COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: June 23, 2020

Posted: June 23, 2020

Coronavirus, Daily COVID-19 Briefings

The Washington County, Maryland Joint Information Center (JIC) provides the following update regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to receive Washington County briefings delivered to your inbox.

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

**The dashboard will be updated Monday-Friday**

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

As COVID-19 still exists in the County, citizens are reminded to continue washing hands, maintaining appropriate physical distance, and wearing a face covering in required locations.

Per the Face Covering Order, face coverings are required in the following locations:

Retail Establishments
Food-service Establishments
Public Transportation
Personal Services
Youth Camps
Swimming Pools (when possible)
Sporting Events (when possible)

WASHINGTON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The Washington County Health Department is expanding free COVID-19 testing to vulnerable and hard to reach populations in Washington County. The health department is working with local towns and communities all over the county to bring mobile walk-in testing sites right to the local residents. Testing as these sites will be open to everyone and you do not need a doctors referral or an appointment to participate. The tests used are the quick nasal swap that takes about 15 seconds to administer. Please follow social distancing and masking guidelines when participating at these sites.

At this time we have scheduled free COVID-19 testing at the following locations.

6/26: Sharpsburg – 104 S. Mechanic Street, Sharpsburg, MD 21782 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
7/17: Boonsboro – 241 Potomac Street, Boonsboro, MD 21713 from 8:00-11:00 a.m.

New locations will be announced on the Health Department’s website at https://washcohealth.org/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/ and on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WashHealth/

MERITUS HEALTH

MERITUS HEALTH DRIVE-THRU SCREENING CENTER

The drive-thru screening center for COVID-19 testing is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The screening center is located behind Meritus Medical Plaza at 13620 Crayton Blvd. 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. There is no cost to the patient.

COVID-19 ANTIBODY TESTING NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Antibody testing is available to the general public at all Meritus Medical Laboratory patient service centers. A lab order from a person’s primary care provider is required in order to have a COVID-19 antibody test. Antibody tests do not take the place of COVID-19 screening tests. Insurance or patients will be billed for antibody testing. Meritus Medical Laboratory locations and hours are available online at https://www.meritushealth.com/treatment-care/medical-lab/

FREE TELEHEALTH VISITS AVAILABLE

Meritus Health continues to offer FREE 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.

BOOK YOUR TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENT HERE

VIRTUAL VISITS CONNECT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES

Since restrictions remain in place for visitors at Meritus Medical Center, the hospital is offering virtual visits to connect patients with their families and friends. To setup a virtual visit, please contact the program’s coordinator at 240-313-3163.

WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is re-opening outdoor facilities to community use, including but not limited to: athletic fields, tracks, tennis courts, and playgrounds. The facilities are open at the individual’s risk as WCPS will not be disinfecting the spaces and equipment or providing hand sanitizer. All necessary supplies should be provided by the individuals using the facility for their own consumption.

WCPS will re-open indoor facilities for use and rental by community members and groups effective Tuesday, June 23, 2020. The use of these facilities are also at the individual’s risk as WCPS will not be disinfecting the spaces or providing hand sanitizer. All necessary supplies should be provided by the individuals using the facility for their own consumption.

To apply to reserve a WCPS facility, please complete a facilities use application and submit it to the Office of Facilities Planning and Management.

‘TOGETHER WE SERVE’ GRANT PROGRAM FOR NON-PROFITS IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The Together We Serve grant program application is open. This grant program is created to assist local human-service providing non-profits in providing crucial services to County residents during the Covid-19 public health crisis.

The Together We Serve Grant will provide eligible non-profits up to $20,000 to assist them in meeting the increased needs for their services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Eligible uses of this funding include:

Provision of essential supplies and food
Costs of personal protective equipment for employees providing services
Costs associated with virtual delivery of services
Costs related to ensuring emergency and homeless shelters operate safely
Cost of temporary positions to meet increased demand for services
Eviction prevention and utility shut-off prevention programs

The application and grant guidelines are available at https://www.washco-md.net/grant-management/. Applications will be reviewed and processed on a first-come first serve basis until funds are no longer available.

Please submit any questions regarding this opportunity to [email protected].

RISE UP BUSINESS STABILIZATION GRANT – DEADLINE EXTENDED

The Washington County Department of Business Development announces the deadline to submit an application for the Rise Up Business Stabilization Grant has been extended until June 30, 2020. This grant encourages small businesses in Washington County, Maryland that meet the criteria to submit an application. Grant applications are accepted and funds are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

The application can be accessed by clicking here: RISE UP GRANT APPLICATION.

