Coronavirus Latest: Four D.C. Book, Music, Toy Stores Reopening For Curbside Pick Up On Monday

Politics and Prose is among the four retailers allowed to re-open for curbside pick up through a District pilot program.

Politics and Prose Bookstore / Flickr

May 17, 3:31 p.m.: Starting tomorrow, D.C. education and academic retail shops will be allowed to provide curbside and front door pick-ups with permission from the District.

Four businesses have applied for and received waivers:

Lost City Books on 18th Street Northwest.
Middle C Music in Tenleytown.
Child’s Play Toys and Books in Chevy Chase.
Three Politics and Prose locations (Connecticut Avenue Northwest, the Wharf in Southwest, and near Union Market in Northeast).

The pilot program includes bookstores, art supplies stores, toy stores, office supply stores and music stores. Businesses must be physically located in the District and be independently owned and operated. All sales must be pre-ordered online or over the phone.

Stores must agree to share data and information with the D.C. government about their operations. “The goal with this pilot,” the website says, “is to learn important lessons about reopening while ensuring safe operations.”

Businesses are expected to provide their operation, sanitization and shutdown plans in case a “serious safety violation” occurs. The website says that businesses can expect a response about waiver status via email within 24 hours.

However, some businesses have already been operating with a curbside pick-up option since shut down orders began in mid-March. Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle was advertising this option on Instagram all the way back in March and as well as recently for Mother’s Day. Looped Yarn Works, a yarn shop also near Dupont Circle, started providing a curbside pick-up option on May 5. — Matt Blitz

Public Safety Unions Protest Budget Cuts In Montgomery County

May 17, 11:25 a.m.: In Montgomery County, local unions held a drive-by protest Saturday in front of the Takoma Park home of At-Large County Councilmember Hans Reimer to bring awareness to cuts to next fiscal year’s budget.

The three county employee unions — including Local 1994 MCGEO, Local 1664 IAFF and FOP Lodge 35 — represent firefighters, staff working in police stations and other county employees.

Amy Millar, a spokesperson for the unions, said negotiations with Montgomery County over the collective bargaining agreements took months, but were shot down with a 7-2 vote by the council last week. Millar explained that the agreement included provisions “very necessary for employee safety, employee morale, recruitment and retention.”

Councilmember Riemer was one of seven members voting the proposal down, which included pay increases.

When contacted for comment, Riemer said considering the coronavirus pandemic, sacrifices must be made.

“The last thing we want to do is budget a big increase and then end up with layoffs,” he added.

The county is unlikely to revisit negotiations in the near term, but Riemer said he is open to the idea once the impact from COVID-19 has calmed. – Tamika Smith

A crew works on putting up a platform near the main entrance at Pimlico Race Course, Friday, May 15, 2020, in Baltimore. Julio Cortez / AP

Hogan Announces New Date For Preakness Stakes

May 16, 6:15 p.m.: Today would have been the 145th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Instead, on Saturday afternoon, Gov. Larry Hogan and Stronach Group Chairman and President Belinda Stronach announced that the Preakness, the second leg of the American Triple Crown, has been rescheduled for Saturday, October 3.

“Under normal circumstances, I’d be standing in Pimlico with you, presenting the Woodlawn [Vase] to the winner of the 145th Preakness Stakes,” Hogan said. “But as we all know, these are not normal circumstances.”

Indeed, Pimlico has been used as a drive-through COVID-19 testing site since April.

Today marked the first time the Preakness wasn’t held in May since 1945, at the start of World War II, when it was delayed until June.

On Saturday afternoon, NBC re-aired last year’s event, in which American Pharaoh won under heavy rainfall, in front of something almost impossible to imagine right now: a crowd of more than 131,000. — Elliot Williams

D.C., Md., And Virginia Report Nearly 75,000 Total Cases As States Begin Reopening

May 16, 12:15 p.m.: As businesses in parts of Virginia and Maryland begin to reopen this weekend, the two states and District added 1,993 total coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total number to nearly 75,000.

The latest numbers show that new cases in the region continue to follow uneven patterns of increases and declines, with D.C. registering the highest number of new cases in a week; Virginia seeing one of its biggest jumps ever; and Maryland reporting a modest decline over the past few days, but an increase over earlier in the week.

The three jurisdictions also reported an additional 78 deaths, the second-lowest toll in five days (following yesterday’s count of 77), which brings the total number of fatalities to 3,334.

These totals include all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

While D.C.’s seven-day average is still on the decline, the city reported 171 new cases on Saturday, its highest report in a week, marking 7,042 total cases. The District also reported seven new COVID-19-linked deaths, bringing the total death toll to 375.

The District’s neighborhood data continues to show that Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights have the highest case counts, at 404 and 378, respectively. (When controlled for population, the numbers look different). Ward 8 has the most deaths reported (83 people), followed by Ward 5 (57), Ward 4 (50), and Ward 7 (49). By ethnicity, Hispanic/Latinx residents have the highest infection rate per capita at 24%, while black residents account for 47% of the positives and 77% of the deaths.

Continuing to see a decline in its seven-day average, Maryland reported 982 new positive cases, the lowest tally in three days, bringing the state’s total to 37,968 cases. The state recorded 46 new coronavirus-related deaths, marking 1,957 deaths.

Prince George’s County reports more than 11,000 cases, the highest in Maryland, followed by Montgomery County, at 7,988. Both counties, which also report the most deaths across the state, extended their stay-at-home orders this week.

Virginia recorded 1,011 new cases on Saturday, its third-highest daily number of new infections. The commonwealth, where the total number of cases stands at 29,683, continues to see an increase in its seven-day average of new cases. Virginia also added 25 new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total to more than 1,000 deaths.

In total, Fairfax County has reported the most deaths (278 people), followed by Henrico (113 people), Arlington (74 people), and Prince William (69 people). Gov. Northam delayed Northern Virginia’s reopening until May 29, following pushback from local leaders.

The testing capacity across all three jurisdictions continues to fall short of recommendations from health experts and even Gov. Ralph Northam himself, who set a goal of 10,000 tests a day in Virginia. Prior to Friday, Virginia did not separate viral and antibody test results. With the latter removed from the total, the commonwealth reported 7,437 new results (Harvard’s Global Health Institute has recommended more than 16,600).

Maryland reported 7,349, and D.C. reported 1,193 new test results, whereas experts have recommended they reach more than 27,900 and 5,800 respectively by May 15 to contain the outbreak. — Elliot Williams

D.C. Councilmembers Call For Opening Up More Street Space To Pedestrians And Cyclists During Pandemic

May 15, 8:53 p.m.: Three D.C. Councilmembers — Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) — are asking the Bowser administration to close parts of streets to cars and open them up to pedestrians and cyclists.

“Closing or narrowing roads to through traffic is one way that the District can help facilitate proper social distancing when residents leave their homes,” the councilmembers wrote in a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser. “This could be accomplished through the closure of entire blocks to vehicular traffic, or simply the closure of certain lanes.”

In the letter, the councilmembers said they would support legislation to require the District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) to set up an application process for D.C. residents to request road or lane closures, if DDOT does not act independently. The legislation would be considered next Tuesday, as part of an amendment to the Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act.

Last month, DDOT expanded some sidewalks around essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies. Critics said the expansions didn’t go far enough, especially considering significant drops in car traffic. Mayor Bowser has expressed concerns that opening streets to pedestrians could backfire, resulting in “a festival” and crowding, not safe social distancing.

A few other localities in the region have embraced opening up streets for pedestrians. In Montgomery County, officials have closed some sections of roadway near parks.

But elsewhere, the idea has gained traction. Local governments in Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and other cities around the world have made more space for people, by taking away a lane of roadway or closing some roads altogether.

Nadeau, Cheh, and Allen believe the change could put the District on track to become a more pedestrian-friendly place after the pandemic.

