Local Testing: Earlier this week, County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles announced two additional COVID-19 testing sites: Wheaton and Germantown. Testing is currently underway at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center and the Upcounty Regional Services Center located in Germantown will begin testing on Monday, April 27. Testing is scheduled by appointment only and you must be referred by your primary care physician. To qualify for testing at any of the State or County testing sites, individuals must:
- Meet testing criteria as determined by a licensed health care provider. The provider will complete an online order for testing through Maryland’s Chesapeake Regional Information System (CRISP).
- Once an order is placed, an individual will be given instructions on how to make an appointment online.
- Appointments will be confirmed, and an ID number will be provided.
- Those arriving at the testing site will be asked to confirm their appointment number and provide a photo ID.
For more information, please click here.
Protecting our Front Line Workers
Councilmember Hans Riemer and I led efforts to provide $350,000 to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and face coverings for our front line workers out in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding will allow the County government to purchase face coverings and essential PPE items to distribute to MCPS meal providers and their families, child-care providers, residents in affordable housing communities, transit riders, and medically vulnerable residents who live or work in senior living or nursing facilities.
It will also support the newly created Local Production Fund in the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) to offer assistance to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to enable them to make and provide COVID-19-related personal protective equipment. MCEDC will match this appropriation with $100,000 from their budget. For more information, please click here.
Local restaurants and retail shops: My Council colleagues and I unanimously approved an additional $5 million to expand funding for the County's newly created Public Health Emergency Grant (PHEG) program. This will provide additional financial assistance to local restaurants and small retail shops directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As I have noted before, under the PHEG program, businesses with 100 employees or less that are suffering economic impacts from COVID-19 are eligible to receive grants of up to $75,000 per business. Since the launch of the PHEG program, more than 6,200 applications have been submitted to date and submitted applications are currently under review.
The deadline to submit your application is Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. For more information, please click here.
Relief for Renters
On Thursday, the Council passed the COVID-19 Renter Relief Act. This newly enacted law will prohibit landlords from increasing rent for residential tenants beyond the County’s voluntary rent guidelines of 2.6 percent. This freeze will last during and for a period of 180 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency concludes. For more information, please click here.
Taxis to Deliver Essential Items for Vulnerable County Residents
Today, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) announced that it has partnered with local taxi companies to deliver essential items from participating grocery stores, food banks, and restaurants to our most vulnerable in the County. The Call-n-Ride essential delivery service aims to support food security needs for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. To adhere to state and local COVID-19 regulations, taxicab drivers will wear face coverings and this program will provide a contactless delivery service. For more information, please click here.
Under federal guidelines, states are supposed to meet specific metrics before considering lifting restrictions, including a 14-day downward trend in key numbers. Thankfully, the State of Maryland and Montgomery County have successfully flattened the curve because of aggressive action taken to protect our constituents and their families. Although these heightened measures are working, our county, state, and region are not ready to lift restrictions placed as a result of COVID-19.
It is expected that increased testing will contribute to higher numbers of positive cases, however, our medical professionals will continue to monitor these figures and elected officials will ease restrictions based on the science. As soon as the novel coronavirus plateau decreases for an extended period of time, Governor Hogan will begin to slowly reopen Maryland in the following phases outlined in his recovery plan called Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery.
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Stage One: This stage calls for lifting the stay-at-home order, and involves business, community, religious, and quality of life improvements.
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Stage Two: This stage will likely be a longer stage of the initial recovery, where a large number of businesses and activities come back online. Any businesses that reopen during this period would need to comply with strict physical distancing and appropriate safety protocols.
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Stage Three: This stage will involve instituting higher-risk activities, such as larger social and religious gatherings, the reopening of high-capacity bars and restaurants, easing restrictions on visits to nursing homes and hospitals, and the reopening of entertainment venues.
Governor Hogan also announced that he is hopeful that he may begin to implement his plan toward recovery by mid-May. However, he will not begin to apply his plan unless the curve has flattened completely. For more information on Governor Hogan’s recent announcement, please click here.
April 22, 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day—a time when we come together to celebrate nature and to raise awareness on how we can best protect our global environment and preserve our wildlife.
As we continue to face the coronavirus pandemic and save lives, a silver lining has emerged. The statewide stay-at-home order we are currently under has led to reduced air pollution and planet-warming emissions in our community. This is not only happening in Maryland, but across the country and around the world. However, we are nowhere near where we need to be in order to achieve excellent quality of air for everyone to enjoy.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), nearly half of the nation’s population – 150 million people – lived with and breathed polluted air, placing their health and lives at risk. This is especially of heightened concern as we are currently battling the novel coronavirus pandemic. Studies have also shown that poor air quality can trigger heart attacks, stroke, and irregular heart rhythms—especially in residents who are already at risk for these conditions.
This is why it is extremely important that we continue to find ways to protect our health and our environment, and it can begin with you. Earlier this week, I presented a challenge to County residents to do something small to commemorate Earth Day and to give back to nature. Below please find some ways that you can contribute towards ending the cycle of climate change.
- Plant something in the earth, such as a tree, a flower, or some fruits and vegetables.
- Use a reusable water bottle in your home instead of plastic or use less water to wash dishes or to perform laundry duties.
- Turn the water off when you brush your teeth.
- Show gratitude for the Earth by spending time outside and connecting to it. Please adhere to state and local guidelines of participating in gatherings of 10 people or less.
- Learn more on recycling practices in your area and make sure you're doing the best job you can do in your home. For more information on these practices, please click here.
Unfortunately, we are already seeing the effects of climate change, but thankfully, we can find ways to lessen the burden on our natural resources. Protecting nature today means a better planet for future generations.
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