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COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: April 24, 2020

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The Washington County, Maryland Joint Information Center (JIC) provides the following update regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
In the video below, Washington County Health Officer Earl Stoner provides an update on the County’s effort to combat COVID-19.
Washington County Joint Information Center (JIC) Update 4/24/2020
WASHINGTON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
The Environmental Health Division has recently received complaints regarding entrepreneurs preparing and selling food products from their home kitchens. In order to protect public health, this process must stop. Food may only be sold as carry out, delivery, or drive-through from licensed food facilities. Licensed food facilities are routinely inspected by the Washington County Health Department in order to protect public health.
Preparing and selling food products from your home can cause others to develop gastrointestinal issues (or worse) that may result from food poisoning and cause an influx of patients going to the emergency room. It is extremely important that we refrain from behaviors that may directly or indirectly increase strain on our hospital and its resources during this COVID-19 crisis.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact our Environmental Health Division at [email protected]
MERITUS HEALTH
COVID-19 TESTING EXPANDS FOR COMMUNITY
Click on the map to right to access the closest COVID-19 testing site.
COVID-19 testing is now available to anyone showing symptoms as designated by the CDC – Fever greater than 100.5 degrees and/or a dry cough, shortness of breath or sore throat. No appointments or referrals are needed to be tested. Testing is now available for all ages. Mertius Health’s screening centers include:
  • Drive-thru Center: COVID-19 screening is available behind Meritus Medical Plaza, at 13620 Crayton Blvd. Hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and weekends from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Walk-thru Center: COVID-19 screening is available at 24 N. Walnut St, Hagerstown, MD. The walk-thru screening center is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Meritus Equipped for Life at 525 Dual Highway, has temporarily changed its store hours effective immediately to Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the store will now be limited to three (3) customers inside at one time. If the store’s door is locked, customers should please wait for an employee to come to greet them and let them inside. The 24-hour on-call technicians continue to be available for emergencies by calling 301-714-0200.
Meritus Health continues to offer telehealth visits. These visits will allow patients to speak directly with a primary care provider to discuss health concerns.
Telehealth visits are available from 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. To request a telehealth visit please complete the form below.
WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Please stay tuned to www.hagerstown.org for the latest information on COVID-19 relief resources, local restaurants that remain open for business, and more!
Upcoming Webinars
Monday, April 27, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Free Webinar by SBDC: Round II, The Counselor Is In-Q&A with SBDC Business Consultants
REGISTER HERE – Registration Deadline: 4/27/2020 8:00 AM
“The counselor is in” session will offer you this second opportunity to get more of your questions answered. Several of our SBDC consultants will answer as many questions as time allows about the updates of the current government aid programs for businesses. You are more than welcome to sit in on the webinar to hear what others are asking and/or you can get questions answered as time allows. Questions need to be submitted to Diane at [email protected] no later than April 24, 2020.
Instructions: Those registering will be sent a login link on the day/evening prior to the webinar.
Tuesday, April 28, 11:30 a.m. – Noon
Emotional Well-Being and Your Workforce in the Time of COVID-19: Taking Care of Your Employees – Hosted by the MD Chamber of Commerce
Representatives from Kaiser Permanente will discuss how to maintain emotional well-being in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include understanding stress and anxiety and how they impact your workforce, as well as tools and resources to care for your employees.
Thursday, April 30, 11:00 a.m.
FREE Webinar hosted by The Fort Detrick Alliance: “New Challenges & Hurdles for Contractors in the COVID-19 Era”
Learn how to best navigate government contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Hear from Jeremy Scholtes, Attorney at Miles and Stockbridge; Jerome Maultsby, Assistant Director of the Office of Small Business Programs at Fort Detrick; and Sara Langdon, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, HQ.
This webinar will be moderated and there will be time for participants to ask questions of the panelists.
This event is open to members and non-members of the Alliance. Please pass along to anyone who might be interested or benefit from this opportunity. The webinar link will be provided to registrants the day before the event. Attendees will be able to video conference or call in depending on preference.
