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Coronavirus Update: Vaccines, Holiday Pause, & DCPS
Dear Neighbors,
Last week, two of the District's most prominent front line workers, DC Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt and Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly, were vaccinated against COVID-19 at a broadcast event along with other urgent care workers. Mayor Bowser has also committed to receiving her first vaccine dose publicly, but will await her turn on the vaccine distribution priority list. Persistent apprehension over vaccines has been a significant public health concern in recent years, which is why these public vaccination events will be so important in terms of building trust and demonstrating the proven safety and efficacy of vaccinations. And the science is clear: vaccines have been and continue to be one of our best defenses against debilitating, disabling, and deadly diseases—and they may very well be our best chance to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. As we expect the general population to begin receiving vaccines by April next year, we must all remain vigilant in our own mask wearing, hand washing, and maintaining social distance when outside of the home.
Unfortunately, local coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have spiked in recent weeks, leading Mayor Bowser to enact temporary restrictions on certain activities and business operations through the holiday season. Beginning at 10:00 pm tonight:
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Restaurants will no longer be permitted to host indoor dining (delivery, take-out, and outdoor dining will still be permitted), and outdoor dining structures will only be permitted to have up to two side flaps or walls.
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Workers at non-essential or non-retail businesses who are not needed for in-person operations will be required to telework. Non-essential retail businesses, such as book stores, gift shops, or clothing stores, will be required to reduce indoor capacity to 25% or no more than 250 people.
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Libraries will cease indoor operations, but will continue curbside pickup and book drop-off services.
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The Department of Parks and Recreation will also stop all indoor group activities and classes, but will continue individual reservations for swimming and fitness rooms.
The above changes will remain in effect until 5:00 am on January 15th, 2021. This "holiday pause" will undoubtedly be challenging for our local business community, so please continue to frequent and support our beloved restaurants and small businesses. This means continuing take out and delivery options, purchasing gift cards, and by tipping generously. And, in Ward 3, there's perhaps no better place to learn about the many ways to support small businesses than with our strong network of Main Streets.
Regards,
Mary
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Please see coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates & resources on COVID-19
The Public Health Emergency has been extended through March 21st, 2021
If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or she may sign up through marycheh.com
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DCPS Aims for In-Person Learning in Term 3 |
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Agreement Reached - After weeks of negotiations, DC Public Schools (DCPS) and the Washington Teacher's Union reached an agreement to bring more students back for in-person learning in Term 3 to begin on February 1st. Additional reopening safety protocols and protections will be put in place, and DCPS will be required to report positive coronavirus cases to the public, staff, and families.
As cases continue to rise across the country, it is difficult to know exactly what the local case data will look like in a month's time. Our limited CARE classrooms have already encountered numerous operational and safety challenges, with a dozen schools, including two Ward 3 schools (Stoddert and Key), returning to virtual learning this month due to positive cases reported in the building. The State Board of Education has also recently made an appeal to the Executive to consider implementing outdoor learning options as more students return to school. And to help support individual school-level decision making, each school has established a Reopen Community Corps to guide the reopening planning process.
As we progress to Term 3, the DCPS ReOpen Strong website (available: here) continues to be the best resource for families for immediate important school updates.
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Mayor Bowser Nominates Robert J. Contee for Police Chief |
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From DCist - Bowser Picks Longtime Police Official Robert J. Contee To Be D.C.’s Next Police Chief
"Mayor Muriel Bowser will nominate longtime police official Robert J. Contee III to lead the Metropolitan Police Department in the wake of Chief Peter Newsham’s planned departure for the Prince William County Police Department.
Contee, who joined MPD in 1989, is currently the department’s Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau. According to his official biography on the department’s website, Contee, who was born and raised in D.C., served as a patrol officer and led three of the city’s seven police districts during his 31-year time on the force."
Read the Full Story
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DC's Vaccine Distribution Plan at a Glance |
Get Vaccinated DC - Since receiving the first batch of vaccine doses, the District has already administered over 4,500 doses of coronavirus vaccine. And, in an incredible show of regional cooperation, Maryland and Virginia have announced that they will each provide 8,000 doses of vaccine from their own federal allotment to the District in support of our front line healthcare workers. This news could not come at a more welcome time: to date, 744 District residents have lost their lives to this virus and 26,900 residents are currently fighting the disease.
As noted in a previous newsletter, the District's Vaccination Plan is available in its entirety online: COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Based on the determined priority groups, DC Health has noted that the general public should expect to be vaccinated in the March to April time frame. Pictured below are the priority groups for the first phase of vaccine distribution:
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To help us better understand the how coronavirus is spreading across the District, DC Health is publishing Outbreak and Exposure Activity data collected by the agency's contact tracing team. This data provides a strong visualization of how the risks of certain activities such as travel, dining out, and attending social events interplay with our increasing case numbers. If you'd like to examine this data set, it is available online: here. |
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2020 Visitor Parking Passes Extended into 2021 |
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Visitor Parking Passes to Rollover to 2021 - The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has announced that residents will be able to use their current 2020 Visitor Parking Pass (VPP) into 2021. DDOT also plans to launch a streamlined digital parking permit program in the next year.
