D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Extends Mask Mandate Another Month

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) extended the city’s mask mandate for yet another month, she announced on Wednesday.

Bowser issued Mayor’s Order 2022-018 on Wednesday, which extends the city’s indoor mask requirement until February 28, 2022 “unless extended or repealed.” She also extended the limited COVID-19 public health emergency until February 15, 2022.

“Although the surge of infections relating to the omicron variant appears to be abating, the stress on hospitals and medical providers and facilities continues,” the order reads, contending that “hospitalization and deaths lag infections, so the District is facing increases in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, increased ventilator use by persons with COVID-19, and more deaths than the District experienced at the beginning of January”:

On Wednesday, the city reported 369 new confirmed positive cases:

Bowser originally reinstated the city’s mask mandate in December, which went into effect Tuesday, December 21, 2021. It was originally supposed to end January 31, 2022. Coinciding with that mandate was a plan to mandate vaccines and boosters for D.C. government employees.

“All employees, contractors, interns, and grantees of DC Government must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and must have a booster,” the slideshow presentation read, stressing there is “no test-out option.” 

D.C. is also requiring those 12 and older to show a vaccine card to engage in basic activities, such as dining at a restaurant in the city:

That move, specifically, triggered a wave of mockery, due to the irony that Democrats have long argued that requiring an ID to vote is fundamentally racist.