Friday, May 1, 11:00 a.m. – Noon
COVID-19: Economic Outlook and Prospects for Recovery – Hosted by the MD Chamber of Commerce
Join us for a conversation with Tom Barkin, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Mr. Barkin will discuss the Federal Reserve’s recent and unprecedented actions and share his thoughts on the U.S. economy, including what the Richmond Fed is learning through business outreach, and the key components to a successful recovery.
Attention Employers:
On Friday, April 24, Maryland Department of Labor will be launching a new, one-stop unemployment insurance application to allow Marylanders to file claims for all unemployment programs entirely online. This includes the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, and those who were previously required to file by phone like federal employees, members of the military, individuals who have worked in multiple states, and those who have worked for more than 3 employers in the last 18 months.
The Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor opted into providing ALL three of the expanded unemployment insurance programs offered through the provisions of the CARES Act. For More Information CLICK HERE.
Starting Friday, April 24, those who are self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers, or have insufficient work history will be able to apply online. To receive an e-mail with additional information and instructions once the new application is ready, please CLICK HERE and scroll to the “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)” section halfway down the page.
The House and Senate have passed the latest round of emergency stimulus measures to address the COVID-19 crisis. The “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act,” is a $484 billion package geared toward helping small businesses and hospitals negatively affected by the virus. Business interested in applying for PPP forgivable loans or EIDL loans should do so right away to take advantage of the new funding that replenished these programs. Money is only expected to last a few days. NEW guidance by the Treasury on PPP Loans was released April 15th in a FAQ Document and this Interim Final Rule Document.
SDAT Announces 14 New Online Services, Nearly All Business Filings Can Now Be Completed Online – Online Expedited Fees Waived for Businesses Seeking to Revive Online
The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) today announced 14 new online services on Maryland Business Express that will make it significantly easier for businesses to get back into “Good Standing” status, a requirement necessary for many types of Coronavirus-related relief. Some of these new online filing options are for businesses needing to revive, and the Department is waiving any related online expedited fees to help Marylanders keep their businesses active.
The Department has also created a new Good Standing Checklist that will make it easier for business owners to proactively determine whether or not their business is in Good Standing with SDAT, and instruct them how to correct any deficiencies. The Department strongly encourages that all business owners confirm now whether or not their business is in Good Standing by looking it up on SDAT’s free online search. The Department also encourages business owners to sign up to receive updates and timely email reminders to file these important documents.
WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
As a reminder to the public, the 2020 Presidential Primary Election originally scheduled for April 28, 2020 has been pushed back to Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020. The Maryland State Board of Elections is committed to educating voters on the changes made to election procedures due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. These changes are made to ensure voters can exercise their fundamental right to vote while also safeguarding the public’s health during this pandemic.
This election will be conducted by mail, with at least one in-person voting location in every county and Baltimore City available for those who are unable to vote by mail.
Here are commonly asked questions about this election and guidance for residents on how to vote safely and conveniently. For further questions, please visit www.elections.maryland.gov or contact the State Board at 1-800-222-8683.
1. What is the date for the 2020 Presidential Primary Election?
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
2. What is the safest way to vote?
To reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, voters are strongly encouraged to vote by mail. The State Board of Elections will mail ballots to all eligible voters. No postage is needed to return your ballot – you will get a postage paid return envelope with your ballot.
3. Do voters need to request a ballot?
No. The State Board of Elections will mail ballots to all eligible active voters.
4. When will ballots be mailed?
Ballots will be mailed in early to mid May.
5. If a voter has requested a ballot, does the voter need to request another ballot?
No. All eligible voters will receive a ballot for the 2020 Presidential Primary Election.
6. What is the deadline by which voters must mail in their voted ballots?
Voted ballots must be postmarked on or before June 2, 2020.
7. What if a voter can’t vote by mail?
If a voter cannot vote by mail, there will be at least one voting location in each county and Baltimore City. The voting locations will be open on June 2nd from 7 am to 8 pm. The State Board will announce the precise locations soon, and voters unable to vote by mail are encouraged to check www.elections.maryland.gov for those locations.
