D.C. Health Department Raps White House For ‘Limited Contact Tracing,’ Urges Workers To Get Tested For Covid-19

Topline

Health officials from the Washington, D.C. Department of Health and nine local jurisdictions wrote an open letter Thursday criticizing the White House for insufficient contact tracing for the coronavirus outbreak and urging people who work there to get tested and contact local health experts for guidance.

Key Facts

Key Background

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser shared the letter and a note reiterating the message. On Wednesday, she extended the local state of emergency due to the pandemic to Dec. 31. The state of emergency, which has been in place in since March 11, was scheduled to end Friday. “The spread of COVID-19 remains an imminent threat to the health, safety and welfare of District residents that requires the continued need for declarations of a public emergency and public health emergency,” Bowser wrote in the order. 

Tangent

Since President Trump’s advisor Hope Hicks became the first case to become publicly known last week, 34 White House staffers and “other contacts”–including Trump—have contracted the virus, according to an internal FEMA memo obtained by ABC News on Wednesday. At least 13 people who attended the Supreme Court nomination announcement, which took place both indoors and outdoors, have tested positive. In defiance of  CDC guidelines, multiple close contacts of people who have tested positive have continued to return to the White House, and others continue to be seen violating social distancing and mask-wearing protocols. 

Further Reading

DC Health and Nine Local Jurisdictions Ask Individuals Connected to Recent White House Events to Contact Their Local Health Department

Mayor Bowser Issues Mayor’s Order Extending Public Health Emergency

The Complete Trump Covid-19 Timeline: What We Know About The President’s Diagnosis—And What We Don’t (Forbes)

White House Outbreak: Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Gen. Gary Thomas Latest To Test Positive (Forbes)

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