Fairfax County Public Schools will continue to provide "grab-and-go" meals for those in need through the upcoming school year. Families are asked to complete an online meal request form by Aug. 17.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the relaunch of the D.C. Mortgage Assistance Program to help homeowners affected by the pandemic. Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 monthly toward their mortgage for up to six months.
The Fauquier County School Board voted Monday to switch to virtual-only instruction two weeks before students were expected to return to the classroom.
In case you missed it: The District updated the list of states that are considered high risk. People traveling from Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Minnesota must now quarantine for two weeks when they arrive to D.C. States that were removed from the updated list include Delaware, Ohio and Washington.
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The University of Maryland is set to begin the semester as scheduled on Aug. 31 but will delay undergraduate in-person instruction until Sept. 14 due to the high positivity rate in Prince George's County, UMD President Darryll J. Pines announced Monday.
George Washington University also announced limited access to campus for the coming fall to only those who have "special permission" to be on campus, Scott Burnotes, GW's Vice President for the Division of Safety and Facilities wrote in an email to the GW community Monday.
What the Data Shows
Since Friday, Virginia has had more cases than Maryland for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak. However, daily hospitalizations have plateaued in both states. For the past week, they've remained in the upper 800s in Virginia and in the mid 500s in Maryland. In D.C., 83 people are hospitalized as of Tuesday, down from 97 last week.
Maryland's daily new cases are still decreasing, with its seven-day average of new cases at 713 on Tuesday. D.C.'s average new cases has leveled off. It's at 72 cases Tuesday. Virginia's average of new cases is at 998, fairly level.
The map below shows the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed per 1,000 residents.
Coronavirus Cases in DC, Maryland and Virginia
COVID-19 cases by population in D.C. and by county in Maryland and Virginia
Source: DC, MD and VA Health Departments
Credit: Anisa Holmes / NBC Washington
Local Coronavirus Headlines
- Many Maryland students will start the school year entirely online as the coronavirus pandemic continues — but local PTAs must meet in person, the state PTA says.
- New research by Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., found racial disparities in how the coronavirus affects children. Read more.
- Virginia has rolled out a smartphone app to automatically notify people if they might have been exposed to the coronavirus, becoming the first U.S. state to use new pandemic technology created by Apple and Google. Read more.
- A group of frontline employees and union leaders at the Washington DC VA Medical Center said the agency is not ensuring workers potentially exposed to COVID-19 are given work leave to prevent the further spread of the virus. Read more.
Reopening Tracker
- Private and parochial schools in Maryland can choose when to reopen after a back-and-forth between county health officials and the governor. Read more.
- Prince George's County is revising its phase two reopening executive order due to an uptick in coronavirus cases, according to the county executive's office.
- Virginia entered phase three reopening on July 1, loosening restrictions on restaurants, stores, gyms and pools. Northam said more restrictions could be implemented if cases continue to grow.
- Prince George's County entered full phase two on June 23, allowing the MGM Casino and gyms to reopen.
- D.C. entered phase two on June 22, allowing indoor dining, gyms, libraries and houses of worship to reopen with restrictions.
- Montgomery County entered phase two on June 19, reopening with restrictions gyms, houses of worship, indoor dining and retail.
- Maryland entered phase two of reopening on June 10, permitting indoor dining, outdoor pools and outside amusements to reopen.
How to Stay Safe
There are ways to lower your risk of catching coronavirus. Here are guidelines from the CDC:
- Wear a snug-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth.
- Avoid being indoors with people who are not members of your household. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19. If you are indoors with people you don’t live with, stay at least six feet apart and keep your mask on.
- Wash your hands often, especially after you have been in a public place.
Sophia Barnes, Andrea Swalec and Anisa Holmes contributed to this report
