D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday signed an executive order strengthening the city’s mask requirement as coronavirus metrics trend upward in the District.
“In most cases, if you are outside of your house, you should have a mask on,” Miss Bowser said at a press conference in the Old Council Chambers at One Judiciary Square. “This is for emphasis … if you are going out, wear a mask, because if you come into six foot of somebody else, this is going to protect them and all of us.”
The mayor’s order requires everyone to wear a mask when leaving their homes with exceptions for children under the age of 3, vigorous exercise, eating or drinking outside, and if someone is alone in an office space.
The Metropolitan Police Department is authorized to issue fines to those who don’t comply, but Miss Bowser said the police won’t be able to make everyone do what they are supposed to do.
The D.C. Department of Health (DOH) reported 102 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday, the highest number of new cases reported in one day since early June. No deaths were reported.
DOH Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt said at the press conference that she is concerned about the community spread metric, which is measured by date of symptom onset and the fact that a number of cases aren’t connected to each other.
She said that the new peaks the District experienced in early July, when about 60 people reported symptom onset, are higher than the number of people who reported symptoms at the start of phase 2 of the reopening, which was about 40.
Dr. Nesbitt also reported that 66% of the cases confirmed between July 1 and July 20 were people under 40, and contact tracing shows that these individuals are engaging in nonessential activities, such as traveling to hotspot areas. Before July 1, Dr. Nesbitt said, it was just over 40%.
“We are all pretty sick of dealing with the pandemic, we are four months in, people are tired and, in some cases, are letting down their guards, but we all want to get on the other side of this virus, so it is important we remain vigilant,” Miss Bowser said.
