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COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: March 30, 2020

COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: March 30, 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
Governor Hogan issued an executive Stay at Home order effective 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2020. No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason, such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention, or for other necessary purposes. In addition, only essential businesses are allowed to remain open in Maryland, and those businesses must make every effort to scale down their operations in order to reduce the number of required staff, to limit interactions with customers, and to institute telework for as much of the workforce as is practical.
As previously stated, no Marylander should be traveling outside of the state unless such travel is absolutely necessary. If you have traveled outside of the state, you should self-quarantine for 14 days.
This is a deadly public health crisis. The Governor is no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home—he is directing them to do so. This executive order will become effective at 8:00 PM tonight.
MERITUS HEALTH
COVID-19 TESTING SITES
Click on the map to right to access the closest testing site.
Once you have spoken with someone on the COVID-19 care line 301-790-9170 or to your physician about your symptoms you may be directed to Meritus’s drive-thru screening clinic.
  • Drive-thru Center: COVID-19 screening is now available behind Meritus Medical Plaza, at 13620 Crayton Boulevard. The drive-thru screening center is open Monday – Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Walk-thru Center: COVID-19 screening is available at 24 N. Walnut Street, Hagerstown, MD. The walk-thru screening center is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To view testing guidelines for COVID-19 at Meritus testing locations, please click here.
Meritus Health continues to offer electronic 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.
The most up-to-date visitor restrictions at the hospital and closings and cancellations of events is available at MeritusHealth.com.
WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
With Governor Hogan’s announcement of the Stay at Home order effective 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2020, it is important now more than ever to know if your business is deemed essential. Documents to help clarify are posted on the Washington County Chamber of Commerce website at www.hagerstown.org/strongtogether.
Maryland Department of Labor
Today’s Executive Order also added another $2 Million in funding to the State’s Layoff Aversion Fund. The Department of Labor has set up this program called the Layoff Aversion Fund. This grant of up to $50,000 is designed to assist you to implement ways to avoid layoffs at your business. Visit here for more information: http://www.labor.maryland.gov/employment/covidlafund.shtml
MD DLLR Work Shares program is an older program that provides ways for a business to avoid layoffs by providing the gap funding for employees created by reducing wages. Qualified employers, who participate in Work Sharing, are able to retain an entire employee group by reducing that group’s hours of work by a percentage equal to the total reduction of hours that would have been achieved by a layoff. (For example: If you have 5 employees and need to cut payroll by 20%, instead of laying off 1 person, you employ all 5 people but cut their hours 20% each. The Work Shares Program them helps pay for lost hours by each employee. For information visit:
Small Business Administration
Join SBDC Counselors as we discuss details about new emergency relief programs from the US Small Business Administration, the Maryland Department of Commerce, and more. This webinar may be conducted again at a later date and/or posted for review at your leisure. You can register for this session on either (or both if you want, but it will be one in the same presentation):
The U.S. Small Business Administration is working as quickly as possible to put the mechanisms, policies and procedures in place to implement the newly-passed CARES ACT legislation. The Paycheck Protection Program is scheduled to open Friday. We will be providing information as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, we ask for your patience. Once we receive guidance we will send it to you and we will then be able to better assist you with your questions. Please hold calls and emails and we will be in touch as soon as we have the information to share out.
SBA provides the most up to date information as we receive it through email. Please take a moment and sign up for the updates at www.sba.gov/updates.
This $5 million incentive program helps Maryland manufacturers to produce personal protective equipment and other items identified as Critical Needs Items by MEMA and DGS, that are urgently needed by the State of Maryland, Maryland-based hospitals and healthcare facilities, and emergency and first responders.
Congressman David Trone COVID-19 Business Resource Webinar on Wednesday, April 1st, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
OnTrack Washington County in coordination with WCPS and supported by The Community Book Warehouse, Early Childhood Advisory Council, and Horizon Goodwill Industries is continuing efforts to distribute books, games, literacy activities, and educational supplies at all Meal Machine locations. In addition, The Community Foundation supported OnTrack’s reallocation of $5000 from a technology program to help meet these basic needs. OnTrack utilized those funds to purchase the school supplies, and also was able to provide $1000 to CAC for food pantry, and provide some supplies to REACH as well. These materials will be distributed by volunteers at the meal locations on Thursdays for the next four weeks of public school closure. Anyone interested in volunteering or contributing supplies can reach out to Kim Duncan directly ([email protected]).
‘For Our City’ COVID-19 Response Campaign
Due to the impact of COVID-19 in our local community, For Our City is bringing together our city’s churches, non-profits, agencies and more to respond. Please see below a list of items needed in our community. If you are in need of help or want to help others during this time of crisis please sign up at forourcity.com. We will get through this together!
WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SHOOLS (WCPS)
Beginning Monday, April 6, WCPS will officially transition to a distance learning platform, where students can engage with teachers and access online lessons that will be completed and submitted for feedback. This week is being identified as a transition week.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & RESOURCES
Boys and Girls Club of Washington County
Starting March 30th, the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County will launch online programming to serve members and other youth in the community. Staff are using the Boys & Girls Club of America program Myfuture.net, as well as Instagram live, Facebook Live, TikTok and Zoom to carry out the programming they have planned.
Each site will contact parents and members to pass along information on how to utilize Antietam Cable’s hot spots and internet options and to enroll them in the program. Unit Director’s will take on Triple Play, STEM & Arts, Passport to Manhood and Smart Girls. In addition, there will be a nightly story time on the BGCWC Facebook page.
The programming is open to all Washington County youth. You can follow the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County Facebook page www.facebook.com/boysandgirlsclubofwashingtoncounty for programming updates.
Hospice of Washington County needs your help!
Due to a nationwide shortage in supplies, HWC is asking individuals, local businesses, and regional businesses for Personal Protective Equipment such as surgical masks, gloves, gowns, shoe covers and UVC ovens that sanitize such as nail salons use. To make a donation call 301-791-6360 or email [email protected]. HWC is a 501c3 nonprofit. Thank you for helping us continue quality end of life care for community.
For additional information, please contact the Public Relations and Marketing Department at 240-313-2380 or [email protected].
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