Nation's capital announces partial reopening Friday
The reopen will include outdoor restaurant seating and hair salons, but no gyms or public pools.
The nation’s capital will on Friday begin its phase one reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic — following all 50 states having begun their first-phase reopening by last week.
The change was announced Wednesday, as expected, by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, following a largely consistent decrease in coronavirus numbers.
Bowser was following White House guidelines of 14 straight days of non-spiking numbers. On Sunday, the eleventh day, the numbers spiked, but they were down again Monday so Bowser allowed a reset, with Wednesday being the fourteenth day.
The District is still encouraging working from home.
Phase one reopening, including:
- Restaurants with outdoor seating but with physical distancing and other safeguards
- Barbershops and salons can reopen with health-safety precautions
- Non-essential retailers with curbside, front-door pickup, or delivery
- Parks, fields, tennis courts, tracks and golf courses
Not open under phase one, including:
- Bars and nightclubs
- Nail salons and similar establishments
- Gyms and workout studios
- Summer camps
- Museums and exhibits
- Playgrounds, public pools and recreation centers