8. If a voter has already requested an absentee ballot, does the voter need to do anything?
No. The voter will receive a ballot in early to mid May.
9. How do voters know if they are registered to vote?
If you aren’t sure if you are registered, or at what address, check your voter registration status by visiting www.elections.maryland.gov and clicking “Look up your Voter Info.” If you do not have internet access, call 1-800-222-8683 and ask a State Board of Elections representative to check your registration.
10. What kind of identification is required to cast a ballot by mail?
If you are a registered voter and voted before, no identification is required to receive or submit a ballot by mail. A very small number of newly registered voters may need to provide ID with their voted ballots. If you have to provide ID, there will be instructions with your ballot.
11. Can voters register to vote online?
It is possible to register to vote in Maryland elections online. Visit www.elections.maryland.gov and click “Register to Vote” to learn more. The deadline to register to vote is Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
12. Is identification required to register to vote?
No, but you must provide some information so election officials can verify your identity.
If you use the State Board’s online system to register, you must enter your Maryland driver’s license number or Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) issued state ID number, the date MVA issued your license or ID card, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you reside outside of the United States or are a member of the military or spouse or dependent of a member of the military, you must enter the last 4 digits of your US social security number. If you provide a license or State ID number, your signature on file with the MVA will become your official voter registration signature. If you provide a social security number, it will be used as your official voter registration signature.
If you use the paper application to register, you must also provide your Maryland driver’s license number or MVA-issued state ID number if you have one. If you don’t have one, you must provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t have either number, check box 6c. If you check box 6c, you might be required to show ID before voting for the first time.
13. How will voters know that their ballots will be counted?
You can check that your ballot was counted by visiting www.elections.maryland.gov and clicking “Look up your Voter Info.” If you do not have internet access, call 1-800-222-8683 and ask a State Board of Elections representative to check the status of your voted ballot. The information will be posted about 10 days after the election.
14. How do voters update their address?
Give the local board of elections where you currently live your new address information. You can use the voter registration application to make the change, or you can submit in writing your new address. Voters must update their address with their local board of elections. For instructions on updating your address, please visit the State Board of Elections website at www.elections.maryland.gov/voting/address.html. The deadline to update your information is Wednesday, May 27th.
WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is reminding the community to continue practicing basic crime prevention techniques. Criminals don’t stop, even for COVID-19.
One of the most common crimes seen in Washington County is theft from motor vehicles. We are reminding our community to keep their vehicle locked, remove items of value from view and do not leave the keys in the vehicle.
Never open the door of your home to an unsolicited visitor. Keep the doors of your residence locked, even when you are home.
Report suspicious activity to law enforcement as it is happening or as soon as possible.
Stay informed of Frauds and Scams, especially those surrounding COVID-19.
Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits. There are no products proven to treat or prevent COVID-19 at this time. Scammers might call to offer things like a “COVID-19 kit,” “Coronavirus package,” or Medicare benefits related to the virus. The scammers will ask you to verify personal information such as bank accounts, Social Security, or Medicare numbers. If you get a call from someone who says they’re a Medicare representative and they ask for this information, hang up, it’s a scam. Never give out personal information to unsolicited callers. Reports of scams should be made to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.
Screen telephone calls and if you happen to answer, hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization. Don’t click on links from sources that you aren’t familiar with.
Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money.
Keep in mind, the surest sign of a scam is anyone who asks you to send cash, pay with gift cards, or wire money.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The Board of County Commissioners will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. To view the agenda, please click here.
HAGERSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Hagerstown Community College will host a Facebook Live Series, “At Home with HCC,” on five consecutive Thursdays, starting April 30 at 5:00 p.m.
