D.C. Health is reminding residents that all eight COVID-19 centers throughout the city will close permanently Friday.
According to the organization, the decision to close the COVID centers comes after the District has experienced a significant drop in confirmed cases, along with an uptick in vaccination rates and an increase in the availability of at-home tests.
“We have been very grateful to one of our departments, D.C. Health, who’s been our lead agency in the fight against COVID,” Mayor Muriel Bowser told WTOP. “And as we are coming out of the public health emergency — we’ve been out for some time in the District and the federal government is coming out — and we see demand at those centers going down, it’s time now to shift those resources to other ways that we keep people healthy in the District.”
Since 2020, D.C.’s COVID centers have provided the city’s residents with over 80,000 vaccines and boosters, more than 440,000 tests and more than one million free disposable masks.
Last month, a large COVID center in Baltimore closed under similar circumstances, citing diminishing hospitalizations and a need to “consolidate” its services to focus on other important health issues.
D.C. residents will still be able to receive vaccines, boosters, tests and masks at retailers and vaccination sites. More information is available on the city government’s website.