DC outlines Phase Two reopening requirements; Bowser, feds clash as Trump calls her ‘incompetent’

District authorities are working on how to make the decision to transition from Phase One to Phase Two of reopening during the coronavirus pandemic.

June 19 would be the earliest date the District could consider making a Phase Two recommendation, according to D.C. Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt.

But things would have to “go our way,” Nesbitt said.

She said D.C. will present a dashboard — due to go live in the next few days — that will be part of monitoring the metrics required for Phase Two.

Those metrics include 14 days of of sustained decrease in community spread, low positivity rates in testing, less than 80% use in health care capacity and strong contact tracing.

“We want to see a transmission rate less than one for five days,” Nesbitt said. “In terms of testing capacity, we want a low positivity rate, or testing rate, to be less than 15% for seven days.”

“Having our health system capacity be less than 80% for 14 days is one of the observations we want to be able to make,” Nesbitt said.

She noted that D.C.’s public health capacity is tied to the ability to do contact tracing.

“Making a first contact attempt for a new positive cases within one day of us being notified of the case, and having that be over 90% of the time, and then a first contact attempt for close contacts of new positive cases, once we are aware of who those contacts are,” Nesbitt said.

“That means that once we have the list of the contacts from any positive case that we have been able to make contact with those individuals within two days of being notified of who they are, and having that occur 90% of the time.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, raised concerns Friday about coronavirus spread during protests in an interview with WTOP.

“The reasons for demonstrating are valid, yet the demonstration itself puts one at an additional risk,” Fauci said.
• Prince George’s, Montgomery counties not reopening more businesses yet
• Emergency kits handed out to DC protesters in hot weather
• Coronavirus resources: Get and give help in DC, Maryland and Virginia

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.

Bowser formally requested the removal of “all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from our city” in a Friday morning letter to Trump.

Bowser has taken a hard line against what she sees as the militarization of the District. She and police Chief Peter Newsham have pushed back against the expansion of federal officers onto District property, beyond Lafayette Square.

She said in her letter, which was also posted on Twitter, that she ended the state of emergency in the city related to the demonstrations, noting that D.C. police did not make a single arrest Wednesday evening.

Bowser said that the city government was “well equipped” to handle peaceful protests without federal assistance.

The mayor also said that she continues to be concerned about the large number of unidentified federal personnel in the city, arguing that it could pose safety risks.

“The deployment of federal law enforcement personnel and equipment are inflaming demonstrators and adding to the grievances of those who, by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken systems that are killing Black Americans,” Bowser said.

She added that the “multiplicity of forces can breed dangerous confusion.”

Bowser questioned why there were so many officers who “lack identifying insignia,” saying this was dangerous for personnel and protesters, and violated D.C. law.

“The safety and freedom of the residents and visitors to the District of Columbia is paramount,” Bowser said. “My view is that law enforcement should be in place to protect the rights of American citizens, not restrict them.”

Trump lashed out at Bowser on Twitter later Friday, calling her “incompetent” and accusing her of “looking for ‘handouts.'”

“If she doesn’t treat these men and women well, then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women!” Trump tweeted.

The mayor was asked about the president’s tweets at a news conference.

“You know the thing about the pot and the kettle?” Bowser responded.

Bowser also responded to Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee earlier Friday, who tweeted that the mayor was “kicking the Utah National Guard out of all DC hotels tomorrow. More than 1200 troops from 10 states are being evicted. This is unacceptable.”

“Senator — until they are recalled home — which I have formally requested from the President, your troops are in DC hotels. However, DC residents cannot pay their hotel bills. The Army can clear that up with the hotel today, and we are willing to help,” Bowser tweeted.

Bowser renames street in front of White House to Black Lives Matter Plaza; street painted

Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed the section of 16th Street Northwest in front of the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Friday morning ahead of more protests.

A black and white sign marking the change stands near St. John’s Episcopal Church at the corner of H Street, where President Donald Trump posed for a controversial photo after protesters were forced from Lafayette Park earlier this week.

“Black Lives Matter” was also painted in enormous letters on the street leading to the White House.

Though it was widely cheered across social media, praise was not universal.

It was called a “performative distraction from real policy changes” by Black Lives Matter DC.

“Black Lives Matter is very critical of police,” she said. “They’re critical of me. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t see them and support the things that will make our community safe. And that we don’t all have a larger responsibility in the nation’s capital to send that very clear message to our nation.”

Demonstrators march on through rough weather; troops hurt by lightning

The seventh night of protests through the District on Thursday, this time without a curfew, were again peaceful. Demonstrators were undeterred by severe weather.

Two National Guard troops were hospitalized after lightning struck at Lafayette Park. D.C. Fire and EMS said they got the call around midnight.

Both troops were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

There were no reports of injuries to protesters.

Newsham: Saturday protest may be ‘largest that we’ve had’ in DC

Local leaders said they are expecting even bigger demonstrations over the weekend.

“We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest that the event on this upcoming Saturday may be one of the largest that we’ve had in the city,” D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said during a briefing Thursday.

“We expect that Saturday’s demonstration will, like I said, be more of the same peaceful demonstrators coming to exercise their First Amendment right in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

The District reported 79 new coronavirus cases Friday. The total now stands at 9,199.

In addition, four more D.C. residents died from COVID-19, bringing the total to 479.

Below are maps of cases by ward, neighborhood and community spread. And more information is available at D.C.’s website.