COVID-19 Joint Information Center Update: May 27, 2020

Posted: May 27, 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 daily briefings delivered to your inbox.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says if you have moderate to severe asthma, you might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. You can take steps to protect yourself!

Take your medicine as prescribed
Follow your asthma action plan
Wash hands often
Stay 6 feet away from others when you are out and avoid groups
Wear a cloth face covering if you are able

Face coverings should not be placed on children younger than 2 years of age, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance. To learn more visit https://bit.ly/39AXFmR

WASHINGTON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Contact tracing is part of the 4 building blocks of public health response described by Governor Larry Hogan as critical in reopening Maryland. As Washington County has moved into Stage 1 of recovery the effective use of contact tracing is a critical step in decreasing the number of COVID-19 cases and breaking the chain of transmission. The Washington County Health Department has about 40 contact tracers and additional backups in order to efficiently track movements and locations of positive COVID-19 patients and notify all household and casual contacts of their exposure risk. If you receive a call or voicemail from The Washington County Health Department please pick up or give us a call back. We are calling to inform you that you or someone you have been in close contact with has contracted COVID-19.

What to Expect during your phone call with the health department:

We will ask you about:

Your health and symptoms
Locations you have been during a specific period of time
Names and contact information for any household and casual contacts (we do not disclose your name to anyone, only that they may have come into contact with an infected individual)

(Please be as specific as possible about the nature and location of your interaction with others)

We will NOT ask you about:

Social security number
Financial or bank account information
Immigration status
Personal details unrelated to COVID-19

For more information about contact tracing please visit https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/contact-tracing

MERITUS HEALTH

WALK-THRU COVID-19 SCREENING CENTERS CLOSING THIS FRIDAY

Click on the map to right to access the closest COVID-19 testing site.

The walk-thru COVID-19 screening center located at 24 N. Walnut St., will close permanently this Friday, May 29, at 4 p.m. For the remainder of this week, the walk-thru center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

COVID-19 testing will continue at the drive-thru screening center 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. Testing is now available for all ages and at no cost to the patient. The drive-thru screening center is located behind Meritus Medical Plaza, at 13620 Crayton Blvd. Hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and weekends from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

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

Meritus Health is now offering virtual visits to connect patients in the hospital with their families and friends. To setup a virtual visit, please contact the program’s coordinator at 240-313-3163.

WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

End of School Year Updates:

Washington County Public Schools is sharing information with families regarding how the school year will come to a close during distance learning.

Find out about:

Marking period 4 grades and a timeline for final grades and report cards
Eligibility for fall extracurricular activities
Summer school
Process for picking up student personal belongings and returning school items

Read about these details and more at: End of School Year Updates | Actualizaciones de Fin de Año | La fin de l’année scolaire

The last day of distance learning for students is Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

RISE UP BUSINESS STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM

The Washington County Department of Business Development and City of Hagerstown Community and Economic Development announces the launching of a new grant program to support local small businesses in Washington County. The Rise Up Business Stabilization Grant program will award $8.9 million. The grant program is designed to assist small businesses that experienced financial loss caused by the coronavirus. Please see graphic below for details.

Applications will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, June 15, 2020. Applications for the Rise Up Business Stabilization Grant must be made online at www.washcorises.net. The website also provides guidelines, application instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Please note any financial information shared as part of this application will remain confidential, but the names of businesses receiving grants and the amount they receive is public information.

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

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

Thursday, May 28th, 2:00 p.m.

U.S. Chamber Free Webinar: Parenting During the Pandemic: Supporting Teens, Tweens, and Ourselves Through Challenging Times

For many parents, trying to do their own jobs while helping their teens and tweens cope and keep up with their schoolwork has become one of the most challenging aspects of the pandemic. Join the U.S. Chamber for a conversation on parenting and hear expert strategies on balancing parenting and work during the pandemic as well as protecting your mental health – influenced by feedback from teens themselves. Featured speakers include:

Dr. Jennifer Hartstein, Owner and Psychologist, Hartstein Psychological Services
Laura Horne, MPH, CHES Chief Program Officer, Active Minds
Dr. Kristen Lee, EdD, LICSW Lead Faculty for Behavioral Science, Northeastern University
Elyse Cohen, Senior Director, Health, Wellness, and Food Programs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Monday, June 1st, 1:30 p.m.

The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area is hosting a reopening webinar for historical and cultural sites

Visitor-serving cultural organizations, particularly those that invite visitors into historic structures, requested that our next session in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Planning for Reopening series be devoted to advice related to cleaning and disinfecting. A team of experts will join us for an hour to offer COVID-19 related guidance for general housekeeping and special considerations for historic materials, such as historic door fixtures and hand railings. Our guests will include:

Sarah Polzin (Training Manager) and Adam Mannarino (Health & Safety Officer) – NPS Historic Preservation Training Center
Mary Striegel, Chief research scientist (historic preservation, art conservation) National Center for Preservation Technology & Training
Nichole Doub, Head Conservator, Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

The RSVP for the Zoom link to this conversation will arrive soon. You’ll have a chance to pose a question in advance at that time (live Q & A will also be invited).