“We should do all that we can do now to lay the ground work [sic] to encourage people to walk, ride bikes, and move around the city without using their cars,” their letter reads. –Margaret Barthel

A lab technician holds a vial from a COVID-19 test at Aperiomics in Sterling, Va. Daniella Cheslow / WAMU

Howard University Expands Testing Capacity At Benning Road Site

May 15, 7:40 p.m.: Howard University will expand the hours of its new Benning Road Clinic COVID-19 testing location in Northeast from two to four days per week, starting next week.

“The Howard University Faculty Practice Plans testing site has been met with overwhelming response from the D.C. communities of Ward 7 and Ward 8,” said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, the university’s president. “The expansion to four days a week will allow us to see patients sooner so they can know their status faster.”

The testing site at 4414 Benning Road NE has been open since May 5 and it has seen high demand. A day after it opened, all the original testing slots for the rest of May were booked.

The goal of the Benning Road Clinic testing site is to make testing more available in a part of D.C. already dogged by health inequities.

“We want to eliminate the obstacles so more people can be tested because we believe everyone should be tested,” said Dr. Hugh Mighty, who leads clinical affairs at Howard, in a news release when the site opened. “We want to screen our community neighbors in the areas where there are higher incidents of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes because those pre-existing conditions are linked to the higher incidents of coronavirus that we’ve seen in African American communities.”

Ward 7 and 8 residents seeking tests at the Benning Road Clinic are not required to have a doctor’s note, but they do need to make an appointment by calling 202-865-2119. Next week, testing will be available Tuesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. –Margaret Barthel

This post was updated to correct the location of the clinic.

The Ocean City boardwalk arch. Dough4872 / Flickr

Ocean City Tourists Seen Crowding On Beaches, Boardwalks Without Masks

May 15, 5:20 p.m.: As Ocean City reopens this weekend, crowds are flocking to the beaches and boardwalks, with varying degrees of coronavirus precautions.

Images circulating on social media this afternoon show some people with masks, some without, and a fairly crowded, and not-socially-distant beach.

#OceanCity today. Are we allowed to layout and not social distance?? pic.twitter.com/SAarfTEMmw

— ED (@Durant10) May 15, 2020

Per the town’s reopening guidelines, masks are not required on the beach or boardwalk, but social distancing precautions are encouraged.

“Each and every one of us has an obligation to exercise personal responsibility to protect our families, our friends, our co-workers,” says Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan in a statement on Thursday.

On Thursday Meehan lifted the lodging restriction, opening up the city’s hotels, motels, and rental properties to nonessential guests, prompting a flurry of reservations — with some properties filling to 100% capacity.

Ocean City initially reopened last weekend, but with low temperatures, the crowd size remained small. The city is expecting a much different scene heading into this weekend, as warmer weather welcomes people seeking an escape from quarantine.

The photos from today’s crowds prompted outcry on social media from those fearing a resurgence of the virus from the lax precautions.

https://twitter.com/jrh1417/status/1261376433156288513

Some blatantly condemned the actions of the beachgoers as “stupid.”

Other beaches in the state have taken a more limited approach to reopening — Chesapeake Beach on the Eastern Shore plans to keep most of its amenities closed indefinitely. –Colleen Grablick

An infection Control Protocol poster sits on a nursing station desk at the Palm Garden of Tampa Health and Rehabilitation Center. Chris O'Meara / AP Photo

Nearly A Third Of D.C. Coronavirus Deaths Have Come From Nursing Homes

May 15, 3:12 p.m.: New data from the city show that 119 residents at D.C.’s nursing homes have died from the coronavirus, making up nearly a third of the city’s death toll.

The data document total positive cases and deaths for nursing home residents and staff from 18 skilled nursing facilities. As of May 14, 501 residents had tested positive, with 267 of those residents showing symptoms. One hundred fifty staff members had tested positive, 64 were symptomatic, and three had died from the virus.

Transitional Care Center in Southeast topped the list for highest number of cases and deaths, with 102 residents testing positive — almost half of whom were symptomatic — and 21 deaths. Eighty residents at Stoddard Baptist Global Care had tested positive; 50 of them were symptomatic, 17 had died.

No residents had recovered, according to today’s report, but this metric has only been keeping tabs in real time since May 5, and the city plans to update this statistic as officials retroactively collect more information.

Earlier this month, Mayor Muriel Bowser identified residents at nursing home facilities as high priority for testing, along with healthcare workers, first responders, and hospitalized patients.

As of May 15, 6,871 D.C. residents had tested positive for coronavirus, and 368 people had died. —Colleen Grablick

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine Carolyn Kaster / AP Photo

D.C. Consumer Complaints Spike Sharply During The Pandemic

May 15, 2:10 p.m.: In the past two months, D.C.’s Office of the Attorney saw a significant uptick in consumer complaints due to the coronavirus, according to a new consumer complaint report from the OAG.

The office has fielded 634 complaints since the pandemic began, compared to 245 in the first two months of the year, according to the report.

Complaints from D.C. residents regarding health clubs and spas represent a third of the city’s consumer complaints since the outbreak of the coronavirus. From March 13 to May 8, the OAG received over 150 complaints about health clubs, a statistic the report links to a controversy surrounding Washington Sports Club. The local gym angered its members in early April for charging monthly dues and cancellation fees despite its closure. The gym eventually stopped charging patrons for memberships in late April, after receiving a letter from Attorney General Karl Racine.

Just behind fitness centers, the retail industry boasted a large number of complaints — over 130 — with reports of price gouging making up 36 percent of complaint types. Despite the Natural Disaster Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits businesses from increasing prices by more than 10% of their normal rates in the 90 days prior to an emergency declaration, several residents reported mark-ups of sought after items like toilet paper and and paper towels. The report notes one local business allegedly sold an 8-pack of paper towels for $35.

The OAG has issued 23 cease and desist letters during the shutdown to businesses involved in price gouging, and Racine filed his first lawsuit against a Ward 7 convenience store earlier this month after it allegedly charged $12.99 for a 121-ounce bottle of Clorox bleach. — Colleen Grablick

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam gestures during a news conference at the Capitol Wednesday April 8, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Steve Helber / AP Photo

Northam Says Testing Data Blunder ‘Wasn’t Intentional’

May 15, 1:15 pm: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday that it “wasn’t intentional” when his administration mingled antibody and diagnostic testing numbers, padding the overall test count and misleadingly driving down the rate of positive tests. Until Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health had been mingling the two sets of data, which critics said was an attempt to juice the state’s testing numbers ahead of reopening.

“I realized actually this past weekend and Monday that they were putting both of those tests together,” Northam said, speaking on WAMU’s The Kojo Nnamdi Show. “I own that and I have fixed it.”

Northam said the separation of the two types of tests “didn’t change our curves at all, it would have not changed any of our policy decision making.”

However, the smaller number of diagnostic tests reveals a 15% “positivity rate,” meaning the percentage of tests returning with a positive answer; this is higher than the positivity rate of 13.4% when all tests are put together.

Health experts recommend increasing testing until positivity rates drop beneath 10%. Virginia’s daily testing still falls short of Northam’s goal of 10,000 tests a day.

At a press conference Friday, Northam also responded to criticism from the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus that his reopening of parts of the state puts essential workers at risk. Northam did not specify particular regulations he would impose to protect those workers, rather saying he would expand access to testing and PPE.

“I’m very sensitive to the inequities and want to do everything that I can to address that,” he said on the Kojo Show.

Northam touted progress in the availability of testing, saying there are 215 testing sites and another 52 in the queue, including at free clinics and federally qualified health clinics.

Supervisors in the rural, western districts of Loudoun County have asked for permission to move to Phase 1 of reopening today with the rest of Virginia rather than comply with a two-week delay in Northern Virginia; Northam rejected the idea, saying “if you do something that carves up counties, it would just get totally out of hand.”–Daniella Cheslow

This post was updated with additional comments from the governor at a press conference on Friday.

