Volunteer Fairfax (VF) continues to be dedicated to doing its part to prevent community spread of the Coronavirus as infection rates continue to rise in parts of our region and new variants of the virus emerge. Toward that end, the following is a temporary COVID-19 Vaccine and Precaution Policy, which covers all in-person interactions by VF staff and volunteers. This policy is effective immediately and will remain in effect until further notice.
While we understand that this policy may temporarily reduce the number of volunteers we can place at in-person activities during a time of great need in our community, we are first and foremost dedicated to helping protect the health of volunteers, their families, and friends, and especially those they serve.
- Effective immediately, all in-person activities hosted by VF, or hosted by VF partners which involve referred VF volunteers or staff, are subject to possible alteration or cancellation of our participation on short notice as we continue to monitor the current community health conditions and infection rates related to COVID-19 and its variants.
- In respect of medical privacy, VF cannot force volunteers and staff to disclose their vaccination status to agencies hosting volunteer activities. Accordingly, VF will not knowingly host or refer any volunteers or provide VF staff to support our partner agencies who cannot supply proof of vaccination (consistent with Fairfax County Government guidelines).
- VF will communicate its own policies and guidelines to referred volunteers and staff, however, the responsibility ultimately lies with the host agency for accepting VF’s referred volunteers and staff, having them sign their own waivers, conducting health screening of each participant, and enforcing its own COVID-19 policies.
- VF is requiring its employees, and strongly urging all volunteers who are planning to attend in-person volunteer activities, to observe social distancing and avoid physical contact such as handshakes and hugging, and to wear masks at all times, regardless of their vaccination status or whether the activity is indoors or outdoors.
- These temporary policies may be modified or expanded as conditions warrant.
If you have any questions about this policy, please feel free to contact me. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Yours in community service,
Steve Mutty, CEO