June 10 update from Ward 5 CM McDuffie: Testing, Contact Tracing, and Slow Streets

From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie <kmcduffie@dccouncil.us>

Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 6:21 PM
Subject: June 10 Update - Testing, Contact Tracing, and Slow Streets

View this email in your browser For the latest information on the response to coronavirus visit http://coronavirus.dc.gov. Get Tested! DC residents experiencing any COVID-19 symptom (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, congestion, body aches, chills, runny nose) or with known exposure to COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 test. Visit https://coronavirus.dc.gov/testing for full details. Do I need to make an appointment? For drive-thru testing: Yes, an appointment is required for drive-thru testing at the Anacostia and UDC-CC Bertie Backus sites and must be scheduled through the Testing Triage Call Center by calling 1-855-363-0333. The Testing Triage Call Center hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. A call center evaluation will include individuals answering pre-screening questions regarding their symptoms and history of exposure. There is no on-site registration for drive-thru tests at Anacostia or UDC-CC Bertie Backus Campus. For walk-up testing: No, there is no appointment needed for walk-up testing at the Judiciary Square, Anacostia, and UDC-CC sites. Walk-up testing is available Monday through Friday from 10 am – 2 pm. What will an individual need to bring to the test site? An individual with an appointment must bring the following: The testing confirmation email from DC Health, via electronic (i.e., on their phone or a device) or printed copy AND, A valid, government-issued photo ID showing proof of residency in the District of Columbia. If an individual does not have a valid District of Columbia government-issued ID, they must bring any government issued ID with a bill (e.g., utility, cell phone, lease, bank statement, etc.) marked to their current address. First responders and healthcare workers who work in the District of Columbia will be asked to provide proof of employment (e.g., badge). Contact Tracing Explained Contact tracing is a key component of the District's response to controlling COVID-19. DC Health obtains contact information of residents who test positive for COVID-19 via electronic lab reports and case reports submitted by healthcare providers that are required by law. Communicable disease law states that all information collected by DC Health from these reports and from case and contact investigations shall be used only for statistical and public health purposes. Click on the images above to go through the entire presentation. "Slow Streets" Coming to Newton St NE In June 2020 Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the first seven locations for the new Slow Streets initiative, which will give residents more space to social distance while moving around outside. The locations are spread across all eight wards of the District. Slow Streets are restricted to local traffic only and the speed limit is set at 15 miles per hour to support neighborhood-based safe social distancing while walking, running, or cycling. The first slow zones will be implemented in the locations in each ward. Ward 5's first slow street is Newton Street NE (between 12th Street NE and South Dakota Avenue). DDOT will install additional Slow Streets throughout the summer. Drivers should only use a designated Slow Street if their destination is within two blocks of that street. Residents, emergency vehicles, deliveries, and trash collection vehicles still have access to Slow Streets. Streets with bus routes are not eligible for a Slow Streets designation. Additionally, please note that as of May 2020, the speed limit on all residential streets, the maximum lawful speed is 20 mph, not 25 mph, as was previously the case.