Applications will be accepted electronically and can be downloaded at www.washcorises.net. Details for submission are stated on the application. The website also provides guidelines, application instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

For questions regarding eligibility criteria or required documentation, please email [email protected].

WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Visit www.washcorises.net for constantly updated resources and information to help you reopen your business.

Washington County Back to Business Posters – As businesses continue to reopen in Washington County, local business owners are encouraged to print out the documents below and post on your door or storefront. This will let customers know your business is taking precautions for them to receive the best service while maintaining health and safety standards. Click the graphics below to download and print.

Back to Business Toolkit
10 Things Businesses Should Do Now for Reopening
MD Strong Back to Business Pledge (please sign and post in your storefront)
Rise Up Washington County Business Stabilization Grant – DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JUNE 30TH – APPLY ONLINE NOW AT www.washcorises.net – Up to $10,000 for businesses under 50 employees and $5M in sales

Upcoming Webinars:

Wednesday, June 24th, 1:00 PM

BB&T and SunTrust (now Truist) Present a Free Webinar: ”COVID-19 Update Call from a Healthcare Perspective ”

Join host Jim Pirouz, Head of Healthcare Investment Banking SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as he discusses the pandemic with Truist’s healthcare equity research team from several perspectives. Presenters and topics include:

Sandy Balkin, Head of Data Strategy: What are the statistics telling us?
Robyn Karnauskas, Lead Biotech Research Analyst: Latest with the science in pursuit of a vaccine and treatments
Dave MacDonald, Research Analyst for Healthcare Services: State of the US healthcare system
Sandy Draper, Healthcare Technology Research Analyst: Healthcare technology solutions and trajectory
PPE, Elective surgeries and post-Covid-19 preparation

Thursday, June 25th, 12:00 PM

Chamber Back to Business Together Webinar: BACK TO BUSINESS: Building a Great Comeback Brand Story featuring HighRock Studios and hosted by Pieter Bickford

As restrictions ease and doors re-open, we’ll share marketing tips on how to re-evaluate, re-strategize, and reinforce your brand. Plus, hear from business owners and marketing specialists on what they learned during the shutdown and how it prepared them for the months ahead.

Attention Employers:

Are your employees refusing to return to work? To Report an Employee’s Recall to Work or Job Refusal, here is information from Department of Labor – If an employee refuses a recall to work or an individual refuses an offer of work, you must notify the Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI) within 15 days after the refusal in order for DUI to consider whether the refusal will affect the individual’s unemployment benefits. This notification may be sent via email to DLUI-[email protected]. Please include all of the following: date of offer, date of refusal, name and SSN of the individual, your company name and Maryland Unemployment Insurance employer account number.

Help Us Continue On Our Path to Reopen Washington County –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 event 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.

Do you know a Washington County business that is going above and beyond to keep customers safe and healthy during COVID-19? Washington County Government is looking to highlight local businesses that are getting creative and using best business practices to maintain a safe and healthy environment as they return to business.

Nominations can be made at https://www.washco-md.net/together/.

Pictures and videos are encouraged with submission.

Together We Rise Business Spotlight’s will be featured on Washington County Government social media channels and website.

CITY OF HAGERSTOWN

Phased Reopening of City Buildings and Facilities

June 29: The 1^st floor of City Hall ONLY will reopen to the public. There will be no access to the upper floors of City Hall unless by appointment. The 2nd floor public restroom will not be accessible.

July 7: Mayor & City Council Work Session will take place in Council Chamber, City Hall—the first since March 10. Members of the media and the public will be permitted to attend in accordance with whatever the prevailing capacity guidelines at the time.

July 13: All City facilities will be reopened to the public, including all floors and the public restroom of City Hall.

The public will be required to wear a mask when conducting business in City facilities. Hand sanitizer will be accessible and masks will be available to those who need one.

The City has gone to great lengths to protect employees the last several months from this virus. Plexiglass panels, where barriers between staff and those doing business did not previously exist, have been installed. Signage and social distancing markers will be posted in the City Hall lobby and other areas where business is conducted and visitation occurs. All measures will be monitored and are subject to change.

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

SUMMER REC CAMPS

The Washington County Recreation Department Still has openings for the Summer Youth Day Camp at:

Clear Spring Park
Doub Woods Park
Marty Snook Park
Regional Park

Our camps serve children ages 5 to 12 years old. Camps will begin on June 29th and run through August 14th. The camp fee is $85.00 per week or $75.00 if paid 7 days in advance.

View the informational flyer at https://tinyurl.com/ya5ef9xb

Beacon House is offering several activities for children over the summer. Click graphic below to register or learn more about the programs being offered.