Photo by DCbmyers
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District is expanding the criteria for priority coronavirus (COVID-19) testing to include critical infrastructure workers with a history of exposure to a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patient. This includes grocery store workers, essential government employees, and other workers who continue to report to work in the District. (more…)
From the Office of the DC Attorney General:
“Attorney General Karl A. Racine announced today that Town Sports International, LLC (TSI), the parent company of Washington Sports Club (WSC), will stop charging members while gyms are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gym chain will also credit members for time the gyms were closed and offer free electronic membership cancellations through April 30. (more…)
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser established the DC Contact Tracing Force to hire hundreds of additional tracers at DC Health.
“An effective response requires widespread contact tracing so that we know who has the virus and who has been exposed to it,” said Mayor Bowser. “When it comes time to reopen our city, this team of contact tracers is going to play a critical role in keeping Washingtonians safe and our city moving forward.”
DC Health currently has about 65 contact tracers, and about 70% of confirmed cases have been traced. (more…)
Photos by Cristiam Rodriguez
Thanks to Cristiam for sending from the Cleveland Park Service Lane, yes THAT service lane.
DDOT shares other locations: “The first round of sidewalk extensions are being installed by the end of the week at the following locations to allow pedestrians enough space to practice social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.
North side of Irving St NW between Hiatt Pl and 15th St NW
West side of Georgia Ave NW between Quincy St and Randolph St
East side of 25th St NW between Pennsylvania Ave NW and Trader Joe’s driveway
North side of H St NE between 3rd St NE and 4th St NE
Full closure of the Connecticut Ave NW service lane between Macomb St NW and Ordway St NW (more…)
From DDOT:
“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will begin the annual spraying of the female ginkgo street trees on April 20, 2020. The spraying will occur overnight from 9:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m., weather permitting.
The annual spraying serves to reduce the formation of mature ginkgo fruit, which emits an offensive smell when it falls on sidewalks and roadways. DDOT will use the same spray it has used for the past 20 years, Shield-3EC 24(C). (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will temporarily extend sidewalks near grocery stores and other essential retailers to allow pedestrians enough space to practice social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. Sidewalk extensions will be located in all eight wards of the District, based upon DDOT’s evaluation and suggestions from the public. (more…)
“Dear PoPville,
I saw this MPD officer at WAWA on 18thtoday in Adams Morgan ordering coffee and putting the store employees at risk of infection. Despite having a mask hanging from his one ear, the mayor’s order, and a sign on the door that instructed customers to wear a mask, he claimed: first responders don’t need to wear a mask and that the mayor’s order didn’t apply to police. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user small craft
From the Mayor’s Office:
“n coordination with the Bowser Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has issued a design/build contract to Hensel Phelps Construction Co., to convert the Walter E. Washington Convention Center into an alternate care facility to support the District’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19).
“While our goal is to never use the Convention Center, we must have the capacity to support a potential increase in COVID-19 patients,” said Mayor Bowser. “We thank the Army Corps, FEMA, and Events DC for their continued partnership during this public health emergency.”
Through a phased construction approach, 500 beds will be set up by the first week in May with the remaining 1,000 beds completed by the end of May. The plan converts the Convention Center’s three halls, approximately 473,000 square feet, into a facility to treat low-acuity patients. Low-acuity patients are non-ICU patients that do not require a ventilator. (more…)
4400 Connecticut Ave, NW
Brittany asks:
“any idea why there are ambulances and firetrucks (no sirens) outside of the Days Inn in Van Ness literally all hours of day and night? This is the third time today they’ve been there and most days this week have been there multiple times. Is this COVID-19 related?”
Another reader writes: “The Days Inn on Connecticut Ave is apparently housing overflow from homeless shelters in DC. Also, ambulances arrive there maybe once an hour.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering
From the Mayor’s Office: “Today is DC Emancipation Day — we commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in D.C. Unfortunately, 158 years later, DC residents are neither fully free nor equal. So today, we celebrate Emancipation Day by fighting for DC Statehood.” (more…)