Health Equity

Yesterday, District Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a new order extending the District's public health emergency through June 8.

The order also includes an extension of the "stay-at-home" order for residents except for exempt purposes. The mayor's order did permit certain stores and markets to apply for a waiver to operate during the public health emergency.

The order also requires all individuals to wear a face covering or mask if engaged in essential business or minimum basic operations if other people are present, or if social distance cannot be maintained. Face coverings would not be required for children under 9 (although those over 2 are encouraged to wear a mask), during recreational activities if social distance cannot be maintained, or those with a disability preventing wearing a mask.

Physician offices, medical appointments, and seeking treatment for medical care continue to be essential business, allowing physician practices to remain open if possible.

The mayor again outlined the four criteria her administration is seeking to gauge when to begin winding down the public health emergency:

• 14-day sustained decrease in community spread
  Transmission rate of fewer than 1.0 for three days
  
• Testing Capacity
  Ability to test the following groups: symptomatic, at-risk health care workers, essential workers, and close contacts of all new positive cases
  
• Health Care System Capacity
  Less than 80% health care capacity (without medical surge) over seven-day period
  
• Public Health System Capacity
  Contact tracing attempt of new cases within one day, and contact tracing attempt of their close contacts within two days

“The continued sacrifices by residents and businesses are saving lives and helping us get to the other side of this incredibly difficult time for our city,” said Mayor Bowser. “Together, by staying home a little longer, soon we will be able to reopen DC safely and sustainably.”