Vienna Coronavirus Updates: ViVa Vienna, More Events Canceled

VIENNA, VA — The Town of Vienna has extended changes to town services and canceled more special events in response to the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 respiratory illness. Special events are canceled through June 30, and town government changes and closures are in effect through June 10, or the end date of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's stay-at-home order.

The event cancellations include Taste of Vienna, Walk on the Hill, Memorial Day weekend's ViVa Vienna, Summer on the Green events and Chillin' on Church. The tentative opening date for the Vienna Farmers Market is Saturday, June 13.

Through June 10, Town Hall and other town government facilities are accessible to the public by appointment only. Town services continue, but residents are asked to conduct business online or by phone when possible. The Vienna Community Center is closed to the public, and its drop-in activities, classes, and teen center activities are cancelled. The town is tentatively planning for summer camps beginning June 15 and is taking online registrations. Refunds will be provided for any cancellations.

On March 31, Town Council adopted a continuity of government ordinance temporarily allowing virtual meetings to be held without a physical quorum and postpones non-emergency public hearing and considerations. Many board and commission meetings have been canceled until June 10, but Town Council and some boards and commissions will meet for agenda items that are essential to continuity of government. Residents are encouraged to participate by submitting written or online comments. Meeting updates are posted on the town's website.

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Town playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts and the Vienna Dog Park are closed, but town parks are open. Park bathrooms are closed, field permits are canceled, and picnic shelter reservations are suspended. Class and group activities are not permitted.

Town officials will consider closing parks if residents do not follow social distancing guidelines.

"We really would love to be able to keep our parks open to give everyone an outlet and an opportunity to enjoy being outdoors," said Leslie Herman, parks and recreation director for Vienna. "We’ve had some issues with folks not adhering to social-distancing guidelines. We’re monitoring that and hoping we’re not forced to close the parks."

The town's May 5 mayoral and council elections are moving forward as scheduled — postponement would require action from the governor, Virginia General Assembly or Virginia Supreme Court. Three candidates are running for mayor, and seven are running for three Town Council seats; candidate information is available in the Vienna Voice.

The Virginia Department of Elections encourages voters to vote absentee. Voters are permitted to select "2A My disability or illness" as a reason to vote absentee in the May election due to the coronavirus crisis. Absentee ballot applications are available on the Virginia Department of Elections website, at the kiosk at Town Hall's front door or by calling the Fairfax County Office of Elections at 703-222-0776.

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The deadline to request an absentee ballot for May elections is 5 p.m. on April 28. The voter registration deadline is April 28, and absentee ballots must be returned to the Fairfax County Office of Elections by 7 p.m. on May 5. In-person voting with social distancing is scheduled to happen from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 5 at the Vienna Community Center. Find more information about the upcoming election from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

There are a number of resources for Vienna businesses as the coronavirus impacts operations. The town has provided a webpage with business resources, and the Vienna Business Association's Facebook group also provides updates. Patch has a free directory for businesses to post their open/closed status and ways for customers to support them. Businesses can fill out our form, and customers can view the directory.

As of April 7, the Fairfax Health District has 532 COVID-19 cases, the most of any locality in Virginia. Six deaths have been reported. Due to privacy reasons, the Fairfax County Health Department only announces the total number of COVID-19 cases for the health district, which includes the county, Fairfax City and Falls Church City. The health department told Vienna officials the town has cases but did not disclose numbers. Public health officials have observed community spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus since mid-March and expect cases to increase in the coming weeks. The Centers for Disease Control recommends people wear cloth face coverings in places where maintaining six feet of distance from others is difficult.

The county is asking for monetary donations to the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's COVID-19 Response Fund and personal protective equipment. The following supplies are being accepted for county staff: N95 masks, surgical masks, disposable medical gowns, shoe coverings, hair coverings, nitrile gloves and other medical supplies.

For more public health updates, visit the Fairfax County Health Department's coronavirus webpage or text FFXCOVID to 888777 to sign up. Questions can be directed to the coronavirus information line at 703-267-3511, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.