DC Takes Big Steps To Mitigate Effects Of Coronavirus: Updated

WASHINGTON, DC — Mayor Muriel Bowser is adjusting the D.C. government's operating status as part of the District's response to the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Starting Monday March 16, and continuing through Tuesday, March 31, the D.C. government will operate under an agency-specific telework schedule. The aim is to continue delivering essential services and maintain critical systems and services. Some services will continue to operate in public buildings, while others will be performed fully remotely. Normal operations are expected to resume April 1.

"Already, I have directed $7.5 million from the District's Contingency Cash Reserve Fund to purchase needed supplies, protective equipment, and other necessary equipment," she said, during a Friday afternoon press conference. "And we will continue to make these types of investments."

As part of the District's change of operating status, D.C. Public Schools will be closed for students from March 16-31. For teachers, March 16 will be a professional development day. The District's Charter schools are also following DCPS' schedule and will be closed from March 16-31. D.C. will continue serving meals to students and seniors on weekdays.

Bowser encouraged childcare providers to adopt the DCPS schedule. The District is also looking into childcare facilities for the dependents of essential personnel.

The Department of Health announced changes to its earlier ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people, according to Bowser. Under new guidance, gatherings over 250 people will be banned.

"For gatherings that are intended for individuals in at-risk populations, those gatherings would not have more than 10 individuals," said Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of D.C. Health.

These strategies are part of the District's social-distancing measures to keep people from gathering in large groups.

"It is critically important that individuals recognize as we implement teleworking policies, as we have school closures in the District, that these are not intended for individuals to not be at work or not be at school, but to congregate in large groups in different places throughout the city," Nesbitt said. "So, if we have our mass-gatherings ban in the district, we seriously want people to not host events that would have people congregating, increasing opportunities for the transmission of coronavirus."

Dr. Jennifer Smith, director of the Department of Forensic Sciences, reported that there have been no new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in the District.

"We still remain at 10 positive cases," Smith said. "We have done additional testing. We now have 49 negative cases and we have 10 cases that are pending. So, we have a total of 69."

Bowser also elaborated on the District's procedure for COVID-19 testing. If someone exhibits symptoms, including cough, fever, and shortness of breath, they should contact their physician and not go to a healthcare facility. If the doctor determines the individual needs to be tested, they can take samples with cotton swabs and send them to a private lab for testing. The lab will then notify the doctor, who will share the results with the individual. The lab will also notify D.C. Health of all COVID-19 test results, regardless if they are positive or not.

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Earlier in the day, the District sent telework guidance to all of its employees.

"Approximately 53 percent of the District's workforce will be teleworking beginning next week," said City Administrator Rashad Young, during the press conference. "We have contingency plans and operational plans in place to try to limit the amount of public interaction that is required for agencies that have to maintain an operational posture."

Some agencies will have 100 percent telework, while others will be operating under a modified telework schedule, which means some employees will need to report to their office because they perform essential services.

"Some of our agencies, primarily our public safety and public works related agencies, will not telework because all of their employees are deemed essential," Young said.

On Friday, leaders at each of the agencies provided specific telework guidance to their employees.

"We will update our telework guidance as appropriate, but we expect those employees to begin teleworking on Monday, March 16," Young said.

Dr. Jennifer Smith, director of the Department of Forensic Sciences, reported that there have been no new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in the District.

"We still remain at 10 positive cases," Smith said. "We have done additional testing. We now have 49 negative cases and we have 10 cases that are pending. So, we have a total of 69."

The D.C. City Council will be introducing an emergency bill at its meeting on Tuesday, March 17 to address proposals to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. Since it's an emergency bill, it won't need congressional review and would go into effect immediately for 90 days.

"We're looking at what kind of relief we can provide to businesses," said Chairman Phil Mendelson. "We're looking at tax deferrals, which are in essence an interest-free loan to businesses, so that they do not have liquidity problems within the next couple of months."

The Council is also looking at measures that would provide relief to individuals.

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