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Friend --
 Today, the Mayor announced a big change and an
important step in protecting the health of DC residents from COVID-19
and the threat from the delta variant. The District has rapidly moved
into substantial community spread, positive cases are surging, and we
need to urgently take action. Beginning Sept 19, all DC government
employees (and paid contractors and grantees of the District) must be
vaccinated against COVID-19 or will be required to undergo weekly
testing. This is a move I’ve called for before and fully support.
So what does this mean? Let’s start with our schools. We are less
than three weeks away from the first day of the new school year for
most students. And while we need to get every student age 12 and up
vaccinated, there is no vaccine available yet for kids under the age
of 12. That makes it all the more important for every adult in those
kids’ lives to be vaccinated. And in the event someone isn’t
vaccinated, we need to assure these students and families that those
individuals are regularly tested to prevent and reduce the chance of
infection. The news today will apply to DC Public Schools.
 If you’re a parent or student at a charter
school, the Mayor’s authority to require this change doesn’t extend to
that workforce. However, I certainly hope that we will see charter
schools follow this lead and I would encourage each one to take this
step as soon as possible. For parents in early childcare settings,
many childcare facilities are DC government contractors and this will
apply to many of those sites, but I would recommend you contact your
childcare provider to ask about their specific requirements in
response to this announcement.
I'll add here that in our
schools and childcare settings, I also want to see the District ensure
periodic asymptomatic testing and clear communication protocols in
place when a staff member or student tests positive.
While schools are on a lot of people’s minds, this new requirement
will extend further to all DC government workers. When you think about
many ways you interact with your government – a responding firefighter
or paramedic, a visit to the DMV for a car inspection, an application
for assistance with DHS -- you are interacting with front-line workers
where you may not have a choice about a remote and online visit. It’s
therefore incumbent on government to create the safest possible
interaction for you.
To all our government employees, union leadership, public and
private partners, I’m grateful to you for stepping up to meet this
challenge. This is a necessary step and one we need to take
together.
It is my hope that this mandate will create the momentum for more
and more of our private businesses to follow suit (already
several bars and restaurants have instituted a requirement). The
vaccines have proven effective against the delta variant - while
vaccinated individuals can get COVID-19, the vaccine is remarkably
effective at protecting you against the most serious health impacts in
most cases. That's why, in areas with high vaccination rates, you can
see cases go up, but you likely aren't seeing a corresponding rise in
hospitalizations and deaths, thankfully. For the moment, that includes
DC.
 Whether you are mandated or not, we all have a
part to play:
- If you haven’t already, get vaccinated. Make a plan today.
Seriously. Here’s how: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/page/get-vaccinated
- Whether you’re vaccinated or not, wear a mask when you go indoors.
It’s not just about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting others
and those you love.
- Not sure if you’ve been exposed or showing some symptoms? Take a
test. There are many ways to get a free test: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/testing
- Keep a photo of your vaccination card handy as we can expect more
and more places to ask for proof as federal and local regulations
update.
I know that no one is excited about taking these steps. It’s been a
long year and a half. But these are the necessary and right moves to
make. We have lost loved ones, seen communities devastated, watched
local businesses shutter, and more. We owe it to all of them, and we
owe it to each other, to take these steps.
Thanks so much and let me know if you have any questions.
Charles Allen
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