During her daily COVID-19 briefing on May 22, 2020, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that she might order a Phase I reopening of the District of Columbia on June 1, 2020. The announcement was based on the recommendations of the ReOpen DC Advisory Group, which Mayor Bowser formed in late April 2020. Former Ambassador Susan Rice and former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff co-chair the Group. Several subgroups examined critical issues, including real estate and construction, public safety, restaurants and food, transportation and infrastructure, education and child care, retail and small business, hotels, entertainment, and sports. The Group also evaluated equity and vulnerable populations.
The Mayor emphasized that the Group will consider the following factors before the District proceeds with a Phase I reopening:
- A decline in the level of community spread of COVID-19 infection
- Sufficient healthcare capacity to treat COVID-19 patients
- Sufficient testing capacity to test all priority groups
- Sufficient contact tracing capacity for all new cases and their close contacts.
If these criteria are met, the District will move to Phase I reopening. The following would be allowed under Phase I:
- Curbside and delivery service by non-essential retail establishments
- Opening restaurants with outdoor seating; will require physical distancing and other safeguards
- Opening hotels with the proper safeguards
- Opening barbershops and hair salons operating by appointment only, with strong safeguards and physical distancing
The following restrictions will remain in place:
- Bars, nightclubs, gyms and health clubs, indoor entertainment venues, and museums will remain closed
- Large gatherings will remain prohibited
- Distance learning only for K-12 and adult education
Finally, teleworking will be strongly encouraged.
Mayor Bowser will provide an update on a possible Phase I reopening on May 29, 2020.
Click here for more information about how to get back to business as usual while adapting to the new realities imposed by COVID-19.
Click the links for details on the ReOpen DC Advisory Group and its recommendations to the Mayor for moving beyond the Phase I reopening, and Mayor Bowser's May 21, 2020 coronavirus situational update.
Click here for more information about how to get back to business as usual while adapting to the new realities imposed by COVID-19.