DC Health and Nine Local Jurisdictions Ask Individuals Connected to Recent White House Events to Contact Their Local Health Department

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, DC Health, led by Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, joined health officers from nine local jurisdictions in sending a letter to individuals who have worked in the White House in the past two weeks, attended the Supreme Court announcement in the Rose Garden on Saturday, September 26, 2020, and/or have had close contact with others who work in those spaces or attended those events. The letter calls on these individuals to contact their local health department for further guidance/questions regarding their potential need to quarantine. DC residents can contact DC Health by calling (202) 576-1117. The full text of the letter is below.

Dear community members:

Given the growing numbers of positive COVID cases reported from staff working in and near the White House, people who attended the event hosted by the White House on Saturday, September 26, 2020, and our preliminary understanding that there has been limited contact tracing performed to date, there may be other staff and residents at risk for exposure to COVID positive individuals.

Therefore, in an effort to better understand the potential impact of persons who tested positive attending those events, and the scope of individuals who may have been exposed, we recommend that if you have worked in the White House in the past two weeks, attended the Supreme Court announcement in the Rose Garden on Saturday, September 26, 2020, and/or have had close contact with others who work in those spaces or attended those events, you should get a test for COVID. Please contact your local health department for further guidance/questions regarding your potential need to quarantine.

As an additional reminder, if you are identified as a contact, having a negative test does not limit the time period within which you are required to quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a 14-day quarantine period from date of exposure. We strongly encourage everyone to continue following these practices to stay well, including wearing face coverings, physically distancing at a minimum of six feet between you and others, practicing hand washing and other sanitizing practices.

For the latest Covid-19 updates and information regarding testing within your community, please refer to your respective community’s Covid-19 website.

Sincerely,

Health Officers from Frederick County (MD), Montgomery County (MD), Prince George’s Co. (MD), Charles Co. (MD), the District of Columbia (DC), the city of Alexandria (VA), Arlington Co. (VA), Fairfax Co. (VA), Loudoun Co. (VA) and Prince William Co. (VA)

Contact information for respective Local Health Departments