House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged lawmakers to practice “social distancing” while on Capitol Hill in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

“As the House continues our work to confront this public health emergency, we must ensure that we can continue to serve our constituents effectively. The health and safety of our staff is essential to this mission,” Pelosi wrote in a letter published Sunday.

“In bipartisan consultation with the Attending Physician and the Sergeant at Arms, and out of an abundance of caution, I am writing to encourage you to take steps to promote social distancing within your Washington, D.C. office as we engage in the District Work Period. This may entail more than half of your Washington staff teleworking from home,” the letter continued.

Social distancing is the practice of limiting physical contact with others and avoiding public spaces to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Capitol Hill has seen a rising number of Congressional staffers become infected with the rapidly-spreading virus and at least seven lawmakers opt to self-quarantine after coming into contact with individuals who tested positive for Covid-19.

Late last week, the House and Senate sergeants at arms dually decided to suspend tours of the Capitol complex as fears mounted. Their announcement said the decision also applied to staff- and lawmaker-led tours.