“DC Health Announces New COVID-19 Community Level Metrics”

photo by Jeff Vincent

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, DC Health announced the District’s new COVID-19 Community Level key metrics. The updated key metrics are in line with the announcement made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday, February 25, that it was releasing a new framework to monitor the level of COVID-19 in communities that includes hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and cases. This new approach focuses on preventing hospitals and healthcare systems from being overwhelmed and directing prevention efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe illness. The COVID-19 Community Level will inform DC Health’s recommendations on prevention measures, like masking and testing. The District’s current COVID-19 Community Level is low.

When the COVID-19 Community Level is low–people, households, and communities can take minimal, practical precautions. When the COVID-19 Community Level is medium–CDC recommends focusing specific prevention measures on protecting those at increased risk of severe illness. When the COVID-19 Community Level is high–layered prevention measures are recommended to avoid overwhelming local hospitals and healthcare systems by preventing severe illness and death.

Moving forward, DC Health will move to weekly data reporting. Every Wednesday, the COVID-19 Community Level key metrics: weekly case rate, new weekly hospital admissions due to COVID-19, percent of COVID-19 confirmed positive cases who were hospitalized due to COVID-19, and percent of staffed beds occupied by patients with COVID-19 in the District will be updated. The District’s vaccination data will continue to be updated every Thursday.

DC Health continues to emphasize the importance of being fully vaccinated and up to date to have increased protection from COVID-19. There are four easy ways to get your vaccine or booster in the District:

Visit a walk-up vaccine clinic or COVID Center.
Make an at-home vaccination appointment by calling 1-855-363-0333.
Make an appointment with your health care provider.
Find other opportunities to get vaccinated by visiting vaccines.gov.”