D.C., Maryland, And Virginia Report Lowest Combined Death Toll In Four Days

May 15, 11:55 a.m.: Today another 77 people have died from the coronavirus in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, the lowest toll in four days. That brings the total to 3,256 fatalities. The three jurisdictions reported another 2,077 known cases of the virus, 72,529 in total. That new case number is down from yesterday but higher than the rest of the week. Maryland and Virginia are beginning to ease restrictions today, but counties in the D.C. area, which continue to be hardest-hit by the virus, are opting not to.

These totals include all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

D.C. reported another 10 deaths today (368 total) and 135 more infections (6,871 total). That case count is down from yesterday’s 152, but otherwise the highest since Sunday. Nine more people have recovered, for a total of 975. The District’s hospital bed and ventilator availability data show it has enough to meet demand for now, plus capacity for a surge in cases.

Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights continue to have the highest number of cases, 391 and 371, respectively. Ward 8 has seen the most deaths (82 people), followed by Ward 5 (57 people), and wards 4 and 7 (49 people). Ward 4 has the greatest number of cases (1,409), followed by Ward 5 (1,070 cases).

Black residents continue to suffer the most deaths (77% of the coronavirus deaths are among African Americans, though they only make up about 46% of the District’s population), while Hispanic/Latinx residents have the greatest rate of infection per capita. People with intellectual disabilities have an infection rate that’s seven times higher than the rest of the population.

Maryland recorded 45 new fatalities today, the lowest count since Monday, marking 1,911 total. The state has 1,083 new known cases, 36,986 total, down from yesterday but otherwise higher than the rest of the week. Another 116 people have been released from isolation, 2,685 total.

A bit under half, or 995, of Maryland’s COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. This number is unchanged since Wednesday. Montgomery County has the largest share of nursing home-related fatalities and cases, followed by Baltimore and Prince George’s counties. Maryland’s data on infections in congregate facilities also shows five inmates have died, and there are 80 known cases in prisons, unchanged since yesterday.

Montgomery County has seen the largest overall number of deaths (411 and another 38 probable) and has reported 7,759 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (393, with another 20 probable fatalities) and thousands more cases: 10,791.

Virginia reported 22 fatalities today, continuing a three-day downward trend, for 977 total coronavirus-related fatalities. The Commonwealth recorded 28,672 total cases of the virus, 859 of them new, down from the past few days. Virginia is no longer combining results from viral and antibody tests in the same statistic, the Department of Health announced yesterday. Combining them harms the integrity of the data and could be misleading, per earlier reporting from The Richmond Times Dispatch and The Atlantic.

Infections are clustered in Northern Virginia, and Fairfax County continues to see the most deaths (273 people) and cases (7,159). Henrico has the second-most deaths, 113, and 1,198 cases, followed by Arlington with 71 deaths and 1,534 cases and Prince William with 67 deaths and 3,421 cases.

There have been another four outbreaks in Virginia—defined as least two lab-confirmed cases at one particular place—for 287 total. Of those outbreaks, 167 of them are in long-term care facilities (up three from yesterday), which report 3,947 related cases, up 115 from yesterday. There 994 known cases in correctional facilities, and five people have died. —Julie Strupp

Anne Arundel Eases Some Restrictions For Businesses, But Not All

May 14, 6:42 p.m.: Officials in Anne Arundel County will ease some — but not all — restrictions for businesses after Gov. Larry Hogan (R) laid out a gradual plan to reopen Maryland.

Under Hogan’s plan, which was unveiled Wednesday, hair salons, retailers, and churches will be allowed to operate at 50 percent of maximum occupancy starting Friday at 5 p.m.

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said Thursday that retailers in the county will only be allowed to operate with curbside pick-up. Beauty salons will continue to operate by appointment only, with just one customer at a time allowed inside. Places of worship will continue to be limited to gatherings of 10 people or fewer.

“I am loosening only the restrictions that should have no significant impact on the spread of this virus,” Pittman said. “We cannot afford a second spike in new cases.”

Pittman said the county will follow Hogan’s recommendation allowing manufacturing companies to reopen. County officials said the number of COVID-19 cases has slowly increased in Anne Arundel over time.

Before easing more restrictions, the county wants those numbers to drop, and they also want to bolster testing capacity, said Anne Arundel County Health Officer Nilesh Kalyanaraman.

Maryland’s stay-at-home order will lift on Friday, triggering the first of Hogan’s three-part-plan to reopen the state. The governor’s directive does not apply to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, two D.C. suburbs that have been hard hit by the coronavirus.

Other localities may individually decide to move forward with reopening or maintain restrictions. —Debbie Truong

In this Tuesday May 12, 2020 photo, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, left, gestures as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, right, listens during an event with a group of volunteers to distribute supplies at health equity community event in Richmond, Va. Steve Helber / AP Photo

Virginia Governor Delays Reopening For Richmond City, Accomack County

May 14, 5:48 p.m. The city of Richmond and Accomack County, Virginia, will not reopen May 15th like much of the rest of the state, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.

Both areas are now slated to enter “Phase One” of reopening no earlier than May 29. The announcement arrives after leaders in both jurisdictions requested exemptions from Northam’s Forward Virginia plan, saying they’re not ready to begin a phased reopening of the economy.

Officials in Accomack County, located on the state’s Eastern Shore, wrote in a letter to Northam that they are “extremely concerned about the high number of positive COVID-19 cases” in the jurisdiction. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said much the same in a letter to the governor Thursday, calling for a “data-driven approach” to reopening the city.

Leaders in Accomack and Richmond both asked to be on the same timeline as Northern Virginia, which is also slated to begin reopening at the end of May. —Ally Schweitzer

In a letter sent to Hogan on Thursday, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones asked the governor to “provide full transparency and daily updates” about the state’s tests, samples and lab capacity, among other things. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Maryland Lawmakers Press Hogan For More Transparency In Testing, Contact Tracing

This post was updated at 8:33 p.m.

May 14, 5:30 p.m.: As Maryland prepares to reopen on Friday, lawmakers are expressing concerns about Gov. Larry Hogan’s plan and a lack of transparency in the state’s testing.

In a letter sent to Hogan on Thursday, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones asked the governor to “provide full transparency and daily updates” about the state’s tests, samples, and lab capacity, among other things.

Ferguson and Jones expressed concerns that Hogan didn’t have access to the data necessary to make the decision to reopen Maryland.

“Several reports in the United States indicate that for states to succeed, they must have a robust plan to trace each contact of confirmed cases,” they wrote. They referenced information from Test and Trace, a site that collects data about contact tracing, that indicates Maryland is not ready to test and trace.

“Although you have announced hospital bed rates to be the determining metric for reopening, Maryland continues to hover at, or near our peak of bed usage since the beginning of this crisis, the lawmakers added. “Without a robust testing, tracing, and isolation system in place, there is little doubt that any easing of restrictions will lead to additional COVID-19 cases.”

While confirmed cases continue to increase in Maryland, the state has seen a downward trend of hospitalizations, and deaths per day have also declined slightly in the past two weeks, according to state health department data.

Hogan, announcing his plan to reopen Maryland on Wednesday, said the decision was based on a 14-day “decline and plateauing numbers.” Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, meanwhile, will remain under stay-at-home orders. The governor said he consulted public health officials at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, economic experts, and business professionals about the plan.

Jones and Ferguson gave Hogan until May 20 to respond to their request for more data. —Dominique Maria Bonessi

This post has been updated to better reflect Test and Trace’s assessment of contact tracking in Maryland.

Maryland’s state house in Annapolis. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Montgomery, Prince George’s Counties Extend Stay-At-Home Orders Despite Maryland Reopening

May 14, 1:45 p.m.: The leaders of Maryland’s most populous counties said Thursday that they will extend their respective stay-at-home orders, part of an expected break with Gov. Larry Hogan and his plans announced this week to move into an initial reopening of the state.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said he would be issuing an executive order on Friday to clarify that the stay-at-home order will remain in place for the county, even as it expires across the state. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks extended the county’s stay-at-home order through June 1, saying conditions hadn’t yet been met to lift restrictions and allow businesses to start reopening.

