DC to enter phase 2 of reopening on June 22
WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District will enter phase 2 of reopening on Monday, June 22.
CORONAVIRUS IN DC, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
The nation's capital has been under heavy restrictions in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The District published a blueprint for what each phase would look like ahead of the reopening process.
PHASE TWO REOPENING SUMMARY:
- Childcare – additional providers can reopen, limit to 10 people per room – children and adults
- Schools can partially reopen, with preference to students who benefit most from in-person instruction such as students in transitional grades and students of site-critical workers – no more than 10 students per classroom
- Colleges and universities may reopen in accordance with District-approved plans
- Some libraries can reopen with expanded service and limited capacities
- Museums can reopen with limited capacity – five people per 1,000 square feet and no more than 50 percent capacity
- Places of worship can reopen to small group services – with no more than 50 people attending, safeguards, and social distancingOutdoor events could have up to 50 people with social distancing
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Everything You Need to Know
- Entertainment venues could reopen with up to 50 people and social distancing
- Gyms and studios could reopen with limited access, social distancing and specific safeguards approved by the District
- Some playgrounds can reopen with safeguards
- While work from home is still strongly encouraged, offices can reopen at 25 percent capacity, and social distancing
- Non-essential retailers can reopen for in-store services with safeguards and capacity limits – such as only five people per 1,000 square feet and at 50 percent maximum capacity
- Personal services such as nail salons and massage parlors can reopen by appointment only, with physical safeguards and social distancing (five people per 1,000 square feet)
- Non-essential shared transit can resume
The mayor indicated that all of phase two's features would be posted on this site later today.
D.C. was under stay-at-home orders starting March 30. That order was extended to June 8 before the District entered phase one of the reopening plan on May 29.
Phase one relaxed a number of restrictions – including allowing restaurants to serve customers outdoors with physical restrictions and social distancing, as well as barbershops and salons providing service by appointment only, and with social distancing measures in place.
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While stay-at-home orders were in place, violating them carried a potential fine of $5,000. “Non-essential” businesses – such as bars and restaurants – were closed a week earlier except for delivery service, shortly after Maryland and Virginia announced similar restrictions.
WEIGH IN: Should the region continue to reopen as cases spike across the country?
The District has had confirmed more than 9,950 cases of COVID-19 – and the virus has been responsible for the deaths 530 residents.