Bowser: DC Food Shoppers Must Wear Masks Due To Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC — Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order Wednesday outlining social distancing requirements for District food retailers and farmers markets in response to the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Among the requirements will be that customers at District grocery stories will need to wear masks when they're shopping.

"Going forward, grocery stores must post signage saying that customers must wear a face mask, shop quickly and alone or with family members of their household," Bowser said, at a Thursday morning press briefing. "The order also provides guidance for increasing social distancing and other safe practices by implementing policies like having one-way aisles where possible and having customers bag their own groceries."

Under the order, real food sellers are required to implement social distancing protocols in order to keep their employees and customers safe. Among other requirements, they must post signage at each entrance of the business instructing all customers to:

• Wear a mask or mouth covering;
• Avoid entering if they are exhibiting a symptom of a transmissible infections disease such as a cough, fever, and running nose or have a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis;
• Maintain six (6) feet of distance from each other person who is not part of their household;
• Cough or sneeze away from other people and into a tissue or one's elbow or sleeve and immediately dispose of the tissue in a safe manner;
• Not shake hands or engage in any other unnecessary physical contact; and
• Quickly shop along or only with members of their household.

In addition, retailers must mark off six-foot increments wherever a line may form inside or outside their business. Retailers are also required to provide adequate hand sanitizers or disinfecting wipes at all entries and exist.

Retailers must tell their employees to follow all social distancing protocols while working and not to come into work if they are sick. Retailers are also required to monitor their employees for cold or flu-like symptoms, and provide gloves and cloth or surgical masks to employees who routinely come in close contact with others.

By April 20, all District food retailers that must install plexiglass or plastic dividers between customers and employees who are working at a cash register the serves more than 50 people a day.

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"The mayor's order also requires that in order to operate all fresh food markets must have a plan in place to ensure social distancing protocols are followed," Bowser said. "We know that farmer's markets are a crucial source of fresh and healthy food for our residents, particularly those who are otherwise underserved by fresh food options."

Under the order, farmer's markets cannot operate without a waiver, which they can obtain from the District after submitting a plan of how they will operate and enforce social distancing protocols.

The plan should include limits on the the number of shoppers in the market at a time, as well a prohibition of pets. A limit should be placed on how many booths the market has, in order to allow shoppers more room to navigate. Pre-bagged items at a fixed price should be made available and a pre-market telephone or online order system should be put in place to allow pre-orders.

"We are only allowing farmer's markets to operate if they do so in a way that ensures customers are practicing proper social distancing, minimizing trips and not lingering or socializing," Bowser said.

When asked by a reporter if the District was going to enforce the mayor's order regarding social distancing and customers being required to wear masks in grocery stores, Bowser answered in the affirmative.

"It is up to individuals to enforce their own individual behavior," she said. "What we know is that our folks who are doing the essential work, including our grocery store workers, are on the front line of the response to this pandemic. All of us who want to continue to rely on the supply of food, we need to do everything in our power to keep them safe."

Bowser confirmed as of Thursday there were five new deaths of District residents due to COVID-19. This brings the total number of District residents to die from the virus to 32.

The deceased residents were identified as a 54-year-old female, a 57-year-old-male, a 64-year-old male, a 74-year-old male, and an 87-year-old female.

Bowser also confirmed 83 new positive coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of positive cases reported in the District to 1,523.

As of Thursday morning, 8,754 people were tested in the District for the coronavirus and 393 have recovered.

Aggregated Total of Positive COVID-19 Cases By Age And Gender:

Aggregated Total Of Positive COVID-19 Cases By Ward:

Aggregated Total Of Positive COVID-19 Cases By Race:

Aggregated Total Of Positive COVID-19-Related Deaths By Race:

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