Mayor Bowser Reinstates Mask Mandate For Indoor Public Spaces In DC

WASHINGTON, DC — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday she will be reinstating a mask mandate and will be expanding access to rapid tests at public libraries and for D.C. Public Schools.

The mask mandate in indoor public spaces will be reinstated at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will run through Jan. 31, 2022.

The mayor’s order comes as the city experiences a new COVID-19 surge. DC Health reported consecutive days of record-breaking new cases. On Thursday, the agency reported a record 508 new COVID-19 cases. D.C. broke its record the next day, reporting 844 new cases on Friday.

Eight D.C. Public Libraries will receive rapid test kits to distribute, as part of DC Health’s “test yourself” program. The rapid tests are limited to two per person, per day, and are available to D.C. residents only.

The Bowser administration also announced a delay in the return of D.C. Public Schools from winter break to Jan. 5 to allow time for post-holiday testing.

Cases are up nationally, as are hospitalizations and deaths, according to the Washington Post tracker. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 67 percent of the total population in D.C. is vaccinated as of Dec. 19, and 24 percent have received a booster.

Bowser lifted the city's mask mandate in mid-November, though masks were still required for places like schools, childcare facilities, and public transportation.

DC Health confirmed its first cases of the omicron, the newest variant of concern, on Dec. 12.

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