A Trip to the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Dump

It’s a sight to see. The Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Dump is a well run organization. We oftentimes went to the dump when we lived in the Midwest. You needed to show proof of residence and pay one dollar. Sixteen years later the price jumped to six dollars for one piece here. That piece was a plant console table that we no longer needed. There probably are a few other items we could have brought with us but this table was too big to leave hanging around. Since we live in a condo we can’t just leave things at the end of the drive for garbage pick up and scheduling pickups means scheduling elevator times. So we put the table in the car and drive about half an hour away to the dump. The signs were clear and the place was buzzing. There were trucks of all sizes and cars and pickups. After paying the six dollars we moved to zone one where the guy helped us unload the table. We were happy to tip anyone who was working there given the heat and hubbub. At least now we know where we need to go for things like this. We should check with our building to find out the limitations for dumping things in our own dumpster. Hopefully we won’t need to need it anytime soon. It definitely was an interesting experience. Thanks goodness places like this exist. 

It’s Done - Fairfax County Health Department Second Covid Vaccine

I have to admit that I was anxious whenever I heard my Florida high school classmates and Wisconsin friends were all getting vaccinated for covid. My husband got his first vaccine in January. I registered with the Fairfax county health department on January 18 and received my first Pfizer vaccine on Valentine’s Day - two days after my husband received his second Moderna dose. So yesterday was the long awaited second dose day and we didn’t have to deal with an ice storm this time. The parking lot was full, but everything was in motion. As we pulled in to our spot I received the text message to let them know we were in the parking lot. Shortly thereafter we were asked to enter the building. As was with the first dose, the process was seamless - except this time we needed to wait in line for a very short time. It felt like being in the queue at Disneyworld that included that same excitement. The whole experience was very pleasant from start to finish. All of the staff make you feel most welcome and are extremely kind. Since we haven’t interacted with anyone for a year it does feel weird just being inside of a building. Everyone was so polite and warm. After waiting for the 15 minutes following the injection, we drove back home. The most difficult part this time was the unexpected traffic on a Sunday afternoon for a 4:45 appointment and the fact that my arm is sore at the injection site. I’m expecting side effects but so far so good. I am filling in the “v-safe” questionnaire every day. So in two weeks an immunity milestone will be met. I’m not sure how much it will change our behavior, but I am so relieved and thankful that my husband and I had this opportunity. 

Fairfax County vs Virginia Hospital Center Covid Vaccine

Three down and one to go. My husband has received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. He was one of the first to get an email notice from our health care provider Virginia Hospital Center. We had to travel to a centralized clinic in Shirlington, but it was definitely worth it. His process was handled entirely through the VHC patient portal, like any other physician visit. The building was a high rise glass tower, managed by the Virginia Hospital Center staff. It was a very smooth process and the second dose was scheduled on the same day we were there for the first dose. After that, the state decided all the vaccines would be centrally distributed to the health department, so VHC wouldn’t be administering them anymore. So I had to sign up on the Fairfax County health department website and get on a waiting list. That was on January 18. About three weeks later I received an “invitation” to make an appointment. In the meantime I had also explored CVS and anywhere else just to get on a list. Hearing that all my Florida high school classmates had already been vaccinated was getting annoying. So last Sunday we drove to the Fairfax County government center building and also went through a seamless process - except a second appointment was not scheduled. I am now in a limbo position of waiting for a second “invitation” to schedule the second shot. Hopefully it will arrive sooner than later. I was so thrilled to finally get my Pfizer vaccine and am looking forward to getting the next one. If nothing else it will feel more comfortable to go to any appointments, knowing things won’t change that much for anything else. We’ve been cooped up for a year now, and are looking forward to some normalcy - whatever that is. 

Fairfax County Covid Vaccines

Finally! On Sunday I had my first covid vaccine, and I was ecstatic about it. My husband just received his second vaccine two days before and was feeling some of the side effects from it - mostly achy muscles and tired. He got his vaccine through the Virginia Hospital Center and was in a different age group. I got on the Fairfax County wait list around January 18, and waited impatiently for the email appointment “invitation” that arrived a couple of weeks after that. Luckily the weather cooperated in spite of the snow, ice and sleet. It would have been disappointing to have the visit cancelled. The entire process from start to finish was seamless in spite of the huge crowd. The worst part was the drive to the Fairfax government center as we had never been there before. But once we were in the parking lot it was unbelievable. The logistics could not have been better thought out. In the parking lot you wait until they notify you via text based on your appointment time, then you sign in, then they contact you when it is time to enter the building. From there you show the text message, sign in, then are guided to the vaccine rooms, get the shot, then guided to the wait area for 15 minutes, then leave. There were so many volunteers to help, assist, guide, smile at, make the experience so very pleasant. Now I need to wait for the second email “invitation” for the second Pfizer dose and then need to schedule again. Hopefully it will go as smoothly as the first one did. After a year of hibernation, it was a psychologically uplifting experience. I feel privileged to have gotten a dose knowing that so many who want it can’t have it yet. It will be so nice when the second dose is done. 

Fairfax County Covid Vaccine

My husband was notified two weeks ago from Virginia Hospital Center that he could sign up, make an appointment, and get his covid vaccine. He did, and goes back in February for his second dose. Since I’m under 75 I couldn’t make an appointment and have it done at the same time. Now, since the criteria includes 65 and older, my only option was to sign up on the Fairfax county Heath website. I did that on Monday, after several attempts. So many people were trying to schedule the system crashed. Once I filled in the questionnaire and personal information, I was sent an email notice, a text, and a phone call telling me that I would be notified to make an actual appointment “whenever the supply of vaccines is adequate” which will probably be months out. This is the only time I wished I lived in Florida. A lot of my high school friends already got their shots. Our Milwaukee friends can’t get it either - not even the ones over 75 years old. All of this is tolerable if we were not lead to believe it would be available now. I’ve been getting notices from CVS and Safeway too, but no one has the supply to deliver. My husband says it will happen very quickly. I’m not that optimistic.