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| Bowser forms advisory group on D.C. reopening, as cases keep climbing | Bowser forms advisory group on D.C. reopening, as cases keep climbing |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free. For more free coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter where all stories are free to read. | The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free. For more free coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter where all stories are free to read. |
| D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser announced plans Thursday for an advisory group focused on when and how to lift coronavirus restrictions — a day before Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam plan to reveal their blueprints for reopening the economy and pulling the Washington region back toward normalcy. | |
| Bowser (D) said the Reopen D.C. Advisory Group will include committees focused on health disparities in the city and what reopening would mean for restaurants, food retailers and the real estate and construction industries. | Bowser (D) said the Reopen D.C. Advisory Group will include committees focused on health disparities in the city and what reopening would mean for restaurants, food retailers and the real estate and construction industries. |
| The group will issue recommendations in May, mindful of the potential for a new spike in infections if restrictions are lifted too soon or too broadly. | The group will issue recommendations in May, mindful of the potential for a new spike in infections if restrictions are lifted too soon or too broadly. |
| “We all know our community has made too many sacrifices to move forward too quickly or in a way that doesn’t prioritize the health and safety of our residents, so we will be deliberate and be strategic in our plans to reopen,” Bowser said. | “We all know our community has made too many sacrifices to move forward too quickly or in a way that doesn’t prioritize the health and safety of our residents, so we will be deliberate and be strategic in our plans to reopen,” Bowser said. |
| Both Hogan (R) and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) have struck the same note of caution in the face of pressure to end stay-at-home orders and restrictions that have crippled the local economy, causing more than half a million area residents to lose their jobs since late March. | Both Hogan (R) and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) have struck the same note of caution in the face of pressure to end stay-at-home orders and restrictions that have crippled the local economy, causing more than half a million area residents to lose their jobs since late March. |
| Hogan is scheduled to unveil his Roadmap to Recovery on Friday, while Northam is expected to announce similar plans. All three leaders are watching for sustained declines in new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. | |
| Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. | Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. |
| Those markers still appeared far away on Thursday. The tally of known infections in the District, Maryland and Virginia took another big leap to 30,138, with 87 new fatalities. | Those markers still appeared far away on Thursday. The tally of known infections in the District, Maryland and Virginia took another big leap to 30,138, with 87 new fatalities. |
| Hogan, Northam and Bowser urged the Trump administration to allow federal workers to continue to do their jobs remotely, and Northam rejected a plea from Virginia hospitals to lift a ban on elective procedures. | Hogan, Northam and Bowser urged the Trump administration to allow federal workers to continue to do their jobs remotely, and Northam rejected a plea from Virginia hospitals to lift a ban on elective procedures. |
| Maryland saw the largest increase in fatalities — 51 reported Thursday, for a total of 756. An additional 152 coronavirus patients were hospitalized. | Maryland saw the largest increase in fatalities — 51 reported Thursday, for a total of 756. An additional 152 coronavirus patients were hospitalized. |
| Virginia reported 24 new deaths, for a total of 377, and 94 more patients admitted to hospitals. | Virginia reported 24 new deaths, for a total of 377, and 94 more patients admitted to hospitals. |
| The District reported another 12 fatalities for a total of 140. Among them were a 105-year-old woman and six people in their 70s and 80s. Nearly all were African American, continuing a trend in which the virus has had a disproportionate impact on black residents, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. | The District reported another 12 fatalities for a total of 140. Among them were a 105-year-old woman and six people in their 70s and 80s. Nearly all were African American, continuing a trend in which the virus has had a disproportionate impact on black residents, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. |
| Are Maryland, D.C. and Virginia meeting benchmarks to reopen? Not yet. | Are Maryland, D.C. and Virginia meeting benchmarks to reopen? Not yet. |
| With the economic shutdown threatening to drain state and local budgets, Hogan sharply criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday for his reluctance to offer states more federal aid. On Wednesday, McConnell said during a radio interview that states should instead file for bankruptcy. | With the economic shutdown threatening to drain state and local budgets, Hogan sharply criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday for his reluctance to offer states more federal aid. On Wednesday, McConnell said during a radio interview that states should instead file for bankruptcy. |
| “The last thing we need in the middle of an economic crisis is to have states all filing bankruptcy all across America and not able to provide services to people who desperately need them,” Hogan said in a live-streamed interview with Politico. As chair of the National Governors Association, Hogan has been pushing Congress to send another $500 billion in relief to the states. | “The last thing we need in the middle of an economic crisis is to have states all filing bankruptcy all across America and not able to provide services to people who desperately need them,” Hogan said in a live-streamed interview with Politico. As chair of the National Governors Association, Hogan has been pushing Congress to send another $500 billion in relief to the states. |
| The rebuke came as Labor Department data released Thursday showed that nearly 140,000 more residents in the Washington region filed jobless claims last week. More than 529,000 area residents have lost their jobs in the five weeks since the local economy essentially ground to a halt. | The rebuke came as Labor Department data released Thursday showed that nearly 140,000 more residents in the Washington region filed jobless claims last week. More than 529,000 area residents have lost their jobs in the five weeks since the local economy essentially ground to a halt. |
| To help ease the application process, Maryland said it will allow unemployment claims to be filed entirely online, including for people previously required to file by phone. The new application is set to launch Friday morning at MDunemployment.com. | To help ease the application process, Maryland said it will allow unemployment claims to be filed entirely online, including for people previously required to file by phone. The new application is set to launch Friday morning at MDunemployment.com. |
