News

On Thursday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District was updating its travel advisory to encouraging testing when entering the District.

Since July, the District has released lists of states with a certain positive test thresholds for COVID-19. Visitors from those states, or residents returning from a visit to those states, were asked to quarantine for 14 days unless they met narrow exceptions. The list, updated every 2 weeks and exempting Maryland and Virginia, had reached 42 states.

At her press conference, the Mayor updated the travel advisory. For visitors coming into DC, visitors are asked to get a test before travelling. If the person is visiting for more than 72 hours, they are asked to get tested upon arriving. If they test positive, or are a close contact of a positive case, they are asked not to visit the District.

There will not be enforcement at the District's borders, as some states are considering. However, private businesses are permitted to ask for a record of a negative COVID test before allowing visitors into a facility as well as ask about travel history. The same exemptions for the quarantine travel list apply for travel restrictions.

DC residents who are returning to work from a high risk state are now asked to self-monitor and limit daily activities for 14 days, OR limit their daily activities until they receive a negative COVID test. Those performing "essential work" are exempt.

At the same press conference, the Mayor announced a new partnership with LabCorp to provide District residents with at-home COVID testing.