The announcements complete what was an expected divergence between the initial reopenings announced by Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and the more densely populated areas of those states in the Washington region, which account for the lion’s share of COVID-19 cases in their respective states.

Of Maryland’s 35,903 recorded positive cases as of Thursday, Montgomery County has seen the largest overall number of deaths (397 and another 40 probable) and has reported 7,548 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (379, with another 19 probable fatalities) and thousands more cases: 10,449. —Martin Austermuhle and Jenny Gathright

Read the full story here.

The One Franklin Square Building, home of The Washington Post, in downtown Washington, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP Photo

Washington Post Isn’t Planning To Return To Office Until After Labor Day

May 14, 12:04 p.m.: The Washington Post does not plan to return to working out of its downtown D.C. offices until after Labor Day, according to a new all-staff email.

“For the foreseeable future, we have concerns that we cannot adequately safeguard the health of our employees with a return to office work,” writes publisher Fred Ryan. While some changes can be made to the building’s set up, Ryan says that management remains concerned about transportation, food services and the building’s common spaces.

When the outlet’s staff does return to working in the office, “it will be a carefully staged operation beginning with a small fraction of our workforce based on social distancing, temperature checks, protective wear, and testing as available,” per Ryan.

At this point, Post staffers have been working remotely for about 10 weeks. They received an email from management on March 10 encouraging them to work from home “if your role and equipment needs make it practical to do so.” At the time, the request was intended to be in place until the end of March. —Rachel Kurzius

Another 93 people have died from COVID-19 in the three jurisdictions, bringing the local toll to 3,179 fatalities.

Cases Top 70,000 In D.C., Maryland, And Virginia

May 14, 11:43 a.m.: D.C., Maryland, and Virginia reported 70,452 total known cases of the coronavirus this morning. Another 93 people have died from COVID-19 in the three jurisdictions, bringing the local toll to 3,179 fatalities.

These totals include all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

D.C. reported another 8 deaths today (358 total) and 152 infections (6,736 total). Today’s case count is the highest since this past Sunday; its death count is down from yesterday’s 14 and on par with earlier in the week. Thirty-two more people have recovered, a total of 966. The District’s hospital bed and ventilator availability data show it has enough to meet demand for now, plus capacity for a surge in cases.

The neighborhoods of Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights have the highest number of cases, 380 and 364, respectively. Ward 8 has seen the most deaths (80 people), followed by Ward 5 (56 people), Ward 4 (48 people) and Ward 7 (47 people). Ward 4 has the greatest number of cases (1,377), followed by Ward 5 (1,054 cases).

Black residents continue to suffer the most deaths (77% of COVID-19 deaths are among African Americans, though they only make up about 46% of the District’s population), while Hispanic/Latinx residents have the greatest rate of infection per capita. People with intellectual disabilities have an infection rate that’s seven times higher than the rest of the population.

Maryland recorded 57 new fatalities today, a slight uptick from yesterday, marking 1,866 total. The state has 1,091 new known cases, 35,903 total. Another 113 people have been released from isolation, 2,569 total.

About half, or 995, of Maryland’s COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. This number is unchanged since yesterday. Montgomery County has the largest share of nursing home-related fatalities and cases, followed by Baltimore and Prince George’s counties. Maryland’s data on infections in congregate facilities also shows five inmates have died, and there are 80 known cases in prisons.

Montgomery County has seen the largest overall number of deaths (397 and another 40 probable) and has reported 7,548 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (379, with another 19 probable fatalities) and thousands more cases: 10,449. Gov. Larry Hogan is allowing hard-hit counties to opt out of reopening with the rest of the state tomorrow at 5 p.m.

Virginia reported a death toll of 28 people, down from the past two days, for 955 total coronavirus-related fatalities. The Commonwealth recorded 27,813 total cases of the virus, 1,067 of them new, its biggest day-over-day increase recorded yet. New reporting from The Richmond Times Dispatch and The Atlantic shows that Virginia is combining results from viral and antibody tests in the same statistic, which harms the integrity of the data.

Infections are clustered in Northern Virginia. Fairfax County continues to see the most cases (6,951) and the most deaths (267 people), followed by Henrico with 1,174 cases and 112 deaths, Arlington with 1,499 cases and 70 deaths, and Prince William (3,351 cases and 66 deaths). The county with the highest death rateis Page, with 67 deaths per 100,000 people, which surpassed Greensville (60 deaths per 100,000 people) and Emporia (59 deaths per 100,000) for the first time today.

There have been another five outbreaks in Virginia — defined as least two lab-confirmed cases at one particular place—for 283 total. Of those outbreaks, 164 of them are in long-term care facilities (unchanged from yesterday), which report 3,832 related cases, up 30 from yesterday. —Julie Strupp

The region has seen historic highs in the number of people filing for unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

As Unemployment Keeps Ticking Up, Maryland And Virginia Struggle With Benefits Payments

May 14, 11:10 a.m.: Both Maryland and Virginia are experiencing challenges with paying out unemployment benefits, as the number of people filing for assistance continues its historic upward trajectory.

According to new data released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday, another 3 million people across the U.S. filed for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total number to 36 million since the pandemic shut down the country’s economy in mid-March.

That dramatic growth has also been on display in the Washington region, where 103,633 filed jobless claims last week alone. In late March, just over 16,000 people had filed for unemployment benefits in D.C. By the first week of May, that number grew to more than 63,000. In Maryland, the jump in claims over the same time period was from 47,225 to 249,624, while in Virginia it went from 42,200 to 392,701.

In Maryland, problems with the state’s unemployment insurance system have left thousands of people awaiting checks. According to state officials, claims have been paid out to 66% of people who have applied, while some 27% remain in limbo. Earlier this week hundreds of people testified at a virtual hearing in the Maryland legislature about their problems applying for and getting unemployment benefits.

In Virginia, on the other hand, state officials said this week that they overpaid some 35,000 self-employed workers receiving new benefits under the federal recovery bill. The excess payments — between $600 and $1,200 per worker — will be deducted from future checks. —Martin Austermuhle

Face coverings will now be required on the Metro system. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Starting Monday, Masks Will Be Mandatory On All Of Metro

May 14, 10:04 a.m.: Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld says that starting on Monday, all Metrorail and Metrobus riders will have to wear a mask or other face covering. The announcement was made at a meeting of Metro’s Board of Directors, per WAMU reporter Jordan Pascale.

Maryland already requires the use of masks on public transit, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser similarly ordered it on Wednesday. Other transit agencies across the country started requiring masks on riders as early as April (Philadelphia’s SEPTA), followed by New York’s MTA on April 13, San Francisco’s BART on April 22, Boston’s MBTA on May 6, and Los Angeles’ Metro on May 13.

Asked about how to enforce such a requirement, Wiedefeld told the board he hoped to avoid having police write tickets and instead rely on repeated encouragement of riders. He also said he would consider handing masks or face coverings to riders who don’t bring their own.

The announcement comes the same week as Wiedefeld unveiled a phased reopening plan for the regional transit system — but also warned that full service might not return until at least 2021. —Martin Austermuhle

An N95 respirator mask, which can protect people from contracting the coronavirus. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Bowser Tightens Requirements On Face Coverings

May 14, 8:00 a.m.: The rules around when you have to wear a mask or other face covering in D.C. are getting stricter.

A new order issued by Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday specifies that anyone still working in D.C. (unless they are alone) has to wear a mask or face covering, as does anyone visiting or traveling through the city — unless they can consistently maintain social distance from others. Masks and face coverings will also be required on all public transit and while waiting at a train or bus station.

The rules also address one of the more contentious debates in recent weeks: should runners and cyclists have to wear masks? No — but only if social distance can be maintained.

The new mask rules apply for anyone over the age of 9, though parents of children between the ages of 2 and 9 are “strongly encouraged” to have them wear a mask. People experiencing homelessness and those suffering from specific health conditions are not required to wear masks.

