COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: December 22, 2020

COVID-19 Joint Information Daily Briefings will be released ONLY on Tuesdays and Fridays.

 

**Under new cases you will see 0 for today. Staff is working on updating the total number of new cases, however, that information is not currently available today. New cases will be updated tomorrow at the latest.**

 

**The dashboard is updated Monday-Friday**

 

***Due to the holiday, the dashboard will NOT be updated this Thursday and Friday.***

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

Journey with us in the video above as we get a first-hand perspective of what it is like being in the “older, at-risk population” during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. This great-grandmother lost her husband earlier this year and like many others, spends the majority of her time at home by herself trying to stay safe and healthy. Porch visits from her great-grandaughters make her days a little brighter.

 

The County recognizes that nothing about this year has been normal. As we continue with holiday celebrations this week, please be mindful of where and with whom you are spending your time. Washington County has lost 120 people to COVID-19 since March–100 of those people being 60 years and older. Without question, the older population is incredibly vulnerable to this virus. Please keep the older members of your family in mind as you are planning your holiday.

 

Health Officer Earl Stoner encouraged citizens in a press conference last week to celebrate the holidays within reason. What does that look like?

 

 

Get creative! The County encourages you to get creative with your holiday celebrations this year. Let’s hope this is a once-in-a-lifetime holiday season where we are celebrating with a global pandemic amongst us, so what better time to make some new memories! A few recommendations for safe activities are listed below.

 

As previously mentioned, this holiday season will look different than any other we have celebrated in our lifetime. Continue to follow guidelines that the CDC and Maryland Department of Health have been recommending:

 

Last week we turned a corner in the fight against COVID-19. Frontline healthcare workers at Meritus Health received the Pfizer vaccine after 975 doses arrived at the hospital last Thursday.

 

The rollout comes less than a week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the vaccine for emergency use for Americans over the age of 16. Pfizer, which produced the vaccine alongside German company BioNTech, began shipping the doses from its Michigan warehouse directly to sites pre-selected by governors and local health officials. Meritus Health was a pre-selected site for vaccine distribution.

 

To learn more about vaccination plans click here.

In an effort to learn more about the interest of Washington County citizens and the COVID-19 vaccine, we are encouraging citizens to provide feedback with a survey that has been created. Please take a few minutes to provide your feedback. Click on the photo to the right to participate in the survey.

Below are the ‘Home for the Holidays’ orders and advisories Governor Hogan announced last week.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’

ORDERS AND ADVISORIES

 

 

Governor Hogan also announced additional economic relief is coming to the State of Maryland. An additional $180 million in emergency economic relief will be distributed to help families and small businesses that have been hit hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Amounts being distributed to Washington County will be announced in the coming weeks. Washington County will provide updates to the business community regarding eligibility, the application process, and funding distribution as we know more information.

If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, or substance use, please dial 2-1-1. For a more in-depth look at resources available in Washington County, please visit www.washcohope.com.

To partner with the community for this outreach campaign, golden thread bracelets will be given to businesses and community organizations across Washington County who would like to be a Threads of Hope partner. All partners are asked to hand out bracelets to anyone who may need encouragement during this season. If you are a business or organization in Washington County that would like to get involved, please sign-up at www.washcohope.com. Scroll to the bottom of the page to complete the form.

The County recognizes that nothing about this year has been normal. As we enter into the winter months, staying connected may become more difficult. It is okay to reach out for help. Citizens are encouraged to check on your friends and family members. Find creative ways to connect virtually or send cards of encouragement in the mail. We will get through this is together.

COVID-19 TESTING SITES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD

 

WASHINGTON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

CONTACT TRACING UPDATE

Due to significant increases in the daily volume of COVID-19 positive individuals in our county, the Washington County Health Department is working diligently alongside NORC call center to notify all positive cases and their contacts in a timely manner.

 

Currently NORC call center is making all first contact attempts for COVID-19 positive individuals in Washington County. When you see “MD COVID” or (240) 466-4488 on your phone, please answer the call. If NORC is unable to reach the individual, Washington County Health Department is notified and attempts to reach the COVID-19 positive individual.

 

The key things to know if you test positive but don’t get a call are to isolate (please see the FAQs about Isolation and Quarantine) and to tell your close contacts* of their exposure.

