D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that 29 recreation centers and six indoor pools will open to the public on Oct. 13. D.C. residents can start booking reservations for a 45-minute time slot at the listed facilities on Oct. 1. Face coverings and social distancing will be required.
Also in D.C., Ballou STAY became the first of 13 D.C. Public Schools sites to open up for small groups of in-person programming as a supplement to virtual learning.
D.C. also announced that due to the pandemic, residents will have to collect their own leaves this year. Residents will be given 20 paper bags or more to collect their leaves and deposit them outside for pickup.
Fauquier County Public Schools has launched a COVID-19 dashboard to help track cases amidst plans to return to the classroom for hybrid learning in November.
The dashboard will list the number of confirmed positive cases and dates for each school in the district. As of Sept. 24, two cases have been reported – one at Fauquier High School and another at the School Division Central Offices.
In Montgomery County, at least 61 public school staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to an I-Team investigation.
Loudoun United FC announced Friday that the soccer club would cancel the remainder of its 2020 USL Championship matches due to a number of COVID-19 cases within the team. Loudoun United is the second-division squad for Major League Soccer's D.C. United.
"Our priority has always been the health and wellness of all individuals involved with Loudoun United and we look forward to a successful 2021 season," the team said in a statement on Twitter.
Here's where we stand as the coronavirus continues to change our lives in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
What the Data Shows
D.C. reported 14 more COVID-19 cases Monday, an all-time low since July, and no additional deaths. Maryland reported 477 more cases and 3 more deaths. Virginia reported 410 new cases, the lowest single-day increase since July, and 11 more deaths.
The seven-day rolling averages in the region all had a downward trend, indicating a decline in new reported coronavirus cases. Reported hospitalizations were also lower than recent days in D.C. (90), Maryland (315) and Virginia (602).
Reporting can fluctuate based on lab bandwidth, how many people get tested and the day of the week.
The map below shows the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed per 100,000 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
- D.C. granted permission for six indoor venues to host performances. D.C. also granted permission for the Adams Morgan business improvement district to host outdoor movies.
- A judge sentenced a Maryland man to a year in jail for throwing parties that exceeded capacity restrictions at the beginning of the governor’s coronavirus emergency order.
- D.C. Public Schools buildings are being assessed to determine if they can be COVID-ready for some in-person learning to begin Nov. 9, sources told News4.
- The Fairfax County School Board voted on Tuesday to start hybrid learning next month.
- The Loudoun County school board voted to begin a hybrid learning plan that prioritizes getting younger students back to in-person classes.
- The Smithsonian reopened four more museums to the public beginning on Friday, Sept. 18. Two more are set to reopen on Friday, Sept. 25.
- Five states were added Monday to D.C.'s list of "high-risk" states. Three other states were removed from the list.
- D.C. launched new coronavirus metrics and Mayor Muriel Bowser is set to announce the reopening of certain services in the next two weeks.
- Maryland increased its restaurants' indoor dining capacity from 50% to 75% on Monday.
- The “first reported COVID-19 death of a child in the Commonwealth” was reported Friday by the Virginia Department of Health.
- D.C. Public Schools in mid-September began considering plans that could bring students back to in-person classes by Nov. 9, 2020. The city is also starting to plan how it will administer a COVID-19 vaccine once one is proven effective and made available. Read more.
- The University of Maryland began transitioning to in-person lessons on Monday after the school reported a low campus positivity rate of 0.7%.
- Some D.C. Public Schools students could be back in the classroom as early as this month, the mayor said. Read more.
Reopening Tracker
- Prince George's County will allow tanning salons, banquet halls and other businesses to open with restrictions. It adjusted some other rules on Wednesday, too. Read more.
- Montgomery and Prince George's counties are among those that did not enter phase three with the state of Maryland. Here's a roundup of counties in our area.
- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he has authorized all public schools in the state to begin “safely” reopening because state metrics on the coronavirus show improvements. The state “strongly suggests” that local school districts bring students back into schools but cannot force them to do so, Hogan said. Montgomery and Prince George's schools have both affirmed that they are not altering plans to hold classes online throughout the first half of the school year.
- 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 revisited 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 has said more restrictions could be implemented if cases continue to grow.
- 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.
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.