The rules are a step up from Bowser’s initial guidance in mid-April, which required businesses to instruct customers to wear masks or face coverings. They were included in the same order that extended the city’s stay-at-home order through June 8; it was originally set to expire on May 15. —Martin Austermuhle

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Lifts Stay-At-Home Order, But Gives Hardest-Hit Counties Flexibility

May 13, 5:48 p.m.: Maryland’s stay-at-home order will expire Friday, May 15 at 5 p.m., Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday at a press conference. The state will move to a “safer at home public health advisory,” the governor said, which means certain businesses and activities may resume operations as long as they’re modified.

Hogan said that Maryland had achieved a 14-day trend of “plateauing and declining numbers,” a benchmark he previously said was a requirement for reopening. Hospitalizations, the number of ICU patients with COVID-19, and the rate of new deaths are all trending downward, Hogan said.

Hogan said he would allow individual counties to make decisions about the timing of reopenings. Hogan said leaders in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties have made it clear that they will not reopen businesses on the same timeline as the rest of the state. The counties have more cases than any other in Maryland, with 7,283 cases in Montgomery County and 10,072 cases in Prince George’s County.

“They have made it clear that they are not yet ready to move into stage one, while many other counties with a lower number of cases feel strongly that they are able to do so,” Hogan said.

Hogan acknowledged that he heard concerns from people in the state’s hardest-hit areas that reopening other parts of the state could affect them.

In the areas that do move into the first phase of reopening, retail stores will be permitted to reopen at 50% capacity with physical distancing measures, masks, and other precautions. Curbside pickup and delivery are still encouraged.

Hogan also said manufacturing could resume “in a safe manner.” Barbershops and hair salons are permitted to reopen at up to 50% capacity, by appointment only. Churches and other houses of worship will be allowed to hold services in person and are strongly encouraged to hold those services outside. Indoor religious services are permitted, but at no more than 50% capacity.

Hogan said “if everybody goes crazy,” cases will go up. He urged Marylanders in the parts of the state where businesses reopen to continue staying home as much as possible, particularly if they are older or are especially vulnerable to the disease.

“The painful truth is that this virus will continue to be with us and to be a part of our daily lives and potential outbreaks will continue to remain a deadly threat until a vaccine is widely available,” said Hogan. —Jenny Gathright

Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax made the request Tuesday in a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam as Virginia prepares for a phased reopening. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Virginia’s Lieutenant Gov. Calls For New Group To Assess Racial Disparities In Cases

May 13, 1:35 p.m.: Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is asking Gov. Ralph Northam to create a statewide task force focused on racial disparities revealed by the coronavirus pandemic. Fairfax made the request Tuesday in a letter to Northam as Virginia prepares for a phased reopening later this month. Southern areas of the state will open first on May 15 followed by Northern Virginia on May 29.

In his letter, Fairfax said African American and Latinx Virginians are enduring a disproportionate share of COVID-19 cases and deaths so far. Combined, those groups represent 64.3 percent of Virginia’s coronavirus cases but only 27.5 percent of its population.

“These glaring disparities exist throughout the Commonwealth with regard to confirmed and probable cases, hospitalizations and deaths,” wrote Fairfax. “In one severe example, it was recently reported that in Richmond, where African-Americans comprise 48% of the city’s population, approximately 94% of COVID-19 related deaths were of African-Americans.”

Northam’s office didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about Fairfax’s request. The lieutenant governor pointed to Michigan as a state that has already set up a task force to examine racial disparities, chaired by its own lieutenant governor. (African Americans in Michigan made up more than 40 percent of the state’s COVID-19 deaths, but only 14 percent of the population, he noted.)

Fairfax said his hoped-for Virginia task force “would be comprised of community, labor and faith leaders, government officials and healthcare administrators and providers.” He added that such a group would look at how to increase COVID-19 testing and treatment in communities of color as well as provide free personal protective equipment “to barber shops, beauty salons, grocers and other small businesses.”

In March, Fairfax urged Northam to enact “bolder and swifter” measures to combat the coronavirus crisis in Virginia. As lieutenant governor, Fairfax, a Democrat, is second in line to Northam. Fairfax has previously said he intends to run for governor in 2021 despite past allegations of sexual assault. As of Wednesday, Virginia has seen 927 COVID-19-related fatalities and more than 26,700 cases. —Andrew Giambrone

D.C., Maryland And Virginia Report 103 New Deaths

May 13, 1:05: Another 103 people have died from the coronavirus in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, for a total of 3,086 deaths. The three jurisdictions also reported 68,142 known cases this morning. These totals include all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

D.C. reported another 14 deaths today (350 total) and 99 infections (6,584 total). Today’s case count is a tad higher than yesterday’s tally of 96, but lower than the four days before that. Community spread has also decreased for the past four days. The District’s death toll is the highest since its record on May 8, when it saw 19 new deaths. Forty eight more people have recovered, a total of 934. The District is also reporting bed and ventilator availability, and the data show it has enough to meet demand for now, plus capacity for a surge in cases.

The neighborhoods of Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights have the highest amount of cases, 366 and 344, respectively. Ward 8 has seen the most deaths (78 people), followed by Ward 5 (55 people), Ward 4 (47 people) and Ward 7 (44 people). Ward 4 has the greatest number of cases (1,328), followed by Ward 5 (1,032 cases).

Maryland recorded 51 new fatalities today, 1,756 total. Cases have trended downward over the past week, though today’s new case count (751) is higher than yesterday’s (688). The state has 34,812 total known cases. Another 62 people have been released from isolation, 2,456 total.

Over half, or 995, of Maryland’s COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. Montgomery County has the largest share of nursing home-related fatalities, followed by Baltimore County. Maryland’s data on infections in congregate facilities also shows another three inmates have died, a total of five.

Montgomery County has also seen the largest overall number of deaths (386 and another 36 probable) and has reported 7,283 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (370, with another 19 probable fatalities) and thousands more cases: 10,072. Gov. Larry Hogan will reportedly allow hard-hit areas to opt out of reopening with the rest of the state.

Virginia reported a death toll of 36 people, down slightly from Tuesday, for 927 total coronavirus-related fatalities. The Commonwealth recorded 26,746 total cases of the virus, 946 of them new. Health care workers represent 1,940 of those total cases. The Virginia Department of Health is now hiring 1,300 contractors to help trace the virus.

Infections are clustered in Northern Virginia. Fairfax County continues to see the most cases (6,666) and the most deaths (262 people), followed by Henrico with 1,146 cases and 112 deaths, Arlington with 1,460 cases and 69 deaths, and Prince William (3,181 cases and 65 deaths). The counties with the highest death rate are Greensville, with 60 deaths per 100,000 people, and Emporia, with 59 deaths per 100,000.

There have been another three outbreaks in Virginia—defined as least two lab-confirmed cases at one particular place—for 278 total. Of those outbreaks, 164 of them are in long-term care facilities, which report 3,802 related cases. The newly-reported deaths include 23 associated with outbreaks, for a total of 545. —Julie Strupp

Mayor Muriel Bowser listens during a press conference about the District’s coronavirus response on March 31. Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

Bowser Extends Emergency Order Through June 8

May 13, 11:45 a.m.: Mayor Muriel Bowser has extended the city’s emergency stay-at-home order until June 8.

The order—which closes schools and nonessential businesses, bans gatherings of 10 or more people, and limits government operations—was previously slated to end on May 15.

The mayor reported a four-day decline in new cases and a rate of transmission that meets the city’s threshold for reopening. But she also noted that D.C. will need to sustain those figures for a longer period before beginning to re-open.

“We’re not there yet and not quite ready to begin that phased re-opening,” Bowser said, adding that she could revise the date at any time “if the data suggest that we can do that.”