 

We urge Washington County residents to cooperate and help contact tracer by answering all the questions they ask. Your honest answers and the information you provide will help us in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Your cooperation in contact tracing efforts plays a crucial role in keeping our community healthy.

 

* Close contact is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Cumulative total can be determined by adding individual exposures over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes)

 

For more information of contact tracing please go to https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/faqs/#faqCT

COVID-19 TESTING

Mobile Testing Sites: Closed for the winter months.

 

Winter Testing Site: Our drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 test site is located at one place during the winter months. Please go to the entrance at 13 West Lee Street and follow all traffic directions to be tested.

 

Hagerstown Housing Authority

13 West Lee Street, Hagerstown

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

 

**CLOSED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25TH FOR CHRISTMAS**

Maryland Department of Health launches MD COVID Alert

Marylanders can now use MD COVID Alert to receive COVID-19 exposure notifications on smartphones The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced the launch of MD COVID Alert, the official COVID-19 Exposure Notifications Express system of Maryland. MD COVID Alert uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to quickly notify users who might have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 with the goal of reducing infections in Maryland.

 

For the full press release go to: https://health.maryland.gov/newsroom/Pages/Maryland-Department-of-Health-launches-MD-COVID-Alert.aspx

The Maryland Department of the Environment is offering Free Radon Test Kits to Maryland residents. To learn more about Radon and how to request your free kit go to https://washcohealth.org/free-radon-test-kits-available/

HOLIDAY HOURS: MERITUS HEALTH DRIVE-THRU SCREENING CENTER

The drive-thru screening center for COVID-19 testing will close early at noon on Thursday, Dec. 24, and will be closed Friday, Dec. 25, for Christmas. Normal hours will then resume: Weekdays from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

 

The screening center is located behind Meritus Medical Plaza at 13620 Crayton Blvd., in Hagerstown. Testing is available for anyone, including those who do not currently have symptoms of the coronavirus, but suspect or are concerned that they have been exposed. No appointments or referrals are needed to be tested. Due to the current volume of cars coming through the line daily, results can take more than five days to be available through a patient’s My Chart account or primary care provider.

SDAT Reminds Businesses to Verify Good Standing Status, Prepares for 2021 Filing Season

 

The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) encourages business owners to look up their business’ status on Maryland Business Express to ensure they are in Good Standing with the state, and if not, to follow the steps in this Good Standing Checklist to avoid being forfeited. The Department also announced that its free 2021 Annual Report Extension System is live, which allows businesses to extend their filing deadline from April 15 to June 15, 2021.

This year, more than ever, small businesses will need the support of the community during the holiday season.

 

CLICK HERE for free resources for small businesses to utilize throughout the holiday season.

 

Now is the time to mask up, watch our distance, and Shop Small as we support the businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities across Washington County. If you can support a small business by shopping online or purchasing a gift card, it is strongly encouraged.

UPCOMING WEBINARS

 

Thursday, January 7, 10-11:30 a.m.

Independent Contractors & Small Businesses: What to Know No Matter What Side You are Positioned!

Presented by: Matthew Johnston

Whether you are a small business engaging independent contractors, or you are an independent contractor, there are rules regarding your relationship that need to be followed to maintain the relationship and not have the government sniffing around your business.

 

Monday, January 11, 1-2:30 p.m.

MBE/DBE/ACDBE/SBE Certification

Presented by: Monica M. Randall, CEO; The Randall Group, LLC.

MDOT MBE/DBE & SBR Certified; SBA Certified WOSB/EDWOSB

The workshop is for firms interested in applying for certification as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) and/or Small Business Enterprise (SBE).  By attending the workshop, you will learn the benefits of certification, the five key requirements for certification, and the four steps in the certification process.

 

Tuesday, January 12, 1-2:00 p.m.

Small Business Approach to Cybersecurity

Presented by: Justin Smith, Midshore Technology Services LLC

It is paramount that, as a business community, we keep this topic fresh in everyone’s mind and included in business strategy. Regardless of if you have five employees or five-hundred. We will cover the five areas of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, Identify, Detect, Protect, Respond and Recover and how to frame small business IT strategy to them.

 

Wednesday, January 13, 10-11:30 a.m.

Are You Riding the Way of Your Cash Flow…Or Being Swept Out to Sea?

Presented by: Bev Stitely, Tax Strategist, Enrolled Agent, Owner, Saunders Tax & Accounting

Join this informative webinar to learn how to where your money is going, control its flow, predict future revenue, and make sure you are paid first!

