Trayon White, Sr.
Councilmember, Ward 8

(Washington, DC) – The DC Department of Health announces a third death in the District due to coronavirus (COVID-19). The patient, a 75-year-old female, was admitted to a hospital with underlying health conditions and passed away on March 25. She tested positive for COVID-19 and was included among the District’s reporting data.

“Each of these deaths is tragic, and we continue to pray for all the families who have lost a loved one as well as all the people in our community who have been sickened or affected by COVID-19,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “As we continue working to blunt the curve, my message to the community is simple: Be a good neighbor, stay at home.”

As of 7:30 pm on Wednesday, March 25, the District’s coronavirus (COVID-19) data includes 48 new positive cases, bringing the District’s overall positive case total to 231 individuals.

• 8-week-old male
• 18-year-old male
• 24-year-old male
• 26-year-old female
• 27-year-old male
• 28-year-old male
• 30-year-old male
• 30-year-old male
• 30-year-old male
• 30-year-old female
• 31-year-old male
• 31-year-old male
• 32-year-old female
• 32-year-old male
• 34-year-old male
• 35-year-old female
• 35-year-old female
• 38-year-old male
• 39-year-old male
• 39-year-old female
• 40-year-old female
• 41-year-old female
• 41-year-old male
• 41-year-old male
• 42-year-old male
• 42-year-old female
• 42-year-old female
• 42-year-old female
• 45-year-old female
• 45-year-old female
• 45-year-old male
• 46-year-old male
• 47-year-old female
• 48-year-old female
• 49-year-old male
• 50-year-old male
• 51-year-old male
• 51-year-old male
• 53-year-old female
• 54-year-old male
• 54-year-old female
• 54-year-old male
• 57-year-old male
• 59-year-old female
• 65-year-old-female
• 68-year-old male
• 69-year-old female
• 75-year-old male

With ongoing community transmission, contact tracing is focused on positive cases associated with healthcare workers (including first responders), senior care facilities, correctional and detention centers, childcare facilities, and facilities serving individuals who are experiencing homelessness. Guidance has been published for healthcare providers, employers and the public to provide information on what to do if you have been diagnosed with or are a contact of someone who has COVID-19.

District residents are encouraged to continue practicing social distancing and take the following actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Stay home when you are sick
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a trash
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

For more information on the District’s response, visit coronavirus.dc.gov.

Coming Soon

George Washington Hospital

The George Washington University Hospital plans to offer a drive-thru testing system that will focus on the symptomatic community requiring non-emergent testing. The hours for this testing site will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additionally, they plan to coordinate another drive-thru in the East End in the coming weeks.

GW and UMC Collaboration

The District of Columbia Government will be launching a drive-thru testing site on the campus of United Medical Center in the coming weeks.

The leadership of United Medical Center has offered the use of substantial space on their campus that can be used without disruption to their operations and patient care, including emergency services. District government will partner with a local health system to provide the clinical support. The DC Government will provide testing through the District’s Public Health Lab.

Need a COVID-19 Right Away?

Doctors decide on COVID-19 testing. If an individual is experiencing symptoms including cough, fever, and shortness of breath, they should consult their doctor before visiting. If their doctor decides that a COVID-19 test is warranted, the doctor has the ability to swab the appropriate areas and send the swabs to a private lab for testing or to work with DC Health to send it to the District’s Public Health Lab. The private lab will share results with the doctor who will share the results with the individual. The private lab will also alert DC Health of all COVID-19 test results, regardless of whether the test is positive or negative.

If any medical providers need assistance with testing, they are encouraged to reach out to DC Health.

Priority Groups for Testing

The District has identified three priority groups for testing, which are aligned with those identified by the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS):

• Hospitalized patients and healthcare facility workers with COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. This ensures optimal care options for all hospitalized patients, lessens the risk of healthcare-associated infections, and maintains the integrity of the U.S. healthcare system. Many of the patients in this group are currently receiving testing within hospitals and through their health systems’ occupational health programs.
• Patients in long-term care facilities with symptoms; patients over the age of 65 with symptoms; patients with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease who also have symptoms; and first responders with symptoms. This priority ensures those at highest risk of complication of infection are rapidly identified and appropriately triaged.
• Critical infrastructure workers with symptoms; individuals who do not meet any of the above categories but have symptoms; healthcare facility workers and first responders; and individuals in detention centers and individuals experiencing homelessness with symptoms. This priority will allow us to test individuals, decrease community spread, and ensure the health of essential workers.

Drive-thru/Walk-up Currently Operating

Children’s National Health System

To reduce the number of visits by families to emergency departments for COVID-19 testing, Children’s National Health System opened a drive-thru/walk-up location where primary care doctors in the region can refer young patients for COVID-19 specimen collection and testing. The site location, donated by Trinity Washington University in Northwest DC, can safely test children and young adults through 22 years of age who have been identified by their pediatrician or other primary care doctor as having symptoms of COVID-19. The specimens are collected and sent offsite to the program’s laboratory partner, Quest Diagnostics, for testing.

Referral needed? 

Yes. Community pediatricians and other primary care doctors use their clinical judgement to determine who they refer to the drive-thru/walk-up location. They may choose to refer patients who are either at an increased risk for developing severe symptoms due to the child’s underlying medical condition or because the child has an immediate family member who is in a high-risk category. All referred patients receive the necessary paperwork and directions to access the drive-through and walk-up site from their referring physician. When arriving at the site, photo identification and the referral form are required to enter. All results are communicated back to the family by the referring doctor within three to five days.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente has established a walk-up/drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Washington, DC near their Capitol Hill Medical Center, which is located at 700 2nd Street, NE. They also have five (5) additional drive-up clinics in the mid-Atlantic region.

Referral needed?

Yes. All Kaiser Permanente testing sites are for their members and require a doctor’s order and appointment.

DC Small Business Recovery Microgrants

Mayor Bowser and the Council of the District of Columbia are investing $25 million in the COVID-19 Recovery Effort and the DC Small Business Recovery Microgrants Program, which will be housed in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. 

Pursuant to the “COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020” effective March 17, 2020 (D.C. Act 23-247), the DC Small Business Recovery Microgrants Program will offer grants to small, local businesses, independent contractors, self-employed individuals, and nonprofits to meet their short-term financial needs. The grant can cover employee wages and benefits (including fringe benefits associated with employment, such as health insurance), accounts payable, fixed costs, inventory, rent, and utilities.

**Application closes at 6:00pm on Tuesday, March 31st**

 Determine If Are You Eligible

Here's How to Apply

• Small Business, Independent Contractor, & Self-Employed | Apply Here 
• Non-profits | Apply Here

Have questions or need assistance? 

• For questions about the application or required documentation, please email [email protected]
• For technical assistance with the application system, please email [email protected]
• For all other general inquiries, please contact us through the COVID-19 Business Inquiry Form