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Friend --
I want to share a quick update today on two new
changes in how the District is responding to and slowing the spread of
the novel coronavirus that are now in effect. At the top, I want to
also note the Mayor extended the Public Health Emergency through
October 9 (and may have to again as we move into the fall).
Let's run through both changes. But before we do, I want to spend a
moment on why these are so critical. When the pandemic was first
hitting the District in the spring, I often wrote to you about why we
had to make certain decisions and stressed that due to lags in virus
transmission and testing, the steps we took one day wouldn’t show up
in terms of results for about two weeks later. So we all asked for
patience as actions taken showed up in COVID testing a few weeks
later.
That remains true, but I want to speak to the bigger challenge in
this moment as we see COVID spiking in many parts of our country, and
a slow but steady increase here in the District. This is no longer
about trying to flatten the curve or improve metrics two weeks from
now. The failure of leadership and response at the federal level has
cost time, lives, jobs, and more. The actions we take now are crucial
to determining if we can have any form of return or recovery this fall
and winter. From a public heath perspective and looking at the data
spiking from so many other parts of our country, the time has
almost passed in our ability to control COVID spread before the
“normal” flu season begins in a few months. Our actions right
now, and in the weeks to come, will determine what recovery looks like
and will have a deep impact on decisions ranging from schools and
small businesses, to Election Day and family holidays. So please take
these new rules on masks and travel seriously. No less than our
ability to manage the District’s recovery this fall and winter hangs
in the balance.
 Masks: In
a new order last week, the Mayor strengthened the language and
requirements around wearing a mask when you leave home. Wearing a mask
is the most impactful way that you and I can help slow the spread of
the novel coronavirus and help us return to as much "normal" as we can
in the short term. Wearing a mask works. Period. The new language
permits MPD and other government agencies to issue fines for not
wearing a mask when in close proximity to other people, even for just
a "fleeting moment."
But I want to emphasize wearing a mask shouldn't be something done
only to avoid punishment. It is a highly-effective public health
measure. Along with washing your hands and keeping your distance,
wearing a mask will allow us to restrict the spread and get more of
our economy working again. If you are tired of all of these
restrictions, wear a mask. It is as simple as that.
Here are the the times when you are exempted from wearing a
mask:
a. A person is a resident or guest in a
private home or apartment;
b. A person is actually eating, drinking, or
legally smoking (NOTE this is only while actively eating and drinking,
please wear your mask even when seated if you're waiting to be served
or to get the check. Do your part to help protect the staff and fellow
patrons);
c. A person is engaged in vigorous outdoor
exercise and is maintaining social distance of at least six feet from
each other person;
d. A person is in the water at a swimming
pool;
e. A person is in an enclosed office that no
one else is permitted to enter;
f. A person is aged two years old or
younger;
g. A person is unable to wear a mask due to a
medical condition or disability, or is physically unable to remove a
mask;
h. A person is giving a speech for broadcast
or an audience, provided no one is within six feet of the
speaker;
i. A deaf or hard of hearing person needs to
read the lips of a speaker;
j. The equipment required for a job precludes
the wearing of a mask and the person is wearing that equipment, or
when wearing a mask would endanger public safety;
k. A person has been lawfully asked to remove
the mask for facial recognition purposes.
Travel to High-Risk States Requires Quarantine:
Beginning today, the District
of Columbia is requiring residents or visitors alike to
self-quarantine for 14 days when returning from 27 states, which
are defined as a COVID-19 "hot spot." This list of states will be
updated every two weeks. What does that mean?
Persons who are self-quarantining after non-essential travel
must:
- Stay at their residence or in a hotel room, leaving only for
essential medical appointments or treatment or to obtain food and
other essential goods when the delivery of food or other essential
goods to their residence or hotel is not feasible;
- Not invite or allow guests, other than caregivers, into their
quarantined residence or hotel room; and
- Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek appropriate medical
advice or testing if COVID-19 symptoms arise.
Persons returning to the District after essential travel, or
arriving in the District for essential travel must:
- Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-quarantine and seek
medical advice or testing if they show symptoms of COVID-19; and
- Limit their activities involving contact with other persons for
fourteen (14) days to the purposes that exempted them from the
self-quarantine requirement to the extent possible.
High-Risk
states currently on the travel quarantine list:
Arkansas
Arizona
Alabama
California
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New
Mexico
North Carolina
North
Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
South
Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
Testing: I'll just plug here that testing
is available. I've raised concerns that results are taking too
much time to be useful, but have also heard from Ward 6 residents who
have gotten their test results in just a few days. Let me know if your
test results are delayed more than a week (and be sure to keep an eye
on your email's spam folder).
Be safe, give each other space and patience - we're all in this
together, and we're all dealing with the stress and anxiety of life in
a pandemic at different times. Communicating in the right way can make
all of the difference.
Charles Allen
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