Mike Martin, director of academic advising, and Kevin Crawford, director of admissions, will share information and answer questions related to all that HCC has to offer to new and transfer students. Each event can be viewed at www.facebook.com/hagerstowncc.edu/live. Topics are as follows
  • April 30 at 5:00 p.m. – Getting Started as a New Student
  • May 7 at 5:00 p.m. – Financing Your College Education (includes information on the Maryland Promise Program)
  • May 14 at 5:00 p.m. – Understanding the Transfer Process
  • May 21 at 5:00 p.m. – Preparing For Classroom Technology
  • May 28 at 5:00 p.m. – Succeeding in Your Classes (includes information on HCC’s Learning Support Center and online tutoring)
HCC’s summer classes begin May 26 and will be held online, with most science labs to be held on campus (subject to change). Fall classes begin August 31. To register or learn more, visit www.hagerstowncc.edu.
The purpose of this page is to help the public distinguish between rumors and facts regarding the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Rumors can easily circulate within communities during a crisis. Do your part to the stop the spread of disinformation by doing 3 easy things; don’t believe the rumors, don’t pass them along and go to trusted sources of information to get the facts about the state of Maryland’s (COVID-19) response.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES & INFORMATION
COVID-19 FAMILY FOOD ASSISTANCE
The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission is now supplying food bags to any individuals and families in need in the community. They will be waiving the required food bank card supplied by the Washington County Food Bank during this time.
To receive a food bag, please call The Hope Center’s Administrative Office at 301-739-1165 during office hours to set up an appointment time to receive a food bag. Please make an appointment so they can make sure to have a food bag prepared for your arrival. They will even walk the food bag to your car to help protect you and your family.
When calling, they will simply ask for your name and address. No financial information will be needed. When you arrive to receive your food bag they will ask for an ID to verify.
It’s quick and easy and will hopefully help to alleviate the stress of feeding your family during this time.
The food bag program is during office hours only which are Monday – Friday 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Please only call during these hours to schedule an appointment for a food bag. Also, food bag distribution will only take place during office hours. We will continue to hand out food bags while supplies last.
Daily meals are still being served and free for anyone and everyone in the community. They have adjusted how meals are served in order to protect all of our guests and staff from the potential spread of coronavirus. If you or anyone you know is in need of a delicious hot meal please join us each day of the week for a free meal. Our Soup Line and evening meal are now meeting in the Trinity Center which is located at the back of our parking lot (215 W. Church St) behind our Thrift Store. No appointment is needed for any meals served and all ages are welcome to dine with us.
For more information on all our food service programs or to learn more about how we’re fighting COVID-19 together please visit https://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com/.
HORIZON GOODWILL – CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST WITH FABRIC MASKS
Multiple local agencies and organizations that provide direct or essential services have requested in obtaining fabric masks for their employees. Horizon Goodwill is partnering with these agencies and volunteers to provide materials and instructions for creation of these masks. We have the supplies and instructions; we need volunteers with sewing machines to help get them made!
Organizations Needing Masks
City of Hagerstown- 125
Washington County EOC- 200
Salvation Army Soup Kitchen – 40
Turning Point Homeless Outreach Team- 50
Horizon Goodwill – 400
Arc of Washington County – TBA
Additional Ask
Emergency Command-7000-8000 masks that need elastic replaced. These will be at the Community Action Council for repair, need volunteers 10:00 a.m.-Noon or Noon-2:00 p.m. Monday-Friday to complete this project. We want to keep these in one place so that we can be sure all masks are returned to Sheriff. This initiative began on April 10th and will continue until completed.
Contact Information
Call Brooke Grossman, Horizon Goodwill volunteer Point Of Contact, at 301-988-0185 if interested in assisting.
Interested volunteers/groups should pick one of the projects above and a quantity they feel is reasonable for them to produce. Pickup of packaged materials will be coordinated at Horizon Goodwill headquarters at 145151 Pennsylvania Ave (across from Nick’s Airport Inn). Once volunteers are identified for specific projects, they will be provided with the Point of Contact for the specific organization and they can deliver masks directly once complete.
For additional information, please contact the Public Relations and Marketing Department at 240-313-2380 or [email protected].
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