COVID-19 Update: Stay-At-Home Order Extended Until June 1
Dear Prince Georgians:
We are still under the threat of this virus. For the second week in row, an average of nine Prince Georgians are dying each day of COVID-19. These are our neighbors, our friends, our parents, our brothers and sisters, and our loved ones. We have more than 11,100 cases of COVID-19 in Prince George’s County, and 373 deaths. These are heart-breaking numbers.
As you may be aware, Governor Hogan announced Wednesday that his Stay-At-Home Order will be lifted, with some restrictions still in place. He also announced that counties may keep restrictions in place if they are not ready to reopen. In Prince George’s County, our numbers are not declining. In fact, they haven’t even begun to plateau.
Prince George’s County is not ready to reopen, and because of that, yesterday I signed an Executive Order that extends the Stay-At-Home Order through June 1, 2020 (a copy of the order can be found here). This order extends what was in place at the State level. This means for Prince George’s County, we will continue to stay home except for essential activities, such as going to the grocery store, picking up prescriptions, and going to medical appointments. Non-essential businesses will remain closed. Restaurants in the County will still only be able to provide delivery or curbside pick-up. Churches and other religious facilities must continue holding virtual services.
We normally have a total of 81 ICU beds available in our hospitals, but we have been required to increase our bed capacity and right now, we have 113 ICU beds, with about 70 of those being COVID-19 patients. We are operating on average at 80% capacity in our ICU units across the County. Just this past weekend, we reached a new high of 192 COVID positive patients in acute care in our hospitals. Although we have seen a slight reduction in the growth of new cases, we will need to see that decline for 14 straight days before we can even begin to consider reopening.
To safely reopen, we have developed five pillars that we will need to meet. We need to reduce the curve, we need to continue to ensure that our healthcare system has the capacity to serve our residents for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 needs, we need adequate testing for our residents, we need more contact tracers, and we need more personal protective equipment (PPE). We must meet several measures under these pillars to be able to reopen, such as a two-week decline in both new cases and deaths due to COVID-19, a two-week decline in hospitalizations, and the capacity to conduct at least 9,000 tests per week.
I want to note that we are not ready to reopen because, quite frankly, we do not have the resources that we need to meet the above metrics. We continue to stand in partnership with the State and are ready to work with them. We have been asking for the materials we need – from tests to PPE – in order to care for Prince Georgians, who are also Marylanders. Just as it is the federal government’s responsibility to provide resources to the states, it is the state’s responsibility to provide those resources to its jurisdictions.
We continue to seek that assistance from our State partners. At this point, we have already done our part, and will continue to do so. We have been working to purchase as many tests as we can from private labs. In fact, Prince George’s County has tested more residents than any other jurisdiction in the State at this point in time. While we will continue to do everything we can to acquire the resources needed to meet the metrics to safely reopen, we will continue to ask the State to step up and do its part to ensure Prince Georgians receive those resources.
We are suffering in our County. To our residents, I assure you I am working for you and will continue to do everything in my power to keep you and those you love safe. To our business community, I know you are hurting, too. We are one of the economic engines of this State, so when your doors are closed, not only does it impact our local economy, but our State’s economy.
However, if we don’t make sure that people are healthy first, it will have a much more significant impact on our small businesses, and our local economy, over the long run. Right now, the science tells us that if we open our doors at this moment, not only will we lose more money, but we will lose more Prince Georgians.
I know we all want to be with our families and friends. I know this because I want this, too. I miss gathering with those I love and I miss being able to worship with others. My heart breaks for all who are suffering from this virus, grieving the loss of loved ones and experiencing the loneliness and anxiety that has come with this pandemic. However, what I know is that COVID-19 will not have the final say. We need you to continue to stay home as much as possible, continue to wear face coverings when in stores and on public transportation, and continue to practice social distancing. While we are still trying to weather this storm, I promise you that we will get through it together.
Yours in service,
Angela Alsobrooks
Prince George’s County Executive
Stay-At-Home Order Extended Until June 1
 Yesterday, County Executive Alsobrooks issued a Stay-At-Home Executive Order effective through June 1, 2020 (a copy of the order can be found here). This Order essentially extends the Stay-At-Home Order that has been in place statewide since March 30, 2020. Residents must stay at home except for essential reasons such as seeking medical care, getting groceries, or picking up prescriptions. Non-essential businesses will remain closed. Restaurants will still only be able to provide delivery or curbside pick-up. Churches and other religious facilities must continue holding worship services virtually.
When going to stores or when on public transportation, please remember to wear face coverings and stay at least six feet away from others. The extension of the Stay-At-Home Order will ensure our County has additional time to flatten the curve and meet the metrics needed in order to safely reopen. Some of these metrics include a two-week decline in both new cases and deaths due to COVID-19, a two-week decline in hospitalizations, and the capacity to test at least 9,000 residents a week. To view current COVID-19 data for Prince George’s County, please click here.
COVID-19 Testing Available
 We are offering free COVID-19 testing for residents, including those without health insurance or access to a primary care physician. Testing is by appointment only at our Health Department’s Cheverly Clinic. At this time, only those who meet CDC testing guidelines are able to receive testing. If you are feeling symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle pains, headache, or new loss of taste or smell, call our hotline at 301-883-6627 for screening. The hotline is available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily.
