Coronavirus Update:

New Grocery Store & Farmer's Market Guidelines

Dear Neighbors,

Last night, Mayor Bowser issued a Mayoral Order that implements new social distancing protocols for grocery stores, convenience stores, farmer's markets, and shoppers. Residents will now be required to wear a mask or mouth covering and maintain at least a 6 foot distance from other shoppers while at the supermarket. Food retailers will limit the number of customers shopping at a time and will mark safe waiting distances at check-out lines and any line that may form outside of the store. Grocers may also mark some aisles one-way or close certain check-out counters to reduce shopper congestion. They will also be required to provide the public with disinfecting wipes and/or hand sanitizer at every entrance and exit.

Farmer's markets must now obtain a waiver wherein they detail how they will meet the new social distancing requirements for their vendors and customers. These new requirements include the elimination of any on-site food preparation, pre-bagging items so they may be purchased in a "grab and go" fashion, and prohibiting customers from touching items before purchase. Social distancing requirements between shoppers also applies. I'd like to note that it is important for residents to heed the new requirements of this order, not only for your own protection, but to demonstrate that we are able to safely sustain our local farmers markets during the public health emergency. The Mayor is, appropriately, very serious about these rules and will close those markets that are not operating safely. The initial waivers are being issued for one week only to allow the Executive to determine if the rules are being followed. So, if you are going to a local farmer's market to shop or drop off compost, please do so safely.

Notably absent from this order is the requirement for specific protections that I think are necessary to best support our essential grocery store and supermarket employees. As I mentioned in my newsletter on Tuesday, I'd like to see these employees provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and free coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. These new guidelines do have some supports for employees, such as the installation of plexiglass dividers for cashiers and new cleaning protocols, but these are not sufficient protections for those who work at great risk of coronavirus exposure in order to keep our grocery stores open and operating. I'm very keen to see that our essential workers are properly protected and supported during this emergency, and I'll continue to push for these benefits.

To read the Mayoral Order in full, please see: Mayor's Order 2020-058.

Regards,

Mary

Please see coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates & resources on COVID-19

Violations of the Mayor's Order should be reported to 311

Make your Own Mask

From the New York Times - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that all Americans, healthy and sick, wear basic cloth masks in public — a result of concerns that as many as 25 percent of people infected with the new coronavirus may not show symptoms.

According to the CDC, cloth masks should:

Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
Be secured with ties or ear loops
Include multiple layers of fabric
Allow for breathing without restriction
Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

The New York Times has put together the following guide on how to make a face mask at home: How to Make a Face Mask: A sewing pattern for a fabric face mask made from common household materials.

A Quick Note on Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment Insurance Reminders - To date, the District has received 56,604 unemployment insurance (UI) claims and over 22,000 payments have already been made, totaling approximately $8.7 million in payments. Here are some quick reminders on the program:

Who is eligible: You are eligible for unemployment insurance if you lost your job, had a reduction in hours but are still working, if you are a tipped worker, if you’re a 1099 worker, or a sole proprietor with no employees.
Benefit Extension: UI benefits have been extended from 26 to 39 weeks.
When applicants will receive their federal UI payment: The additional $600 payments from the federal government are expected to begin on April 21st and will be retroactive. For those 1099 employees, those payments are expected to begin on April 28th.

For more UI resources, please see: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery-individuals

Download the Tenleytown Main Street App!

The Tenleytown Main Street has developed an app to help residents stay up-to-date on the latest Tenleytown business and restaurant news.

The app makes it easier for customers and businesses to connect through the searchable directory of local business updates, store hours, openings and closings, and special offers.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, this app can serve as a great resource for residents in search of pantry items, curbside pickup, no-contact delivery, family meals, wine delivery, online yoga or meditation classes, and all the services and goods that the Tenleytown business community has to offer.

The app is FREE and available for download from the App Store or on Google Play.

Seeking Fair Relief from Congress

Additional Outreach - Today, the Council sent an additional letter to House and Senate leadership to reiterate the demand that the District be provided with appropriate COVID-19 relief funding under the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and 96 of his U.S. House of Representative colleagues also released a letter today calling for the House to treat the District as a state for federal relief funding purposes. To read his letter to House leadership, please see: April 9th Letter to the Speaker and Minority Leader.

Federal Resources Available for District Residents - While the District was allocated insufficient state funding in the CARES Act, there are federal resources available for District residents in need.

Please see the following websites, FAQ pages, and resources shared by Congresswoman Norton below:

For information on the CARES Act (the federal stimulus bill), including resources on filing for unemployment, please visit: House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee
For detailed information on the economic impact payment (stimulus checks), please visit: IRS
For assistance with small businesses loans, please visit: SBA
Nonprofits and small businesses, please visit the House Committee on Small Business
For more on emergency paid leave, please visit: Department of Labor
For details on temporary relief on student loans, please visit: Federal Student Aid

Free COVID-19 Testing Available

The District is offering free, appointment-required COVID-19 testing for residents who receive a referral from a primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider and have experienced symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath and would like to be tested, please call the hotline number listed below, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Know Your Rights:

Unemployment Assistance, Paid Sick Leave, & Family and Medical Leave

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee Workers’ Rights Clinic is operating remotely to help workers in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any worker with an employment-related matter (including unpaid wages, discrimination or sexual harassment, family and medical leave act violations, sick leave violations, etc.) during the public health emergency are encouraged to contact the Workers’ Rights Clinic.

To contact the clinic or schedule a telephone legal intake appointment, please call (202) 319-1000 x 118 or email [email protected].

Update: DPW Operations and Services

In response to the public health emergency, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has announced a number of operational and service changes through April 24th.

Solid Waste Management - While trash and recycling collection will continue as scheduled, the following services have been suspended or delayed:

Residential mowing continues, but may be delayed
Residential street sweeping is suspended
Document shredding is suspended (residents are encouraged to place non-sensitive documents directly in recycle bins without using plastic bags)
All resident solid waste drop-offs, including hazardous waste and e-cycling, are suspended
Resident mulch pick-up is suspended

Parking Enforcement - While ticketing for safety violations (e.g., blocking a fire hydrant) will continue, ticketing for the following has been suspended:

Emergency no parking violations (vehicles will be relocated without charge and will not be ticketed)
Expired district license plates and inspection stickers
Expired residential parking permits
Expired meters
Vehicle booting and towing

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to email the office directly or reach us via phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.