While Virginia is reopening more broadly on Friday as planned, exceptions have been made for hard-hit communities in the D.C. suburbs. Northern Virginia will delay its reopening until May 29.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is expected to outline reopening plans at a press conference this afternoon. He is also expected to allow some areas to delay such plans. —Rachel Sadon

MGM National Harbor closed in mid-March due to the pandemic. Amaury Laporte / Flickr

MGM National Harbor Lays Out Safety Plan For Eventual Reopening

May 13, 11:25 a.m.: As MGM National Harbor prepares to reopen gradually, its management says the emphasis will be on doing so safely. The casino closed on March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a reopening date will be according to local and state guidelines.

Parent company MGM Resorts International released a seven-point safety plan for its properties, including casinos, conference halls and hotels. The company said the guidelines were created with input from public health officials.

“MGM Properties will not look the way they used to for a while, and that’s not only OK, it’s critically important,” acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in the safety plan.

Employees will have regular temperature screenings and must wear face masks. There will be more “plexiglass barriers” though properties. Guests will be asked to “refrain from eating on the casino floor to minimize the time their masks are removed” and will have “contactless” options for check in. Guests will also be “strongly encouraged” to wear masks in public areas. Social distancing measures will be in place, and high use areas like slot machines will be cleaned and disinfected more frequently.

Maryland’s six casinos, including MGM National Harbor, have been badly affected by the coronavirus shutdown. Maryland collected no casino revenue in April 2020, compared to more than $60 million in April 2019. —Kavitha Cardoza

The Mystics brought home the franchise’s first-ever championship in 2019. Tyrone Turner / WAMU

Washington Mystics’ 2020 Season Opener Will Be Virtual

May 13, 10:05 a.m.: Reigning WNBA champions Washington Mystics are getting ready for their 2020 season opener. But instead of defending their title with a home game against Los Angeles this Saturday, the Mystics will spend the day on their social media platforms interacting with fans, WTOP first reported.

Starting at 10 a.m., fans are encouraged to share photos on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook showing their love for the team. The virtual celebration will end at 5 p.m. with the first episode on Facebook Live of “Run it Back/Mystics: Journey to a Championship.”

The Washington Mystics brought home their first-ever WNBA championship title on Thursday after outlasting a fierce challenge against the Connecticut Sun to secure Game 5’s winner-take-all 89-78 victory.

Mystics forward Aerial Powers says she isn’t sure when the season will get started because of the coronavirus lockdown, “but I am so ready to get back on the court and touch a ball and see the fans.”

Like other sports teams, the Mystics players work out at home and connect online with each other. Powers says the team is focusing on the next season. “Stay humble and stay hungry,” she says. —Kavitha Cardoza

Airports Report Half As Many Passengers, Slight Uptick In Cargo From Amazon

May 12, 6:34 p.m.: Airports in the region saw half as many passengers in March than they did in the same month in 2019, according to recently released statistics from the area’s three airports.

Reagan National Airport saw about 900,000 passengers in March, down about 56% compared to last year.

Dulles International Airport saw about 900,000 people as well, a 53% drop.

Cargo loads at those airports were down nearly 28% from a year ago.

Baltimore/Washington International had about 1.1 million passengers, a 53% drop. BWI did see one bright spot: overall cargo activity increased by 24%. While most cargo carriers were down, Amazon activity increased by more than 155%.

Stay-at-home orders were put in place halfway through the month. International flights to Europe were banned on March 13.

April statistics are expected to be worse.

Nationally, airlines saw 51% fewer passengers in March 2020 compared to 2019, the largest year-over-year decline on record and the lowest level of air travel in more than 20 years. The Transportation Security Administration says it’s screened about 90% fewer passengers at times nationwide.

The airline industry is heading into its typically busiest months with no clear sign of when travelers will feel comfortable flying again. —Jordan Pascale

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan wears a mask with a pattern of the state flag of Maryland during a news conference on Friday, April 24, 2020 in Annapolis, Md. Brian Witte / AP Photo

Governor Hogan Reportedly Allowing Some Parts Of Maryland To Delay Reopening

May 12, 6:05 p.m.: Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will allow some parts of the state to opt out of his reopening plan, the Washington Post reported.

Hogan is expected to make an announcement on Wednesday about a gradual reopening that would begin this week. During a call with leaders from the D.C. suburbs and other parts of the state that have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus, Hogan said he’d allow some areas to remain closed longer, according to the Post.

The report of local exemptions follows an order from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Tuesday, which allowed parts of Northern Virginia to delay reopening until at least May 29, while the rest of the commonwealth will begin to open up on May 15.

Northam’s order came after local leaders in Northern Virginia sent a letter to the governor requesting a delay, as they believed it was too soon to begin reopening.

Leaders in D.C.-area Maryland counties have similarly raised concerns about reopening on the same timeline as the rest of the state.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said last week that the county wasn’t ready to reopen, pointing to a continued surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as proof. In Montgomery County, executive Mark Elrich signaled he was looking at the D.C. region before moving forward with reopening, telling reporters last week that “it is not prudent for any one of us to open” until the entire metropolitan area is ready.

The governor’s spokesperson, Mike Ricci, said last week that Hogan’s reopening plan would include allowances for county leaders to act out of lockstep with the state as a whole, ““especially in areas with high concentrations of cases.”

According to the Post, Hogan told local leaders in highly populated areas during the call that they, like their counterparts in Northern Virginia, would be able to maintain their shutdowns as they see fit. –Nathan Diller

The Board of Education voted during a virtual meeting to let students choose their own grading system. fotografierende / Unplash

Montgomery County Schools Will Let Students Choose Their Own Grading System

May 12, 5:20 p.m.: The Montgomery County Board of Education voted on Tuesday to let students choose how their final second semester grades are recorded this year. The change allows students to pick between receiving a pass/incomplete option, or one letter grade higher than the grade they earned in the most recent marking period, which ended April 17.

During the meeting, which was held virtually, the board voted 7 to 1 in favor of the measure. The board received roughly 2,000 emails on the subject, and board member Patricia O’Neill said she wanted to be fair to all students in the county.

“Parents and students write from an ‘I, me’ perspective and the board’s person is ‘we and ours and all,’” she said. “We really have to think of all kids.” Montgomery County Public Schools did not immediately respond to a request for comment with more information on the rule.

The news comes after MCPS superintendent, Jack Smith, announced last month that grading would be handled differently in the fourth period, with classes being held online—all Maryland public schools will remain closed for at least the remainder of the academic year, the state announced last week.

“We have determined that a traditional grading system based on percentages and letter grades will not serve the best interests of all students during this period of online learning,” he wrote in an April 18 letter. “We want to ensure that our grading system has a positive impact and can only help our students’ academic standing.” –Nathan Diller

This post has been updated to reflect that students can choose to receive a pass/incomplete option, not a pass/fail option.

The team said the program is a bonus to reward fans’ “commitment to the Washington Nationals in 2020.” Kevin Harber / Flickr

As MLB Considers Summer Baseball Start, Nationals Have New Plan For Ticket Holders

May 12, 3:20 p.m.: The Washington Nationals announced a new bonus credit program for ticket holders on Tuesday, as baseball remains in limbo due to the coronavirus.

According to an update on the team’s website, the program gives ticket holders a 100% credit for the price of each ticket to any game they can’t attend this year as a result of the crisis. They will also receive an additional credit for 50% of what they initially paid for tickets and parking passes, which can be used to buy other tickets, food and drinks, or a donation to frontline workers, first responders, or more during the 2020 and 2021 regular season games.

The team said the program is a bonus to reward fans’ “commitment to the Washington Nationals in 2020.” Last month, some season and single-game ticket holders said they had struggled to get answers from the team or box office about the status of their tickets or obtaining refunds. The Nationals did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new program.

The news comes after reports on Monday that Major League Baseball owners approved a plan to start the season in early July, pending approval from the players union. Following the reports, the star reliever for the Nationals, Sean Doolittle, posted a series of tweets raising concerns about the safety of players, their families, and staff working in the stadiums.

