July 1, 2022
Dear Washingtonians,
School is out, summer is officially here, and we have a lot going on for our young people:
- 14,000 young people are at more than 700 Summer Youth Employment Sites
- 12,000 summer camp slots through the Department of Parks and Recreation
- 6,000 students are attending DCPS summer school
DPR also has extended pool and rec center hours every Friday, and on Monday, July 4, DPR is opening an additional six outdoor pools that are normally closed on Mondays.
On Monday, you may see our public safety Go Teams out in the community. The Go Teams are made up of non-law enforcement partners, like our Credible Messengers and Violence Interrupters, and they will be engaging residents in areas where we expect larger gatherings to happen.
We also have a new multi-agency Nightlife Task Force, led by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, that will be out in some of our busy nightlife corridors on weekends. The task force will work with residents and businesses to implement targeted strategies in nightlife corridors, with particular emphasis on reducing crime, addressing ATVs, and enforcing traffic and parking regulations.
Our goal, of course, is to help people enjoy our beautiful city—to have fun and stay safe. This weekend, there's a lot going on in the city and we expect many people will be gathering with friends and family. Please be aware of road closures. Stay hydrated. Be mindful of firework safety. Check in on friends and family. We want people to have a good weekend, to stay safe, and to stay out of trouble.
If you're looking for fun, family-friendly activities this weekend and throughout the summer, check out summer.dc.gov.
Sincerely,
Heading out to events in DC this weekend?
- Go to summer.dc.gov or text SUMMER to 69866 to find safe activities for young people and families to participate in throughout the summer;
- Visit FEMS.dc.gov for firework safety tips;
- Text JULY4DC to 888-777 to access real time traffic and other updates for this weekend’s activities; and
- Go to alert.dc.gov to sign up to receive real-time road closure and safety alerts and follow @AlertDC on Twitter.
 #DCisOpen, and on Monday, July 4, Mayor Muriel Bowser will participate in the Capitol Hill and Palisades Fourth of July parades. The Mayor invites community members to celebrate the holiday by walking with her in the parades.
CAPITOL HILL PARADE
- Starting Point: 8th and I St. SE
- Starting Time: 10:00 a.m.
PALISADES PARADE
- Starting Point: Whitehaven Pkwy NW & MacArthur Blvd NW
- Starting Time: 11:00 a.m.
Residents and visitors can also learn more about national Fourth of July celebrations, including the National Independence Day Parade and fireworks on the National Mall, at nps.gov/nationalmall4th/things-to-do.
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 Under the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Amendment of 2016, the District’s minimum wage increases from $15.20 to $16.10 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.35 for tipped employees, effective July 1, 2022.
In 2016, as part of her commitment to create pathways to the middle class for Washingtonians across all eight wards, Mayor Bowser championed and then signed the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Amendment of 2016 into law to raise the District’s minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2020. This latest increase is due to provisions in the amendment that tie DC’s minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index.
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 Last week, on the first day of vaccinations for children under 5, Mayor Bowser visited the Ward 8 COVID Center with President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and Dr. Nesbitt.
COVID Vaccines for 6 Months and Up
Children 6 months and older are now eligible for the COVID vaccine, and DC Health is encouraging all eligible children to get vaccinated. The Moderna vaccine, approved for 6 months to 5 years old, is two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine, approved for 6 months to 4 years old (a Pfizer vaccine has already been available to children 5 and older), is three doses. Clinical trials for both vaccines have shown the vaccines to be safe and effective.
In addition to the pediatric vaccine being available at health clinics and doctors' offices citywide, all eight COVID Centers are vaccinating children six months and older. Families are also encouraged to reach out to their child's primary care physician who will be able to answer questions and also be able to provide other important childhood vaccinations.
Moderna Vaccine for 6- to 17-year-olds
Also, this week, DC Health announced that the Moderna vaccine for children and adolescents 6-17 years old is now available at all District COVID Centers. This announcement followed the approval of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on June 24. Prior to the CDC’s approval, the only vaccine option for children and adolescents between 6-17 years old was the Pfizer vaccine.
The Moderna vaccine is administered in two doses, spread out a minimum of four weeks apart. The Moderna vaccine has been shown to have an efficacy against symptomatic infection of about 90 percent in children and adolescents 12 to 17 years.
Find a COVID Center at coronavirus.dc.gov/COVIDcenters
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