June 15, 2020

Coronavirus Update: Phase II, Licensing, & Summer Meals

Dear Neighbors,

At the start of the month, it was reported that the District could enter Phase II of the reopening plan as early as this Friday, June 19th. And today Mayor Bowser confirmed that later this week she will provide an update on the District's readiness to advance into Phase II. Of course, any transition will be determined in consultation with DC Health as to whether the District's Phase II metrics have been met. These metrics include the sustained decrease in community spread, a low positivity rate in testing, adequate healthcare system capacity, and contact tracing capacity. The new online dashboard, dubbed the 'ReOpening Tracker,' provides a more in-depth look at that data. Today we can celebrate the good news that the District has not experienced any additional deaths in the past two days, but it is important to remember that the District has already lost 515 lives to this virus and there are currently 9,799 known positive cases in our community. To help advise those attending the protests on how to do so as safely as possible, DC Health has issued Mass Gathering Guidance as well as expanded the free, walk-up testing sites at local firehouses (more information below).

And on the topic of the protests and calls for police reform and budgetary change, I would like to encourage residents to submit public testimony on the Metropolitan Police Department's budget to the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. If you missed today's public hearing on the matter, I will link that footage: here. The Committee's deadline to submit public testimony is 5:30 pm tomorrow, June 16th—so now is the time to share your thoughts, expertise, and perspective on the Judiciary budget ahead of the committee mark up next week.

Regards,

Mary

Please see coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates & resources on COVID-19

If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or she may sign up through marycheh.com or by emailing [email protected]

The District's Free Summer Meal Sites are Open!

Free Student Meals - The District's free summer meals program for children begins today! These free and nutritious meals are distributed at various schools and recreation centers across the District in an effort to combat childhood hunger during the summer months when students do not have access to free/reduced school meals. While this is separate effort from the community grocery distribution sites, some locations will provide both free groceries for families and healthy meals for District children ages 18 and under.

Ward 3's Free Summer Meals site is open Monday through Friday from 10 am - 2 pm at Wilson High School (3950 Chesapeake Street NW)

For a comprehensive list of all free summer meal sites, including hours of operation, please see: Summer Meal Sites of 2020.

Driver Licenses & REAL ID during COVID-19

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has provided the following updates on the status of expired licenses and REAL ID requirements during the coronavirus emergency:

Expired Licenses - It is still legal to drive in the District, drive anywhere in the country, and board a plane for domestic travel with an expired license. The Mayor has extended all expiring licenses issued in the District throughout the entire health emergency and for 45 days after the emergency. If a resident is stopped for driving with an expired license, he/she should cite the Mayor's Order and emergency legislation passed by the Council that provides residents with the lawful license extension. The DMV has specifically coordinated with Maryland and Virginia as it relates to these extensions, and, as coronavirus is a national issue, most states have completed or issued a very similar extension for their residents.

REAL ID Extension & Domestic Flights - The state license expiration extensions are so expansive that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued the following guidance for expired licenses and ID Cards: TSA will accept expired driver’s licenses or state-issued ID a year after expiration. If your driver's license or state-issued ID expired on or after March 1, 2020, and you are unable to renew at your state driver’s license agency, you may still use it as acceptable identification at a TSA checkpoint.

• The Department of Homeland Security recently extended the deadline to obtain a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to October 1st, 2021

Additional Firehouses Now Open For Free, Walk-Up Testing

New Firehouse Testing Resources - Since the launch of the free walk-up firehouse COVID-19 testing sites, testing in the District has increased from 1,534 tests per week to over 5,000. Of course, many residents have also noticed that this expansion in testing access has also resulted in long wait times at the firehouses. To respond to this high demand, the District has expanded the number of firehouse testing sites and will now open four firehouses per day, Monday through Saturday. These are free walk-up testing sites and do not require an appointment.

• Beginning Tuesday, June 16th, firehouse testing criteria will be expanded to include free testing for children ages 6 and up
• Children's National will continue to provide drive-through and walk-up testing for pediatric patients with a physician's referral

Firehouse Testing: Commonly Asked Questions

What is the process for COVID-19 testing?