Attention Employers:

Safety Best Practices (from the State’s Back To Business Website) As the state gets back to business, business owners are urged to adhere to best practices that ensure the safety of your workers and customers alike. Through our collective efforts, Maryland’s business community will play a critical role in protecting our citizens and preventing another surge of COVID-19 infections. Leaders across Maryland’s business community have assisted in developing best practices to help businesses across the state as we enter this new era in business.

General Best Practices (for all businesses) English | Spanish
Industry-Specific Best Practices:
Accommodations English (Spanish forthcoming)
Construction and Development English (Spanish forthcoming)
Golf (Golf): English | Spanish
Manufacturing (Producción e Industrias): English | Spanish
Marinas (Puertos Deportivos): English | Spanish
Personal Services (Servicios Personales). Applicable to barber shops and hair salons, per Governor Hogan’s executive order: English | Spanish
Retail (Venta Minorista): English | Spanish

All businesses are encouraged to review FAQs regarding face coverings, and consult with resources available through the CDC. Ongoing mitigation guidance, as well as prevention and support resources are available on the CDC’s website. All Executive Orders still in effect must be complied with. See most up to date orders. Additional industry best practices coming soon. This site is regularly updated.

Visit www.washcorises.net to stay informed regarding the latest updates to the recovery and reopening in Washington County.

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

WASHINGTON COUNTY COVID-19 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND

A campaign organized by the Community Foundation and United Way of Washington County, Maryland, announces the fourth cycle of grant recipients. Grants totaling $27,500 were funded to the following five agencies:

Breast Cancer Awareness – Cumberland Valley
For Our City – Hagerstown
Mediation First
The Maryland Theatre
The Arc of Washington County

The deadline to apply for the fifth and final cycle of grants is Monday, June 8th at midnight. Applications will be reviewed, and recipients will be announced the week of June 15th. Applications should have a focus on ensuring basic needs and essential services throughout Washington County. Applications to fund salaries will not be accepted.

Together, the Community Foundation and United Way have challenged the community to raise an additional $50,000, bringing the total up to $250,000. The initial goal for the Emergency Assistance Fund was $200,000. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does the community’s need for essential services and basic needs. The current amount of funds raised for Washington County COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund is $225,000.

Donations can be made online at https://bit.ly/2UR6fsy by texting COVIDWashCo to 313131, by calling 301.739.8200 x 104 or by mailing checks to United Way of Washington County, 83 West Washington Street, Suite 101, Hagerstown, MD.

COCA-COLA COMMUNITY SUPPORT – TOGETHER WE CAN!

Coca-Cola is doing their part to help prevent the further spread of the virus, while also supporting the needs of customers, consumers, employees, and communities. This includes committing to contributing more than $100 million worldwide to assist in community relief programs, medical supplies, and equipment throughout both the outbreak and recovery phases of this pandemic.

Coca-Cola Consolidated and The Coca-Cola Company have been proud to partner with local organizations to support front-line heroes and community groups, including:

Donating $17 million from our company’s nonprofit arm, The Coca-Cola Foundation, to support non-profit organizations across the United States to provide much-needed assistance in the most vulnerable parts of our communities. Approximately $42,500 benefited the Maryland Food Bank based in Baltimore.
Donating nearly 4 million beverages to community organizations and first responders nationwide, including donated beverages to hospitals, first responders and others working tirelessly to provide essential services throughout the crisis.
Coca-Cola Consolidated partnered with organizations like the World Central Kitchen, Mighty Meals, Central Union Mission, and local governments.
Donating plastic sheeting to manufacturing communities to support the production of face-shields for front-line healthcare workers and emergency responders.
This has included the donation of 50,000 face shields to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The face shields were produced by Baltimore-based K&W Finishing, a local company specializing in quality printing such as traditional die-cutting, coating, and other bindery services, and will be distributed to area hospitals and municipal health departments based upon need.

On behalf of the more than 1,400 Coca-Cola system associates working across the state of Maryland, Coca-Cola expresses their thanks for continued leadership in this unprecedented situation.

The JIC consists of representatives from the following agencies: Washington County Government, Washington County Health Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Public Schools, Meritus Health, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, City of Hagerstown, and Hagerstown Community College.

For additional information, please contact the Public Relations and Marketing Department at 240-313-2380 or [email protected].

###

Other news:

Hagerstown Regional Airport Announces 18 Additional Flights for Summer 2025

November 15, 2024

HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 15, 2024) – Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) is thrilled to announce exciting updates to its summer 2025 flight schedule, marking…

Washington County Recognizes Paramedics and First Responders with Life Savers Award for Exemplary Cardiac Arrest Response

November 14, 2024

HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 14, 2024) – This morning, the Washington County Division of Emergency Services (DES), in partnership with Meritus Medical Center, honored…