Coronavirus Update: Mayor Issues Stay-At-Home Order

Dear Neighbors,

Today, Mayor Bowser issued a stay-at-home order for District residents and workers starting on April 1st. This order, in joining with similar restrictions just announced in Maryland and Virginia, comes at a time when the District has over 400 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and has experienced 9 resident deaths. The restrictions outlined in the Mayor's Order largely mirrors her previous guidance on practicing safe social distancing and staying at home whenever possible. This is not an order to remain homebound or to shelter in place, it is the next step in the effort to reduce resident travel, and thus reduce exposure and the spread of this highly contagious and volatile virus.

Specifically, residents may leave their residences to:

Engage in essential activities (such as grocery shopping and shopping for household goods, obtaining medical care that cannot be provided through tele-health, etc.)
Perform or access essential governmental functions
Work at essential businesses
Engage in essential travel (Note: Ride-sharing vehicles are restricted to no more than two passengers at a time. Drivers must also have disinfecting wipes in their vehicles and must wipe down all surfaces potentially touched by a passenger after each ride)
Engage in allowable recreational activities (such as going for a walk or run, dog-walking, cycling, gardening, playing tennis, and other activities that are compliant with social distancing requirements)

And this isn't an order without enforcement. Those who willfully violate the stay-at-home order may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.

To read the order in its entirety, please see coronavirus.dc.goc/stay-home.

As we work to prepare for the peak of this pandemic that is expected to hit in the next couple weeks, it is critical that everyone heed these directives now in order to prevent the further spread of this virus. As the graphic below shows, we all have the capability to reduce the community's exposure and to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please help us in reducing harm by staying home.

Regards,

Mary