Other events slated for this summer at Nats Park, like a July Guns N’ Roses concert and two August musical performances, are still scheduled to happen, according to Britt Ghiroli, a reporter for The Athletic. –Nathan Diller

“We don’t know what summer will look like yet, but we’re getting ready,” said Montgomery County Recreation’s division chief. “We’re Recreation and summer is what we do.” Montgomery County, MD / Flickr

Montgomery County Cancels Summer Camps This Year

May 12, 2:23 p.m.: Montgomery County Recreation has announced that summer camps are cancelled this year due to concerns around COVID-19. The department is currently working to process refunds and that payment plans have also been canceled, per a letter published on its website.

The department will update residents on future summer camp offerings “as soon as they are available,” per the letter. Registration for all of its summer activities and classes has been postponed, but a new registration date will be provided pending guidance from local health officials, the department said. Montgomery County Recreation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the cancellations.

The announcement comes as parents and kids across the region are struggling to figure out their summer plans in the wake of the pandemic. Montgomery County Recreation division chief, Adriane Clutter said the department was still trying to figure out how to handle its summer plans this year in a video posted to YouTube on Monday.

“We don’t know what summer will look like yet, but we’re getting ready,” she said. “We’re Recreation and summer is what we do.”

Some other area camps have already cancelled, while others have yet to announce. The Fairfax County Park Authority previously said it is not “100% sure” it will be able to host summer camps this year, and after cancelling its summer programs and classes, the Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation said it would have an update on the status of summer camps in early May. –Nathan Diller

Coronavirus has disrupted business at meat processing plants across the country and put workers at risk. Historic Bremen / Flickr

D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Attorneys General Call On Trump To Ensure Protections For Workers In Meat Processing Plants

May 12, 12:52 p.m.: The attorneys general of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday demanding protections for workers in meat and poultry processing plants.

Karl Racine, Brian Frosh, and Mark Herring—the attorneys general from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, respectively—joined a coalition of 20 other Democratic attorneys general from around the country in signing the letter, which comes after Trump signed an executive order in late April requiring the plants to stay open during the crisis

“The industry’s workers are risking their lives to maintain production in these facilities under extremely unsafe working conditions.” the group wrote. “Your action purporting to force plants to stay open and employees to continue working must be accompanied by the enforcement of standards to ensure the safety of these essential workers.”

In the letter, the attorneys general asked that the president take steps to ensure priority testing for workers, access to adequate personal protective equipment, isolation and quarantine with full pay for workers who test positive for COVID-19, and other measures.

Meat processing plants have struggled to ensure worker safety in the facilities, where employees are often in close quarters, and some facilities have shut down as a result. There were previously outbreaks tied to two plants on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, one operated by Tysons and another owned by Perdue Farms, and cases tied to meatpacking plants nationwide recently passed 10,000, USA Today reported last week. –Nathan Diller

For Fifth Consecutive Day, D.C. Sees Fewer New COVID-19 Cases Than Prior Day

May 12, 12:35 p.m. Today D.C., Maryland, and Virginia reported 2,983 COVID-19 deaths and 66,346 cases of the coronavirus. These totals include all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

This morning D.C. recorded another 8 deaths and 96 infections. For the fifth day in a row, the city announced fewer new positive cases than the prior day. There have been a total of 336 deaths and 6,485 confirmed cases, and 886 people have recovered. The District is also reporting bed and ventilator availability, which shows it has enough to meet demand for now.

The neighborhoods of Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights have the highest amount of cases, 363 and 332, respectively. Ward 8 has seen the most deaths (74 people, unchanged since yesterday), followed by Ward 5 (53 people), and wards 4 and 7 (43 people). Ward 4 has the greatest number (1,298) of cases. Black residents continue to suffer the most deaths (77% of the victims are black, though they only make up about 46% of the District’s population), while Hispanic/Latinx residents have the greatest rate of infection per capita.

Maryland recorded a heavy death toll today: 73 new fatalities, 1,756 total. (The state’s current record for most COVID-19 deaths in one day is 74, which occurred on both April 25 and May 5.) Cases, though, are trending downward. The state added another 688 cases of the virus, the lowest number in almost two weeks, for a total of 34,061 known infections. Another 96 people have been released from isolation, 2,394 total.

About half, or 803, of Maryland’s COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. This number has remained the same since Friday. Montgomery County has the largest share of nursing home-related fatalities, and has also seen the largest overall number of deaths (373 plus another 34 probable) and has reported 7,130 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (355, with another 18 probable fatalities) and even more cases: 9,892.

Virginia reported a death toll of 41, breaking the three-day streak of decreasing daily death counts and making for 891 total coronavirus-related fatalities. The Commonwealth recorded 25,800 total cases of the virus, 1,199 of them new, an uptick from the past few weeks. Of those total cases in the commonwealth, health care workers represent 1,883 of them.

Infections are clustered in Northern Virginia, and Gov. Ralph Northam is allowing Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the city of Alexandria to opt out of the state’s first phase of reopening this Friday.

Fairfax County continues to see the most cases (6,470) and the most deaths (253 people), followed by Henrico with 1,106 cases and 112 deaths, Arlington with 1,416 cases and 66 deaths, and Prince William (3,078 cases and 58 deaths). The counties with the highest death rate are Greensville, with 60 deaths per 100,000 people, and Emporia, with 59 deaths per 100,000.

There have been 275 outbreaks in Virginia, defined as least two lab-confirmed cases at a particular place. Of those outbreaks, 162 of them are in long-term care facilities with 3,747 related cases. The newly reported deaths include 19 associated with outbreaks, for a total of 522. —Julie Strupp

“We are not opening the floodgates or flipping a light switch from closed to open. We’re taking a dimmer switch and turning up the intensity, as we can and as the numbers allow,” Northam said of phase one of the state’s reopening plan at Friday’s presser. Steve Helber / AP Photo

Due To New Executive Order, Northern Virginia Won’t Open Friday After All

May 12, 11:55 a.m.: Even as parts of the commonwealth begin to reopen this Friday, Northern Virginia’s economy will remain shut down until at least the end of May, thanks to a new order from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

[For the full story on Northern Virginia’s delayed reopening, see here.]

Northam has suggested for days that he was willing to allow areas hit hardest by the pandemic to keep their social and economic restrictions in place for longer. Today he made it official with an executive order that allows Northern Virginia to delay entering Phase One of Northam’s “Forward Virginia” plan through May 28.

“The Phase One policies are a floor, not a ceiling. While the data show Virginia as a whole is ready to slowly and deliberately ease some restrictions, it is too soon for Northern Virginia,” Northam said in a statement.

On any given day, Northern Virginia accounts for around 70% of the coronavirus cases in Virginia, the order says. However, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William counties and the city of Alexandria comprise less than 30% of the commonwealth’s population.

Over the weekend, the top elected leaders from Northern Virginia sent a letter urging Northam to allow for phased regional reopening. They pointed to the higher case volume and noted that COVID-19 patients account for a larger portion of the region’s hospital bed capacity, compared to the rest of Virginia.

The local leaders say it’s important to coordinate their reopening strategy with Washington, D.C. and the Maryland suburbs.

Beginning this Friday, elsewhere in the Commonwealth, houses of worship and retail establishments can operate at 50% occupancy, and restaurants can open with outdoor seating, also limited to 50% capacity. –Hannah Schuster

Yard waste and food scraps being composted at a facility in Prince George’s County. Jacob Fenston / WAMU

Arlington Suspends Pickup Of Yard Waste (Again)

May 12, 11:10 a.m.: Arlingtonians hunkered down at home during the pandemic are producing up to 40% percent more trash and recycling — so much that the county is struggling to collect it all. Starting today, crews will not be collecting yard waste from residents’ green bins.

There are two temporary drop-off sites for yard waste, which can be deposited in paper bags or loose. Yard waste is usually picked up every week.

Officials are urging residents to help ease the burden on trash collectors. The county suggests composting at home (or dropping off food scraps), grasscycling, dropping off glass at recycling centers, and holding off on spring cleaning. Call it summer cleaning, or perhaps autumn cleaning?

