DC extends stay-at-home order through May 15

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced Wednesday that the city’s stay-at-home order would be extended through May 15 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hamstring the nation’s capital.

The extension applies to all social distancing guidelines that Bowser had already put in place, meaning that schools and nonessential businesses will stay closed. Bowser said that the city would need to see a continuous two-week decline in hospitalizations and positive tests before considering relaxing measures.

Additionally, Bowser said that D.C. residents must now wear some sort of face covering or mask at hotels and in taxis and rideshares. The city’s Metro system has also requested that riders wear face coverings while using public transit. Last week, Bowser ordered all shoppers at grocery stores in the District to wear face masks.

The mayor said that the face coverings should be tight and encompass both the mouth and the nose, but that they didn’t necessarily need to be surgical masks, saying that personal protective equipment such as surgical masks and N95s should be reserved for the health care professionals on the front lines.

The District has reported nearly 2,200 confirmed cases of the virus and 72 related deaths.