What the Data Shows
Fewer than 1,000 people in D.C., Maryland and Virginia combined were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday. It’s the third time this week that under a thousand new cases were counted regionwide, which hasn’t happened in months.
The percentage of people who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is about 52% in Maryland and 47.6% in Virginia. The District says 37.8% of residents are partially or fully vaccinated, as of one week ago.
The Pfizer shot cleared the final approval needed to start giving the shot to adolescents aged 12-15, so expect those figures to grow.
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The number of people, on average, diagnosed with COVID-19 daily in the past week has declined.
In Maryland, it’s at 497. The state’s peak seven-day average was 3,228, recorded 121 days ago.
Virginia’s seven-day average is at 600, far below its peak figure of 4,286 recorded 115 days ago.
D.C.'s case average went up by four Thursday and reached 46. Compare that to the peak of 322 recorded 121 days ago.
Hospitalizations fell below 100 for the first time since November.
Forty-two more people across the region died of COVID-19, according to Thursday’s data.
Local Coronavirus Headlines
- Free, timed-entry passes to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will become available to the public starting Friday at 12:25 p.m. The zoo will re-open May 21. Visitors must follow safety measures, which include mandatory face coverings for everyone age 2 and older.
- Following Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's announcement Wednesday, statewide restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings and capacity limits at restaurants, malls, gyms and other businesses will be lifted May 15. However, Prince George's County won't fully reopen until May 17, and Montgomery County won’t fully reopen until May 29 — two weeks after 50% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
- D.C. will lift most COVID-19 restrictions May 21 and the remainder on June 11, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday. Face masks will still be required in line with CDC guidelines. Get the details here.
- People who get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the D.C. area could be rewarded with a meal from chef José Andrés. A $50 gift card will be offered to anyone who received a vaccine on or after May 8, if they dine at a participating restaurant and show their vaccine card. Find out more here.
- Ford’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre Museum will begin a phased reopening schedule May 12, with advance tickets required. Tickets for May 12-16 are now available online.
- The Washington Football Team intends to allow full capacity crowds into FedEx Field for home games in 2021, the franchise announced last week.
- Virginia will lift all capacity and social distancing restrictions on June 15 if COVID-19 case numbers continue to drop and vaccination rates continue to rise, the governor said last week.
- Children's National Hospital opened COVID-19 vaccine preregistration for 12- to 15-year-olds who live in D.C. or Prince George's County. Although no vaccine is yet available to adolescents, the hospital is preparing for the Food and Drug Administration to green-light emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for kids over 12.
- The Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, reopened last week after a monthslong closure due to COVID-19. Here's what's new. The National Zoo and several other Smithsonian museums in the D.C. area are also set to reopen this month. Here's how to plan your visit.
- Maryland is offering state employees $100 each to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees will have to show proof of full vaccination to their human resources departments and must agree to receive all subsequent CDC-recommended booster vaccinations within a year and a half of being fully vaccinated. If the employees choose not to receive those booster shots, they'll have to pay the $100 back to the state.
- The National Museum of the Marine Corps, located in Triangle, Virginia, will reopen May 17 after closing due to COVID-19.
- NBC News is making finding information on when, how and where to obtain your coronavirus vaccination easier with its Plan Your Vaccine website.
Key Charts and Graphs
The vaccinated population in D.C. may be overestimated in this map because some non-residents who work in D.C. are included in the totals.
Vaccination Portals by County
Here's a look at local portals that D.C.-area residents can use to sign up for vaccination appointments or to receive alerts.
- Washington, D.C. signups – vaccinate.dc.gov
- Maryland signups – www.marylandvax.org/ and covidvax.maryland.gov
- Virginia pre-registration – https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/preregister.html
- Montgomery County – www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/
- Prince George's County – www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/3730/COVID-19-Vaccination
- Howard County – www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/Health/MM-Alerts-and-Recalls/COVID-19-Vaccine
- Anne Arundel County – aacounty.org/covidvax
- Fairfax County – www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health/novel-coronavirus/vaccine
- City of Alexandria – www.alexandriava.gov/health/info/default.aspx?id=119270
- Loudoun County – www.loudoun.gov/covid19vaccine
- Prince William County – coronavirus.pwcgov.org/vaccine-information/ & VDH
How to Stay Safe
Anyone can get COVID-19. Here are three simple ways the CDC says you can lower your risk:
- 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.