 

Wednesday, January 13, 1-2:15 p.m.

Understanding Facebook & Instagram Posts, Ads, ad Analytics for Your Business

Presented by: Dave Barnhart, ManningMedia Marketing Solutions

Learn the tips and tricks for maximizing your Business Page. When is the best time to post? How often? How to interpret your analytics and all the Facebook and Instagram ad types and the whole suite of Facebook advertising platforms including Messenger, Facebook Audience Network, and Facebook Marketplace.

 

Thursday, January 14, 10-11:30 a.m.

Using LinkedIn to Grow Your Business & Customer List

Presented by: Dennis Ottey, Antonio Guerrero, Dott Digital Marketing

Join Dott Digital Marketing experts to learn how to grow your business and shape that customer! 

 

Thursday, January 14, 1-2:00 p.m.

A Roadmap to Your Professional Web Presence

Presented by: Theresa Stacy-Ryan, President of tmsr Design Delivery LLC

Take a journey to create a roadmap for putting your best foot forward on the web. Learn how to get started, the road bumps to avoid, and how to navigate being found on the World Wide Web. Do Domain Registrar, site hierarchy, brand identity, mobile-first responsiveness, CMS, HTML5, SSL, SEO, UX, and DM mean anything to you? They will after we’ve taken this one-hour webinar journey together!

 

Tuesday, January 19, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

The Essentials of Social Media

Presented by: Jude Cyhpher, Graduate Assistant, Maryland SBDC

Learning how social media can help you accomplish your goals and grow your business through best practices and industry trends is key to starting a new business. Learn strategies and tips that will help you successfully reach your target audience.

 

Tuesday, January 19, 1-2:30 p.m.

Building Blocks of Intellectual Property (IP)

Presented by: Kevin McDermott, Esquire

Join this seminar to discover the basic elements of patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trade dress, and trademarks/service marks.

 

Wednesday, January 20, 1-2:30 p.m.

Anti-Social: How to Promote Your Business Without Social Media

Presented by: Melody Belotte

Is it possible to build a strong marketing strategy in 2021 that doesn’t completely revolve around social media? Join strategist and marketing expert, Melody Belotte, to explore alternate ways to promote your business and discover which ones could be a good fit for your specific industry, target audience and individual skill level.

 

Thursday, January 21, 10-11:30 a.m.

An Option for Your Business Venture….FRANCHISING!

Presented by: Richard Bock, FranNet

Join us for this detailed franchise ownership workshop from the business experts at FranNet. Designed just for you to answer all those initial questions on business and franchising basics. Stop climbing the corporate ladder, and create your own!

 

Thursday, January 21, 1-2:15 p.m.

New Year, New Message: Plan Your Business Marketing for 2021

Presented by: Pieter Bickford, Marketing Executive, HighRock Studios

With the busy holiday season behind us, January is a great time to plan out your marketing for the year. Join the experts at HighRock to learn how to organize your marketing goals and strategize your messaging for 2021.

 

Monday, January 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Marketing 101

Presented by: Lennart Elmlund, LGE Designs International Corporation

In what ways is marketing different from sales? How can you get the most bang for your marketing dollar? What forms of marketing should you consider? These and many more questions will be discussed.

 

Tuesday, January 26, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Business Plan Basics & Capability Statements

Presented by: John Hickman, Eastern Region Director, Maryland Small Business Development Center and Arthenia LeFlore, Procurement Specialist, Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center

Learn the basic elements of a business plan and how to structure writing an effective plan to maximize your loan potential. Government contracting is a very competitive marketplace! Contractors must know how to distill the information that is most important to a particular decision-maker, state it in a clear concise manner and reinforce its importance to the prospect.

 

Wednesday, January 27, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Key Census Program and Tools for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: A Strategic Approach

Presented by: Andrew Hait, Economic Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau

This webinar will provide an overview of key Census (and non-Census) demographic and business data programs that entrepreneurs and business owners can use to better understand their markets from the start-up phase to expansion considerations. Tune in for the interactive, live demo of the free Census Business Builder data tool that businesses can use to access these data.

 

Wednesday, January 27, 1-2:15 p.m.