Food Assistance Resources
 There are a number of resources available to help our residents who are experiencing food insecurity. We are maintaining a map of food pantries in Prince George’s County. The list is updated regularly, so check back frequently to find the pantry nearest you.
The Capital Area Food Bank also has a number of food pantries and distribution sites that are operating. Please check out their website for more information. The Prince George's Food Equity Council is also maintaining a list of food resources. Click here for more information.
Mental Health Resources
 May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and mental health is even more critical during this pandemic. Living in the uncertain times of COVID-19 is causing increased anxiety and stress for many people. If you or a loved one is struggling with feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety or self-harm, please know that help is available. You can call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990, or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746. You can also reach out to the Maryland Helpline by calling 211 or by texting 741741 any time, for any kind of crisis.
We also continue to host weekly mental health mini-webinars throughout the month of May. See the graphic above for a schedule of events. If you would like to join any of these mini-webinars, please visit https://bit.ly/MentalHealthWebinars at the appropriate date and time.
June 2 Primary Election
 Our State primary election is coming up on June 2. Due to COVID-19, it is also being conducted primarily by mail-in ballot this year. Ballots should be arriving in the mail for registered voters. If you are not registered to vote, the deadline to register is May 27. Visit our Board of Elections at elections.mypgc.us for more information on this election, the vote-by-mail process, and how to register to vote.
Department of Social Services
 As the entity responsible for investigations of child abuse and neglect, the Prince George's County Department of Social Services (PGCDSS) is concerned about the decrease in reporting due to COVID-19. PGCDSS needs everyone in our community to play a part in protecting our children. There are resources available for families through our partners. The Family Tree is one such partner that offers a 24-hour Parenting Helpline, along with an online chat feature. Services include not only emotional support and guidance during times of stress, but also a clearinghouse of vital resources within the community. To receive help via the helpline, please call 1-800-243-7337.
May is Foster Care Awareness Month, and right now the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services is waiting for someone like you to help change a child’s life. Foster parents aren’t replacements, they’re extra support for children and their families in need. If you live in Prince George’s County and you want more information on how to be a foster parent, call 301-909-2300.
Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement
 The Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) announces that this year marks the 40th anniversary of Building Safety Month, which focuses attention on safety in construction and building maintenance. Building Safety Month was created by the International Code Council (ICC), a trade organization that establishes construction safety codes.
This year’s month-long commemoration, during the COVID-19 pandemic, takes place as DPIE has implemented a number of initiatives to keep the public and staff safe while continuing to serve the residential and commercial customers who require the agency’s assistance. Among those initiatives are virtual inspections, which allow inspectors to work with customers remotely. DPIE staffers also continue to do limited on-site inspections while taking precautions such as wearing masks and following social distancing requirements.
During Building Safety Month, DPIE urges residential and business customers to celebrate building and construction professionals and the processes in place to guarantee the safety of building projects in Prince George’s County and elsewhere. For more information, visit DPIE's website. For more information on the ICC or Building Safety Month, visit the International Code Council website.
Basketball County: In the Water
 We are Prince George’s Proud of the incredible athletes who come from Prince George’s County. The new upcoming documentary about Prince George’s County’s basketball talent, “Basketball County: In the Water”, premieres tonight on Showtime. We are especially excited about this documentary as it is directed and produced by Prince Georgians! Join the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s watch party on Twitter at 9:00 PM tonight, May 15, using their tag @PGCMLS and hashtag #BasketballCounty to join the conversation.
The Furlough Cheesecake Featured on National News
 Many of you may remember the story about The Furlough Cheesecake, a business started by Prince Georgians Nikki Howard and Jaqi Wright during the 2018-2019 federal government shutdown. Better known as “The Cheesecake Sisters,” they were recently featured on the national news for their work to use their kitchen to cook meals for the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nikki and Jaqi continue to make us Prince George’s Proud as a shining example of the compassion of Prince Georgians. Watch our video here.
Census Art Break
 Join us for a Census Art Break! Grab your art supplies and enjoy a free art lesson from Paint It Kids Studio. Parents, while your kids are drawing along, take a few minutes to complete your Census. If you want to get an early start on some drawings, there are some already posted. The Census Art Break will be hosted at 1:00 PM on May 15, 22 and 29 on the Paint it Kids YouTube channel here.
If you want to go ahead and complete your Census before the Census Art Break, please visit my2020Census.gov or call 844-330-2020.
 Did you have COVID-19? The State of Maryland invites you to join COVIDConnect, where you can share experiences with other survivors, promote action, and find support.
The State of Maryland has acknowledged significant issues with the rollout of its new unemployment insurance online application system. They have recently implemented a virtual waiting line that includes estimated wait times. To read more about the changes they’ve made as well as to access the application system, visit their website here.
Unfortunately, there are those who will try to take advantage of the pandemic through illegal practices like scams and price-gouging. Price-gouging is illegal. If you see it, report it the Office of the Attorney General.
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