DC loosens some COVID-19 restrictions as crowds begin to head outdoors to enjoy spring weather
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Washington, D.C. will begin to loosen some COVID-19 restrictions Monday following a weekend of warmer temperatures that drew crowds to some of the District's most popular tourist spots.
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According to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, beginning Monday, March 22, the following guidance will be in place:
- Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people or more will be allowed.
- Indoor dining will be at 25 percent capacity or up to 250 people and alcohol can be sold until midnight. Tables must be six feet apart with up to six people per table and no standing will be allowed at bar areas.
- Movie theaters may open with no more than 25 people or 25 percent capacity (whichever is less) in each auditorium.
- Guided tours will be allowed to resume at museums and galleries which will remain open with capacity limits of 250 per floor and 25 persons per room).
- Indoor fitness classes may resume with up to 10 people involved and outdoor fitness classes may have up to 50 people.
- Grocery stores may operate buffets only if the staff serves the food with self-service continuing to be prohibited.
- Applications can open for spring sports and low- to moderate-contact sports may occur on a casual basis. Playgrounds will also open
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FOX 5's Natalie Rubino said spots like the National Mall, the Wharf and Georgetown's waterfront were all crowded with people enjoying the warm weather over the weekend.
Experts like Dr. Fauci have warned of possible case spikes even as more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are administered.
Rubino says that Maryland recorded over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases during a four-day stretch last week – up several hundred from previous weeks. In Virginia, the seven-day case average is trending upward nearing 1,500 new cases a day.