COVID-19 Questions & Answers

Members of the public in Loudoun County submitted questions about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the Board of Supervisors coronavirus briefing special meeting March 11, 2020. In addition, other questions have been continued to be submitted and answered below. 

Last updated 4/24/20

  1. What are the vaccine efforts in Loudoun County?
  2. Who will get the vaccine first?
  3. How will I know when my family or I can get a vaccine?
  4. Is the vaccine safe?
  5. What precautions should I take with my pets or other animals?
  6. What should someone do if they are ill?
  7. Why won’t the county tell us where the people who have tested positive have been in our community? Shouldn’t we know so we can protect ourselves?
  8. What should someone do if their provider will not see them?
  1. Would you recommend advising the public against attending any public events, such as sporting events or high school graduations or political rallies or even public hearings before the Board?
  2. Would you implement a quarantine for individuals with confirmed cases of the virus?
  3. Do you anticipate that we may already have unidentified mild cases of corona virus in Loudoun County?
  4. What about the CDC suggestion that seniors refill their prescriptions as a precaution? I followed that advice and the prescriptions were denied by my insurance.
  5. What procedures are already being taken in schools, hospitals, libraries and other public buildings to ensure cleanliness and disinfecting to lower the spread?
  6. How long can COVID-19 lay dormant in one’s body?
  7. Is it legal for retailers to “mark-up” urgently needed supplies like soap? What should one do if they observe this happening?
  8. Is a person who is known to have been exposed to COVID-19 legally required to self-quarantine?
  1. I want to be tested for COVID-19. Why can’t I have a test if I request one?
  2. Where can I get tested for COVID-19?
  3. What are the signs and symptoms of the coronavirus and at what point should I be tested?
  4. Does the Loudoun County Health Department provide testing for COVID-19?
  1. How should testing be done if a person believes that they have been exposed or are experiencing symptoms? Should they go to their doctor or hospital, or can they call the health department?
  2. Are there enough testing kits in the area for the current anticipated need?
  3. In Loudoun, do we have private companies capable of doing COVID 19 testing?
  4. Are Loudoun hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other healthcare providers getting the tests and other medical supplies they need? Can the county government facilitate & expedite the delivery?
  1. Should county employees be required to wear protective gloves?
  2. Do you anticipate the need for emergency legislation from Richmond to loosen the existing restrictions on elected officials participating remotely in meetings?
  3. What disinfection schedule are you recommending for county and town facilities? Given the experience of some stores on the west coast, are we apt to face shortages of disinfectant?
  1. Have you estimated how much the county should be prepared to spend to accomplish this, if necessary?
  2. Do you recommend the county set aside millions of dollars for emergency preparedness during this budget cycle?
  3. What steps are we taking to ensure our first responders, especially our ambulance crews, do not contract the virus from patients they’re transporting?
  1. Have you reached out to Inova Loudoun and Stone Springs hospitals to ascertain whether they could accommodate ancillary treatment facilities such as tents or trailers?
  2. If things get much worse, are hospitals safe to women to deliver, for people who have suppressed immune systems, etc.?
  3. How have local hospitals and clinics prepared for a major COVID-19 outbreak?
  4. Are hospitals capable of handling large numbers of COVID 19 symptomatic patients showing up in the emergency rooms unannounced?
  1. What are the maximum number of COVID-19 patients that our hospitals can handle?
  2. Do local hospitals have contingencies to augment staff, particularly if other local hospitals have a simultaneous need for augmented staff?
  3. Should people with symptoms call hospital emergency rooms before they go to the emergency room?
  1. LAX has instituted a more frequent disinfection schedule of once an hour. What is Dulles International Airport doing? What is Leesburg Executive Airport doing?
  2. What is the procedure at Dulles for passengers arriving on international flights?
  3. What happens if an international passenger is exhibiting COVID 19 systems in flight or shortly after landing?
  4. Testing at Dulles Airport does not seem as robust as other international airports in other countries. Is there a reason for the lag and can Dulles be more pro-active?
  1. What if a Dulles Airport or airline employee has COVID-19 symptoms but doesn’t have enough sick leave to remain home?
  2. Is there faster testing available for Dulles Airport or airline employees who work in International flights?
  3. At this time, is Dulles Airport still accepting flights from China, India or other countries with a high number of identified COVID 19 cases?

  1. Receive updates from Loudoun County

    Contact us with Questions

    • Email the Loudoun County Health Department 
    • Call the Health Department's COVID-19 information line:  703-737-8300
      • Monday-Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    • Call the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 hotline: 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) 
      • Monday-Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.