Mayor’s Order 2020-046: Declaration of Public Health Emergency: Coronavirus (COVID-19) (District of Columbia, March 11, 2020)

Summary

Mayor's Order 2020-046 of the District of Columbia, dated March 11, 2020, issued by the Office of the Mayor and declaring a public health emergency for the coronavirus (COVID-19), effective immediately. It follows Mayor's Order 2020-045 of the same date declaring a Public Emergency, and its findings note more than 1,000 confirmed cases and at least 29 fatalities in the United States and the World Health Organization's pandemic declaration that day. The order directs the Mayor's Chief of Staff to run public communications and maintain coronavirus.dc.gov, requires the Director of the Department of Health to issue an administrative order within one day, and applies to all District Government departments and agencies. It remains in effect until fifteen days after its effective date unless rescinded or superseded earlier.

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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUANCE SYSTEM

Mayor’s Order 2020-046
March 11, 2020

SUBJECT: Declaration of Public Health Emergency: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ORIGINATING AGENCY: Office of the Mayor

By virtue of the authority vested in the Mayor of the District of Columbia pursuant to section
422(11) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 790,
Pub. L. No. 93-198, D.C. Official Code § 1-204.22(11) (2016 Repl.), in accordance with section
5 of the District of Columbia Public Emergency Act of 1980, effective March 5, 1981, D.C. Law
3-149, D.C. Official Code § 7-2304 (2018 Repl.), and section Sa of District of Columbia Public
Emergency Act of 1980, effective October 17, 2002, D.C. Law 14-194, D.C. Official Code § 7-
2304.01 (2018 Repl.), it is hereby ORDERED that:

I. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION (NATURE OF A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY)

A. This Order follows upon the Mayor’s Order 2020-045, dated March 11, 2020,
declaring a Public Emergency in the District of Columbia.

B. _ There is reasonable cause to believe that there is an imminent hazard of or actual
occurrence of widespread exposure to an infectious agent (COVID-19) that poses
a significant risk of substantial future harm to a large number of people in the
District of Columbia.

C. OnJanuary 31, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services
declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s
health care community in responding to COVID-19. There have been several
presumptive and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Washington, DC
metropolitan region. COVID-19 has been detected in numerous states, with more
than 1,000 confirmed cases and at least 29 fatalities in the United States. The
World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) have declared COVID-19 to be a “public health emergency of international
concern” (PHEIC). On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared
COVID-19 a pandemic.

D. Cities in the United States and foreign cities experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks
have had significant health, safety, and economic impacts on their residents,
businesses, and visitors. Mandatory quarantines, self-isolation, business supply
chain interruptions, and cancellations of college classes and conventions are
increasingly affecting peoples’ lives and livelihoods.
Mayor’s Order 2020-046
Page 2 of 2

E. The person-to-person spread of COVID-19 and the increased availability of
testing kits make it virtually certain that the District of Columbia will have more
confirmed cases and that COVID-19 will have significant impacts on District of
Columbia residents, businesses, visitors, students, and at-risk populations.

F, The spread of COVID-19 is an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare
of District residents that requires emergency protective actions be undertaken by
the District Government.

G. By this Order, a public health emergency is declared in the District of Columbia,
effective immediately.

II. EMERGENCY MEASURES AND REQUIREMENTS

A. The Mayor’s Chief of Staff, in consultation with the Communications Director,
shall direct all public communications and maintain coronavirus.dc.gov as a central
repository for all government information relating to COVID-19 response.

B. Within one (1) day of this Order, the Director of the Department of Health (DOH)
shall issue an administrative order, approved by the City Administrator and in
consultation with the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, consistent
with and authorized by section Sa(d) of the Public Health Protection Amendment
Act, D.C. Official Code § 7-2304.01(d), and may issue updates during the period
of this emergency, and notwithstanding any other laws or rules to the contrary.

C. This Order shall apply to all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the
District Government as necessary or appropriate to implement this Order.

Hit. DURATION OF ORDER

This Order shall remain in effect until fifteen (15) days after its effective date, unless
earlier rescinded or superseded.

IV. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Order shall beco

URIEL BOWSER
YOR

J KIMBHR LY A. BASSETT
SECRETARY a RIMERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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