Residents who are new to the District or need a replacement VPP (due to damage or loss) should visit their local Police Department precinct to request a temporary parking pass.
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Wrap & Recycle Responsibly this Holiday Season |
'Tis the Season to Recycle - The Department of Public Works's (DPW) Zero Waste Office has put together the above graphic as a helpful guide for holiday wrapping and packaging disposal. Reusing wrappings for the next celebration will always be the most sustainable option, but it is also important to know what types of wrappings can and cannot be recycled to help reduce contamination in the recycling stream.
Here are some other holiday recycling tips:
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Holiday lights and ribbons are not recyclable and should not be placed in your blue bin
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Mom's Organic Market locations are collecting holiday lights for special recycling from now until January 31st. For more information, please see: Recycle with Mom's Organic Market
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Packaging for most cooking ingredients can be recycled, this includes carton items for broth, eggnog, milk, and juice
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If you can separate the greens from their wire, natural wreaths and garland can be composted or mulched along with your holiday tree
If you have more questions on how to best recycle, reuse, or safely dispose of your waste, please see the What Goes Where tool for more tips and suggestions.
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A Behind the Scenes Look: The Chevy Chase Main Street |
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From The Forest Hills Connection - In five months’ time, a new Chevy Chase Main Street has been funded, then defunded, then saved
"Every story needs heroes. And every piece of legislation needs advocates willing to not just fight for its passage, but to make sure it gets funded and ultimately enacted. The story of Chevy Chase Main Street is no exception."
Read the Full Story
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Become a Snow Team Hero - Volunteering with Serve DC's Snow Team is a wonderful way to help neighbors in need while also keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice. The DC Volunteer Snow Team program matches volunteers with senior residents and those with access and functional needs for snow removal services in the aftermath of a winter storm. Volunteers are deployed when there are 4 or more inches of snow.
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For anyone interested in helping our Ward 3 seniors and those with mobility needs this winter, please sign up to volunteer here: Serve DC
Hypothermia Resources - Now that we're heading into some more serious winter weather, here are some important resources to keep on hand:
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Hypothermia alerts are activated when the temperature forecast is 32°F or below or when the forecast is 40°F or below and the chance of precipitation is 50% or greater
- If you see someone experiencing homelessness in need of emergency shelter or other resources, please call the District's Shelter Hotline at 202-399-7093
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Sign up to receive weather/emergency alerts (by email or text) with Alert DC at http://alertdc.dc.gov/
- If you see an animal in need or a pet left outside during extreme weather, please report it to the Humane Rescue Alliance's s emergency hotline at 202-723-5730
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Follow the Department of Public Works's snow plows and winter response vehicles in real time during and after a storm: https://snow.dc.gov/page/about-track-our-plows
Free Winterization Kits - The Public Service Commission (PSC) is offering residents free home winterization kits to help save energy and reduce energy bills this winter.
Winterization kits include:
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Door and window weatherstripping (5-10% energy savings)
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4-pack foam pipe insulation (3-4% annual energy savings)
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Foam switch and outlet gadgets (minimizing air leaks can reduce heating and cooling bills by as much as 20%)
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3-pack window insulation shrink kit (12.2% energy savings)
Request Your Weatherization Kit by calling 202-626-5120 or by putting in a request online at: https://dcpsc.org/winterreadydc.
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Shop in the District - Developed by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development and the Washington DC Economic Partnership, Shop in the District is a website that brings together some of D.C.’s best local small retailers in one place.
To discover neighborhood-specific shops, curated gift guides, trending products, and more, please visit: shopinthedistrict.com.
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From the Kojo Nnamdi Show - Supporting Local Business Safely This Holiday Season
The holiday season usually means a spike in revenue for small business owners. But this year, they’re being met with a spike of COVID-19 cases — and shoppers who may no longer be in a position to spend big for the holidays.
We discuss how we can still get into the holiday spirit this winter while staying safe and supporting local business.
Listen to the Full Segment
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DC Among the First to Enter Transportation & Climate Initiative |
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From The Washington Post - The District, three states sign agreement to curb transportation emissions
"After years of negotiations, the District of Columbia and three Northeastern states have signed a landmark agreement aimed at substantially curbing emissions from gasoline and diesel over the next decade, targeting the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gases.
The District is joining Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in committing to cap and reduce transportation pollution by 26 percent by 2032 and promising to invest in clean transportation and public health in communities that have been disproportionately affected by climate change."
Read the Full Story
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Ending this Update on a Happy Note:
Incoming Female-Majority Council Joins Team Rayceen
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Female Majority - This January, for the first time since 1999, women will constitute a majority on the Council of the District of Columbia. Councilmember Cheh joined her colleagues and newly elected members of the Council for a discussion with Rayceen Pendarvis and Krylios for a special Women of the Council Forum with Team Rayceen. To watch the discussion, please either click here or on the video above. |
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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 reach us via phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.
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