Thank You, DC

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@TeamMuriel
 
Muriel Bowser Ward 4
 
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John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004

 

Phone: (202) 727-2643
Email: muriel.bowser@dc.gov

Chief of Staff:
John Falcicchio

City Administrator:
Kevin Donahue

Director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel:
Eugene Adams

Senior Advisor:
Beverly Perry

Director of Mayor's Office of Community Affairs:
Jackie Reyes-Yanes

Director of Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services:
Julia Irving

Scheduling Requests:
mayor.dc.gov/page/invite-mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 7, 2022

Letter from the Mayor

Dear Washingtonians,

This week, through a herculean effort from our DC Public Schools staff and families, and with the support of many partners including DC Health, more than 39,100 students took a rapid COVID-19 test before the return from Winter Break. Because of those efforts, thousands of students were able to safely return to class on Thursday.  

And we made it work in the midst of everything that happened this week. I am grateful for our Snow Team that has been working around the clock to clear roads and to make sure the sidewalks outside of schools and libraries were clear so that families could pick up tests and students could return to school. I'm grateful for the principals and school leaders who stepped up to ensure Thursday morning went smoothly. For the teachers and staff who made the day a success. And for the families who showed flexibility and grace in a week filled with winter weather events. 

This week, we gave our young people the safe return to school they deserve. So, let's continue working together to keep our young people healthy and our schools and classrooms open. You'll remember the Stronger and Safer Together Pledge that we sent around at the start of the school year — our commitment to doing everything we can to protect our school communities. As we continue our return from Winter Break, I'm revisiting the pledge and calling on all families to do their part.

The Stronger and Safer Together Pledge

To help protect our students, support DCPS staff, and safeguard our community, I pledge to:

Wear my mask at school and on school grounds at all times, and when in close proximity to others outside my household.

Get the COVID-19 vaccine if I'm eligible.

Wherever possible, maintain physical distance from those outside my household.

Practice safe hygiene, like washing my hands for at least 20 seconds and using hand sanitizer regularly.

Limit or postpone nonessential travel to areas outside of the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region.

Choose family activities that minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread.

Complete my daily health assessment to monitor any symptoms of COVID-19.

Stay home if I do not feel well or have symptoms of COVID-19.

Immediately alert my school if I test positive for COVID-19 and work with contact tracers to identify any close contacts.

Be a champion for health and safety in my community.

 

Once again, thank you, DC, and let's keep pushing. 

Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser
Stronger and Safer Together Pledge

In This Week's Newsletter:

Tomorrow: Breaking Ground on Lidl

Lidl

Join Mayor Bowser tomorrow as she breaks ground on Lidl at Skyland Town Center. Scheduled to open by the end of this year, Lidl will be the first new supermarket to serve residents in Wards 7 and 8 in more than a decade. 

Learn more HERE

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Booster Updates: New Pfizer Timeline, Boosters for 12+

Booster Updates

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made two booster updates:

  • The timeline for when people can receive a booster shot shortened from 6 months to 5 months for people who receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This means that people can now receive an mRNA booster shot 5 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series. The booster interval recommendation for people who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (2 months) or the Moderna vaccine (6 months), has not changed.
  • 12- to 15-year-olds who received the Pfizer vaccine at least five months ago are now eligible for a booster.

According to recent CDC data:

  • Fully vaccinated people with boosters are 10 times less likely than unvaccinated people to get infected with COVID-19.
  • Fully vaccinated people with boosters are 2.5 times less likely to get infected with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people without boosters, and 4 times less likely to die from COVID-19.
  • Fully vaccinated people with boosters are 20 times less likely than unvaccinated people to die from COVID-19. 

Additionally, anyone 65 and older can move to the front of the line at all District-operated walk-up sites listed on vaccinate.dc.gov.

Find more places to get vaccinated or boosted at vaccines.gov.

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Cold Weather Emergency Alert

Cold Emergency

The Cold Weather Emergency Alert is in effect. If you see someone outside in need of shelter or a welfare check, call the Shelter Hotline at 202-399-7093 or dial 311. If there is an immediate risk to safety call 911. Transportation to shelter is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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