Arlington initially stopped collecting yard waste on May 4, but then added another week of curbside pickup, tweeting that afternoon: “Arlington’s residential trash contractor has identified enough staff to offer curbside yard waste collection during regular routes tomorrow May 5, through next Monday, May 11.” — Jacob Fenston

Gaithersburg biotech company Novavax is working on a COVID-19 vaccine. Marco Verch / Flickr

Gaithersburg, Md. Company Gets $384 Million For Vaccine Trials

May 12, 9:52 a.m.: If all goes well, Gaithersburg biotech company Novavax could produce one billion vaccine doses next year — enough to inoculate ⅛ of the globe against the coronavirus. That effort to develop a vaccine got a big boost this week, with an investment of $384 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI.

Novavax will start clinical tests later this month on about 130 healthy adults in Australia, with results expected in July. If those phase 1 trials are successful, phase 2 will include trials in multiple countries. The funding from CEPI will allow Novavax to quickly scale up production, potentially producing 100 million vaccine doses by the end of the year.

Novavax announced in early April that it had discovered the possible vaccine, called NVX-CoV2373, and said it had been highly effective in animal studies.

The $384 million is the single largest investment ever made by CEPI, a foundation based in Oslo that works to accelerate the creation of vaccines. In March, CEPI also invested $4 million in Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine efforts. CEPI plans to further support the company, through licensing of the vaccine, if phase 1 and 2 trials are successful.

Other companies are also racing ahead with possible vaccines: last week Pfizer and BioNTech dosed 360 patients in early tests, including some patients at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Another company, Moderna, announced last week it had FDA approval to begin phase 2 testing on about 600 people. —Jacob Fenston

Northam Working With NoVa Leaders On Delayed Reopening Strategy

May 11, 4:40 p.m.: Virginia will begin an initial reopening of its economy this Friday, but Gov. Ralph Northam says he is working on a separate plan with jurisdictions in Northern Virginia that would like to delay their reopening.

“Different regions face different challenges,” he said at a press briefing today, “While no region may move faster to ease restrictions, we’re open to some regions moving more slowly.”

Northam said he plans to share more details about a delayed reopening for Northern Virginia during a briefing on Wednesday.

Over the weekend, the leaders from five jurisdictions in Northern Virginia sent Northam a letter asking him to allow for varied regional openings. The officials said that local case data indicates they aren’t ready to move forward.

The pandemic has hit Northern Virginia particularly hard. Northam said that within the past 24 hours, Northern Virginia saw more than 700 new cases, whereas the rest of the state saw fewer than 300 new cases.

He also addressed a fear that residents from Northern Virginia would travel to other parts of the state to use businesses like restaurants and hair salons that are allowed to reopen at limited capacity.

“We would certainly encourage them not to,” he said, “One of the things that has gone into the decision making with Northern Virginia … is the relationship with Maryland and Washington, D.C. … That whole area is so dense and they’re all kind of sharing the same challenges.”

Northam’s chief of staff said the strict limitations on business capacity and crowd size in the areas that will be allowed to reopen should help prevent people from traveling there.–Hannah Schuster

Major League Baseball team owners are backing a plan to start the baseball season in July. Arturo Pardavila III / Flickr

MLB Owners Want To Start The Baseball Season In July, Sean Doolittle Has Concerns

May 6, 4:15 p.m.They may be playing baseball at Nationals Park this year after all. But the only way to see it might be on a screen.

Major League Baseball owners on Monday approved a proposal to start the season in early July, according to the AP. The plan, which is subject to approval by the players union, includes teams playing about 82 regular season games — roughly half of a normal season.

The owners are slated to make a proposal to the players union on Tuesday. But don’t get too comfortable on your couch just yet waiting for the season to begin. As the AP notes, financial negotiations between the players union and the owners are likely to be contentious.

And Sean Doolittle, the Nationals’ star reliever, quickly published a series of tweets raising concerns about health protections for players, families and workers. Doolittle isn’t the Nationals player representative; Max Scherzer holds that role. But Doolittle is outspoken and widely followed by many fans, though his views are thought to be more liberal than most players.

Nationals fans have been looking forward to this season with keen interest, following the team winning its first World Series last year. The year immediately following a championship is traditionally a particularly strong one for home attendance.

That won’t be the case this year. The AP says the proposal includes starting the shortened season around July 4th, but with fans banned from attending, at least initially. Further, the games could be played at neutral sites or at spring training facilities if teams can’t get medical and government approval to play in their traditional stadiums. The Nationals play their exhibition games at West Palm Beach, Florida.

The plan also includes re-starting spring training next month.—Jeffrey Katz

Coronavirus data for May 11. These totals include probable cases of the virus. WAMU

D.C., Maryland And Virginia Report Low Number Of New Deaths, But Cases Are Still Rising

May 11, 11:55 a.m.: D.C., Maryland and Virginia recorded fewer new coronavirus death numbers this morning than in days past, though both cases and fatalities are still on the rise.

The three jurisdictions reported a total of 2,861 deaths and 64,832 cases of COVID-19 this morning. We are including in our totals all confirmed and probable cases and deaths linked to the coronavirus that are reported by local jurisdictions.

D.C. added another 5 deaths (the lowest increase in nearly two weeks) and recorded 117 more infections. That marks a 1.5% day-over-day increase in deaths, bringing the District’s total to 328, and a 1.9% increase in infections since yesterday, bringing the total to 6,389 confirmed cases. So far 881 people have recovered.

A neighborhood-level map shows that Columbia Heights and 16th Street Heights have the highest amount of infections, with 354 and 327 cases, respectively. Ward 8 has seen the most deaths (74 people), followed by Ward 5 (52 people), Ward 7 (43 people) and Ward 4 (42 people). Ward 4 has the greatest number of infections (1,275) . Black residents continue to suffer the most deaths (77% of the victims are black, though black residents make up about 46% of the District’s population), while Hispanic/Latinx residents have seen the greatest rate of infection.

Virginia reported 850 coronavirus-related fatalities today and 25,070 cases of the virus. Eleven of the deaths were new, up 1.3% from yesterday, continuing the Commonwealth’s three-day streak of decreasing daily death counts. Infections, however, were up 4.1% from Sunday, for a total of 989 new cases. 1,823 of the total cases are among health care workers.

There have been 271 outbreaks, and 160 of them are in long-term care facilities, which have seen a total of 3,707 cases and 503 deaths. Fairfax County continues to see the most cases (6,200) and the most deaths (243 people), followed by Henrico (1,083 cases and 110 deaths,) Arlington (1,399 cases and 60 deaths), and Prince William counties (2,991 cases and 53 deaths).

Maryland recorded 1,683 COVID-19-related deaths this morning—35 of them new—a 2.4% day-over-day increase. The state recorded another 786 cases of the virus for a total of 33,373known infections, also a 2.4% uptick from yesterday and the lowest increase in five days. Another 5 people have been released from isolation, bringing the total to 2,298.

About half, or 803, of Maryland’s COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. This number has remained the same since Friday. Montgomery County has the largest share of nursing home-related fatalities, and has also seen the largest overall number of deaths (353 plus another 35 probable) and has reported 6,909 cases. Prince George’s County has almost as many deaths (342, with another 17 probable cases) and even more cases: 9,687 known infections. —Julie Strupp

Montgomery County Schools To Hold ‘Hybrid’ Graduation for Class of 2020

May 11, 8:38 a.m.: High school seniors at Montgomery County public schools may graduate twice this year: online in early June and again in person after the public health crisis has subsided.

The school system is embracing a “hybrid” approach to graduation after receiving feedback from roughly 8,000 parents and students on graduation preferences, according to a statement from MCPS. It is also sharing photos and videos from seniors on its social media channels from May 14 to May 22.

The decision follows Gov. Larry Hogan’s announcement May 6 that all public schools in the state would remain closed through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Virtual learning will continue at MCPS schools through June 15.

The school system is the largest in Maryland and served more than 164,000 students this school year. —Eliza Berkon

For more on how coronavirus has impacted the D.C. region, see these updates from the week of May 4-May 10.

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