• You will receive a nasal swab. During this test you may feel some discomfort, including nose irritation or minor bleeding. All are normal.

When will my results be ready?

• After testing, an individual will learn results within 3-5 days. After the test, the individual will receive a letter with the information on how to receive your results.

Who will be processing this information?

• The DC Public Health Laboratory is processing the tests taken at this site. DC Health will have access to your test results. For patient privacy, results are NOT be available via phone.

Public Antibody Testing - DC Health is providing free COVID-19 antibody testing for residents at the Navy Yard testing site. At this time, antibody testing requires an appointment. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-855-363-0333.

A Senior-Driven Effort to Support Front Line Medical Workers

Georgetown University Hospital

• Donation Link: https://www.giving.medstarhealth.org/mguh-senoirs-matter

Sibley Hospital Memorial Foundation

• Donation Link: https://sibleyfoundation29887.thankyou4caring.org/

Volunteer with Hand in Hand DC

Volunteer - If you would like to volunteer in assembling a Protest Pack, contact Hand in Hand DC on Instagram (@handinhandDC) or go to https://linktr.ee/HandinHandDC to sign up for a volunteer shift.

Donate Items - Protest Pack item donations may be dropped off this Tuesday, June 16th and Thursday, June 18th from 11 am to 3 pm at New Bethel Baptist Church (1739 9th St NW). Parking is available in the back, please use the gate marked 'volunteers and donations.' Donation items include:

• Food/Drink: Water bottles, Gatorade, fruit snacks, granola bars, & squeezable apple sauce
• Hygiene Goods: Masks, hand sanitizer, wash clothes/small towels, bandages, alcohol pads/wipes, saline rinse, tissue packs, & first aid kits
• To help with pack assembly: Gallon sized ziplock bags & scissors

DC Public School Calendar for 2020-2021

School Schedule - Today, DC Public Schools (DCPS) released the DCPS’ academic calendar for School Year 2020-2021. While the calendar does not indicate the degree of remote/home learning verses classroom instruction, DCPS has added five instructional days (by reducing three staff professional development days) to accommodate as much in-person instruction as health conditions allow. The first day of school for students is Monday, August 31, 2020, and the last day for students is Thursday, June 24, 2021.

• The full SY20-21 calendar is available online: dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-calendars

Summer Bridge Program - DCPS is hosting a Summer Bridge program for students entering grades 3, 6, and 9. Should health conditions allow, Summer Bridge will take place in-person for two weeks in August (the 10th through 13th and 17th through 20th). This is an optional program that will require advanced registration, so please look for an additional announcement by DCPS next week.

Online Q&A with the Board of Elections

Zoom Call with the DC Board of Elections - The Board of Elections is inviting registered voters to participate in a virtual question and answer session with Board leadership to be held online by Zoom on Wednesday, June 17th from 11:30 am - 1 pm.

• To participate, register at: BOE Q&A

Please Note: This event is independent of the Judiciary's upcoming June 19th public hearing on the agency's mismanagement of the June 2nd primary election.

Celebrate Pride with the Humane Rescue Alliance

Humane Rescue Alliance Pride - June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and empower the LGBTQIA+ community. As part of that celebration, Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) will spotlight members of their team in the LGBTQIA+ community, from vet techs to adoption counselors. The video above features this month's first HRA spotlight, Anthony Waddell, who serves as the organization's Learning and Talent Development Manager.

Common Questions on the Stimulus PrePaid Debit Card

From the Washington Post - Stimulus prepaid debit card is causing a lot of confusion

"The good news is that many people have the right amount of skepticism about receiving unsolicited mail. The bad news is that some folks may have trashed a mailing that contained their stimulus payment thinking it was just a scam or junk mail. But what they received was a prepaid debit card loaded with the economic impact payments to individuals made available under the $2 trillion Cares Act...

Here are answers to some common questions about the economic impact payment (EIP) card."

Read the Full Story

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

In Case You Missed It: Ambassador Rice Calls for DC Statehood

For additional coverage of Ambassador Rice's call for Statehood, see MSNBC & The Hill

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to email the office directly or reach us via phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.

FOLLOW MARY