governor's Press Conference today on Principal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Medical Capacity
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Third, Arlington County has been working regionally and with the Governor via our Chair Libby Garvey. In the above video of his 2 pm press conference, Governor Northam asked for personal protective equipment leadership and additional testing for the DMV.
The Governor also said President Trump must do more to lead on PPE's so that states and localities are not outbidding each other for equipment. And, he asked for a testing facility here in the DMV area to help serve this critical region. We have been asking the Governor to push for additional testing capacity, so this was a step forward.
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Fourth, the above article provides you a sense nationally that can give you perspective on Arlington. Click above, for this morning's Washington Post that both indicates Arlington is in a different place on fatalities (none in the County yet) than New York and other parts of the country, but also makes the painful facts clear: we must stay at home as much as possible and practice social distancing vigilantly when we go out to minimize infections and save lives.
(The above story is difficult. I think it helps to be equipped with these facts, but if the big picture and difficult reality is not what you need right now, skip it.)
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Ok, Matt,that's where we are,
Now, Where are we Headed?
The President's irresponsible speculation on Wednesday led me to write about this moment yesterday. Click on the button below and scroll to my post for the best honest reassurance I can offer:
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Bottom line: my post via the button above asks you to join me in the servant leadership you and Arlington have always been about, to help us all stay safe.
As I ask you to join me for our health and safety, I also want to share thoughts on the economic challenge. This week, 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment, of whom 47,000 were Virginians and many are Arlington residents. My heart hurts when I think of the small business owner who has emailed and called this week worried about what the next two months and beyond look like for her.
As we face this second challenge, I want her and you to know that you are not alone on the economy. Some Federal help is coming. For a summary of the stimulus, click below. For more on the County's work for those in need, see below.
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Even as we work to face our economic challenge, we need to prioritize keeping Arlingtonians alive before we end social distancing. We have not hit the peak yet and at least until we know are on the other side of this empirically, we must stay home or 6 feet away from non-household members when we go out. The County will do all we can within our means to address the economic pain over the coming weeks, months, and year, as will our community. However, we must prioritize beating this virus or we will lose both lives and our best way to recover economically, over the long run.
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As you stay at home this weekend, or get out as needed safely away from non-household members, know that we are working to prevent hunger and other basic economic needs, as described via the button above. And that we are working on our budgets so that those most in need are served in this crisis and served as quickly as possible.
Also, know that we need YOU. Be vigilant in stopping the spread of this virus. And, in the meantime, if you can, volunteer to help others: https://volunteer.leadercenter.org/covid-19-care-community
Thanks,
Matt
ps. If you want to be further educated with an inside on the ground view of how things are going in New York from a Doctor there: https://vimeo.com/399733860?ref=em-v-share
pps. Do you know an Arlington business that needs help? Arlington Economic Development is surveying Arlington businesses through Monday, March 30th: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M38JJ8R?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=covidupdate_032720
ppps Email questions or concerns. We made progress on Farmers Markets thanks partly to you: https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-farmers-markets-able-to-reopen-with-pre-orders/
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