Getting the Most from Your Web Presence and Development

Presented by: Ali Stamathis, Business Sustainability Center, Maryland SBDC

Join this session to gather helpful marketing tips to assess your digital footprint. We will identify what your web presence needs in order to be accessible and searchable to an online customer base. We will cover issues on how to identify your business needs on the web, and what you need to do to create next steps to achieve your digital goals. Ideas will assist you in thinking like a customer and making the most of your online efforts!

 

Thursday, January 28, 1-2:30 p.m.

Business Model Design Success in Uncertain Times

Presented by: Dr. Winsome Leslie, President and Ceo of DevSolutions Consulting

Entrepreneurs in the face of COVID19 must be agile to adapt and pivot in a situation of uncertainty. This presentation will describe these methods, with their emphasis on the client and on constant improvement and show participants how these tools are relevant in the current environment.

 

 

Registration is now open for the first-ever virtual SMARTProc GovCon on January 22, 2021.

 

Check out the website here: SMART PROC GOVCON 2021| Virtual Conference

 

For nearly two decades SMART PROC GOVCON has helped small businesses navigate the federal procurement system with focus areas on the contracting and programs at Fort Detrick, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, and the Civilian Agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This year, the Mid-Atlantic’s best-kept secret will be held virtually. The Fort Detrick Alliance is proud to sponsor this event in its 18th year. It is the premier event to bring together government and industry to provide invaluable insight on federal procurement priorities for FY21 and beyond.

 

Registration and more information can be found here: https://registration.socio.events/e/smartprocgovcon

Important information below from SBDC’s Financial Specialist Team if you or your business as received a PPP loan: 

 

As a PPP borrower – and with 2020 tax preparation season now in swing – the Maryland SBDC Financial Specialists Team wants to remind you about tax implications related to PPP forgiveness. Although the SBDC does NOT provide tax advice, they wanted to make you aware of a potentially KEY issue. Per IRS Notice 2020-32, expenses paid using FORGIVEN PPP funds are NOT tax-deductible expenses. This means that if your application for forgiveness is APPROVED in 2020, the expenses you paid with those “forgiven” PPP funds WILL NOT be deductible on your 2020 tax return. This could have significant “2020 income tax due” implications when you file the return. If you delay the “Forgiveness” request/get approval until 2021, that would allow time for tax planning related to the 2021 tax filing when those “forgiven” related expenses still cannot be deducted. STEPS TO TAKE: SBDC encourages you to connect ASAP with your tax preparer to consider strategies and options. Certainly, if you have any questions or want additional insights, please feel free to contact your Maryland SBDC Business Consultant, go to the www.marylandsbdc.org website to get connected with a Consultant and/or refer to our COVID19 Small Business Survival Guide.

Western Maryland Retail Business Resiliency Training Series

 

Below is information for the upcoming webinar series in January that the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering to businesses.

Help Us Continue on Our Path to Keep Washington County Open – Please ensure your business and customers continue to follow the recommended CDC guidelines as we reopen businesses and other activities across Washington County. Wearing masks inside, social distancing, regular hand washing, and expanded cleaning is still a critical part of keeping infection rates low. By taking on these minor inconveniences, we can prevent a spike in infections which could force officials to slow down or even reverse the reopening process. The coronavirus has not gone away and we must stay vigilant until a vaccine is created. We all have a responsibility to do our part to help our economy reopen so that our many local businesses can survive and provide jobs for our citizens.

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, INFO & EVENTS

EMERGENCY SHELTER & EVICTION ASSISTANCE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

If you or someone you know is in sudden need of shelter and/or eviction assistance as the rental moratorium comes to an end, please contact the resources listed on the poster below.

 

During the day, all individuals/families are being directed to the Community Action Council (CAC) and/or Reach. It is very important that people be directed to these agencies for appropriate assessment of all needs and eligible services. For immediate shelter at night; adult individuals are directed to the Reach Shelter. 

WASHINGTON COUNTY PARENTS SUPPORT DATABASE

The group WC Parents have created a simplified support database to gather and retain all services and needs in one place. This is an excellent example of the community working together to meet the tangible, everyday needs of parents in our community as this school year will begin with distance learning.

 

If you need childcare or can provide it, if you need tutoring or can provide it, etc., please join this forum and share your resources or needs.

 

It is up to the community to share your resources and fill this database. The group is asking for the public’s help in:

 

Click on the graphic below to join the forum or visit Wcparents.freeforums.net.