Washington, D.C., will be reinstating its mask mandate in response to a growing number of COVID-19 cases.

Mayor Muriel Bowser stated in a COVID-19 situational update on Monday that the city will reinstate its mask mandate beginning at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The mandate is intended to last until Jan. 31 next year.


The city will also institute a vaccine mandate for D.C. government employees, with no test-out option available. All employees, interns, contractors, and grantees must get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and also receive a booster shot.

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"It is critical that all eligible people are getting vaccinated and boosted," Bowser wrote on social media.

Additionally, Bowser announced that D.C. would expand testing availability for COVID-19 by adding nine new Test Yourself DC pickup and drop-off sites in the city, bringing the total available sites to 36. Additionally, the city has ordered over 1 million rapid antigen tests, which can be picked up at eight locations across the city.

Bowser also announced that D.C. Public Schools will be closed for instruction on Jan. 3-4 next year. The closure will allow staff and families to use those days to pick up rapid antigen tests.

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The omicron variant of COVID-19 has made some political leaders reinstate the mask mandates previously removed.

On Dec. 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California reinstated a statewide indoor mask mandate for everyone through Jan. 15, regardless of their vaccination status.