Health Department

FAQs The Joseph Willard Health Center will temporarily close in October 2025, to allow  for the construction of the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center Project, which is scheduled to open in September 2028. The Joseph Willard Health Center will be demolished and replaced with a new health and community center. During construction, services will be available at other Health Department locations. Clinic Services Residents seeking clinical services – including immunizations, maternity services, pregnancy testing, tuberculosis testing, sexually transmitted infections testing and treatment, HIV testing and newcomer health screenings – can schedule an appointment at any Health Department clinic location, including the Franconia-Springfield Public Health Center, opening in October 2025. To make an appointment for clinic services, please call 703-246-7100, TTY 711. Speech & Hearing The Speech and Hearing Services program helps children and adults communicate more clearly with speech, hearing and reading services. Services at the Joseph Willard Health Center will temporarily end in October 2025. Residents can schedule an appointment at the following locations: Mount Vernon Speech & Hearing Clinic Herndon-Reston Speech & Hearing Clinic Beginning in October 2025, appointments will be available at the William J. Burkholder Administrative Center To schedule an appointment, please call 703-246-7120, TTY 711 or complete the service request form. Vital Records The Fairfax County Health Department’s Vital Records offices provides certified copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates for a fee. The vital records office located at the Joseph Willard Health Center will temporarily close in October 2025. Services will continue at the following locations: Annandale District Office Herndon-Reston District Office Mount Vernon District Office The Franconia-Springfield Public Health Center will offer vital records services when it opens in October 2025 Vital record services are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM for walk-in service only (appointments are not available). Save time by downloading Vital Records application form before your visit.

Find updated dates, times, and locations of potential exposure sites below. Virginia Department of Health is Working to Identify People Who Are at Risk From the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) was notified of two additional confirmed cases of measles that traveled through Northern Virginia Wednesday, March 5 and Friday, March 14. Both people are Maryland residents who recently traveled together internationally. Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights. Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites in Virginia: Location Date and Time Dulles International Airport (IAD) Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) and in the baggage claim area Between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5  Dulles International Airport (IAD) Concourse A, on transportation to the main terminal and in the baggage claim area Between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5. (Previously reported March 9 and unrelated to this new exposure.)  Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)  Terminal Shuttle Bus Between 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 14 Washington Area Metro on Friday, March 14: Yellow Line Train from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station transferring at the L’Enfant Plaza station to the Silver Line Train heading towards the Downtown Largo station Between 12:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. on Friday, March 14     Any additional exposure sites identified in Virginia will be posted to the VDH Measles website. Additional exposure sites have been identified in Maryland and DC. Virginia has not had any reported cases of measles in 2025. What should you do if you were at the above locations on the day and time specified? If you have never received a measles containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine or a measles-only vaccine which is available in other countries), you may be at risk of developing measles. Anyone who was exposed and considered to be at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately. Watch for symptoms for 21 days from the date of your potential exposure. If you notice symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home. Contact your healthcare provider right away. Call ahead before going to your healthcare provider’s office or the emergency room to notify them that you may have been exposed to measles and ask them to call the local health department. This call will help protect other patients and staff. Anyone with an immunocompromising condition should consult with their healthcare provider if they have questions or develop symptoms. If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action. If you have received only one dose of a measles-containing vaccine, you are very likely to be protected and your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low. However, to achieve the highest level of protection, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose. Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever of greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. These symptoms usually start seven to fourteen days after being exposed. The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spread to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared. Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles. However, infants who are too young to be vaccinated, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to measles. Infants six months through 11 months of age who will be traveling internationally, or to an outbreak setting, should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about the MMR vaccine. To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request records from the VDH Immunization Record Request Form. For additional information, contact your local health department. Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can call VDH at (804) 363-2704 or email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov. For more information about measles visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/ Related: Two cases of measles confirmed in Maryland residents with recent international travel

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. In the past few months, over 280 people in the United States have become ill with measles and two people have died. This includes a large and growing outbreak in Texas and New Mexico.  In this outbreak, more than 19 of every 20 people who got measles were unvaccinated or did not know their vaccine status. Measles outbreaks also are common in other parts of the world. How contagious is measles? Measles is so contagious that if one person becomes infected, 9 out of 10 people close to that person who are unvaccinated or not immune will also become infected. It is spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. This can include on airplanes, in classrooms, stores, or other areas where people share space. Is measles serious? Measles can cause serious health issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 1 in 5 people who get measles end up in the hospital. Measles can cause severe complications like a lung infection (pneumonia), brain inflammation (encephalitis), and possibly death, even with medical care. What are symptoms of measles? Symptoms of measles typically include: High fever (may spike up to 104°F) Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes A rash that appears around 3-5 days after other symptoms begin. The rash typically starts on the face and spreads down the body. How can I prevent measles? The best way to protect a child from measles is by getting the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles. The first dose of MMR is routinely given between 12-15 months, and the second dose is given at 4 to 6 years of age. Can getting measles vaccine also protect my community? The MMR vaccine not only protects you or your child, but it also helps protect others who cannot be vaccinated. If the measles virus comes into a community where measles vaccination uptake reaches 95% or greater, it is unable to spread. This is called “community immunity” and helps protect infants who are too young to be vaccinated or people with weakened immune systems due to illness or medications. International travel plans? If you plan to travel abroad or to an area with a measles outbreak, check with your healthcare provider before leaving for your trip to ensure all travelers who are able to be vaccinated have been vaccinated. Infants 6 to 11 months old should receive 1 dose of measles vaccine before traveling. Children 12 months and older should receive 2 doses before traveling. Am I fully vaccinated? If you and/or your family members are unsure of your vaccination status, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help determine if you or your loved ones need additional doses, including adults who may have been vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 with a vaccine that was not as effective as the current one. If you are from Virginia, you can also request your Virginia immunization records through the VDH Immunization Record Request form.