Bowser Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate Starting Tomorrow
by Larry Janezich
Posted December 20, 2021
Mayor Bowser announced the reinstatement at a scheduled 11:30am Situational Briefing on Monday. The Mayoral Order on the indoor mask mandate will begin at 6:30am on Tuesday and last until 6:00am on January 31, unless extended.
Other major points from the briefing are as follows:
- Beginning Wednesday, December 22, DC Health will launch the Test Yourself Express program. Residents will be able to pick up free at-home rapid antigen COVID 19 testing kits (results in 15 minutes) at 8 libraries across DC (none on Capitol Hill). Libraries will be open six days a week (Monday – Saturday) to distribute 1,000 kits per library per day and more available as the supply increases. Residents can get two free rapid test kits per day. Each kit contains two tests. Proof of residency will be required. Libraries: Pleasant, West End, Cleveland Park, Petworth, Woodridge, Shaw, Capitol View, and Anacostia
- 100,000 Rapid Antigen tests are being distributed to DCPS and DC public charter schools, to be used to support a safe return from winter break. Every school will receive enough tests for every student, teacher and staff member. DC Public Schools will be closed on Monday, January 3 and Tuesday January 4 to allow time for staff and families to pick up and use tests before returning to in person instruction.
- The Omicron variant currently accounts for less than 1% of cases in our region but is expected to increase over coming weeks. Sequencing to identify the virus looks back and takes up to 10 days.
- 64.9% of DC residents have received two doses of the vaccine – up from 63% one month earlier.
- Residents can continue to access free PCR (results in 1.5 days) at sites across the city including 8 firehouses one of which is Engine 8 at 1520 C Street, SE. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 2:30pm – 7:30pm and Saturday 12:00pm – 400pm. Nine additional Test Yourself DC pick up and drop off sites open at noon today, for a total of 36 sites, including Southeast Library at 403 7th Street, SE, and Northeast Library at 330 7th Street NE.
- All employees, contractors, interns, and grantees of DC Government must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 and must have a booster. No test out option. Specific deadline to be announced.
- New COVID Testing & Vaccination Centers will begin coming online in the second half of January with the goal of one center per ward.
Here’s the Mayor’s PowerPoint presentation: https://bit.ly/3FiQXm8
Here’s the entire Situational Briefing on Twitter: https://twitter.com/search?q=mayor%20bowser&src=typeahead_click
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 