| In hopes of being able to ease restrictions, all three jurisdictions have begun to ramp up testing to better determine how much the virus has spread, while buying more protective gear and adding more hospital beds to keep health-care systems from being overwhelmed. | In hopes of being able to ease restrictions, all three jurisdictions have begun to ramp up testing to better determine how much the virus has spread, while buying more protective gear and adding more hospital beds to keep health-care systems from being overwhelmed. |
| District officials said they plan to hire more contact tracers to reach out to people who have come into contact with known coronavirus patients — a crucial step in preventing further infections. The work typically involves interviewing at least eight people per patient. | District officials said they plan to hire more contact tracers to reach out to people who have come into contact with known coronavirus patients — a crucial step in preventing further infections. The work typically involves interviewing at least eight people per patient. |
| Sixty-five people are doing that work in the District, and officials hope to add at least 135 more contact tracers in coming weeks. They said they would need about 900 such workers in place when the city starts to reopen. | Sixty-five people are doing that work in the District, and officials hope to add at least 135 more contact tracers in coming weeks. They said they would need about 900 such workers in place when the city starts to reopen. |
| “We need to know who has it and who has been exposed to it,” Bowser said. | “We need to know who has it and who has been exposed to it,” Bowser said. |
| Patient tracker: The latest on coronavirus patients and fatalities | Patient tracker: The latest on coronavirus patients and fatalities |
| Bowser also said that the city’s public health department will soon be able to double its testing capacity to 1,000 per day. Overall, public and private labs in the city have the ability to conduct 3,700 tests per day but, so far, have had requests for between 400 and 800 per day. | Bowser also said that the city’s public health department will soon be able to double its testing capacity to 1,000 per day. Overall, public and private labs in the city have the ability to conduct 3,700 tests per day but, so far, have had requests for between 400 and 800 per day. |
| LaQuandra Nesbitt, the director of the D.C. Department of Health, said about 20 percent of those tests are coming back positive. The city wants to see that number decline to about 10 percent before easing measures such as the city’s stay-at-home order, the closure of nonessential businesses and the ban on gatherings of 10 or more people. | LaQuandra Nesbitt, the director of the D.C. Department of Health, said about 20 percent of those tests are coming back positive. The city wants to see that number decline to about 10 percent before easing measures such as the city’s stay-at-home order, the closure of nonessential businesses and the ban on gatherings of 10 or more people. |
| Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know | Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know |
| Local jurisdictions are continuing to beef up their efforts to respond to the crisis. | Local jurisdictions are continuing to beef up their efforts to respond to the crisis. |
| The D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Services has joined George Washington University and Reston-based Nova Labs to manufacture an adapter needed for airway pressure machines that paramedics use to treat patients with respiratory ailments, including covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. | The D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Services has joined George Washington University and Reston-based Nova Labs to manufacture an adapter needed for airway pressure machines that paramedics use to treat patients with respiratory ailments, including covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. |
| Increasing global demand for those adapters has made it harder to find them, a fire department spokesman said. | Increasing global demand for those adapters has made it harder to find them, a fire department spokesman said. |
| The District is paying for the parts, and Nova Labs is building the adapters with the help of GWU’s Department of Emergency Medicine Training Center, the spokesman said. | The District is paying for the parts, and Nova Labs is building the adapters with the help of GWU’s Department of Emergency Medicine Training Center, the spokesman said. |
| Department officials said the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines that use the adapters prevent patients’ breath from escaping into the air as they exhale, which in the case of a covid-19 infection “aerosolizes the coronavirus into the atmosphere” and exposes the emergency workers. | Department officials said the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines that use the adapters prevent patients’ breath from escaping into the air as they exhale, which in the case of a covid-19 infection “aerosolizes the coronavirus into the atmosphere” and exposes the emergency workers. |
| In Maryland, the Prince George’s County Police Department is launching a pilot program that will allow people who have covid-19 symptoms to text 911 for help. The texting ability is meant to help those who might be having “shortness of breath, trouble breathing and/or coughing” and might be “unable to speak over the phone.” | In Maryland, the Prince George’s County Police Department is launching a pilot program that will allow people who have covid-19 symptoms to text 911 for help. The texting ability is meant to help those who might be having “shortness of breath, trouble breathing and/or coughing” and might be “unable to speak over the phone.” |
| However, in a county with a substantial immigrant community, the service is currently only available in English, officials said. | However, in a county with a substantial immigrant community, the service is currently only available in English, officials said. |
| Montgomery County announced two more walk-through, drive-through testing sites. Health officials said testing started at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center on Wednesday. On April 27, they will start testing at the Upcounty Regional Services Center in Germantown. | Montgomery County announced two more walk-through, drive-through testing sites. Health officials said testing started at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center on Wednesday. On April 27, they will start testing at the Upcounty Regional Services Center in Germantown. |
| Montgomery officials also said they are assembling “action teams” to help give support to approximately 200 group homes with residents who have developmental disabilities, many of whom have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus. | Montgomery officials also said they are assembling “action teams” to help give support to approximately 200 group homes with residents who have developmental disabilities, many of whom have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus. |
| The teams are made up of staff from the county’s Aging and Disability Services agency, the county said. | The teams are made up of staff from the county’s Aging and Disability Services agency, the county said. |
| Rachel Chason, Dana Hedgpeth, Peter Hermann and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report. | Rachel Chason, Dana Hedgpeth, Peter Hermann and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report. |
| Those we have lost to the coronavirus in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. | Those we have lost to the coronavirus in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. |
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