Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Friday that there are plans to significantly ramp up coronavirus testing and disinfect protective masks, adding that the state budget is taking a massive hit in its revenues.
Hogan also announced a new initiative to create a database of recovered patients, enabling the state to study using their plasma as a potential treatment for people who are sick with the virus.
Hogan used his press conference to give updates or announce new actions on several topics related to the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, pandemic.
He said Maryland’s presidential primary election scheduled for June 2 will be conducted mostly with mail-in ballots.
There is a new freeze on most state spending, aside from efforts to fight COVID-19, and on new hires by the state government. Hogan said he was not planning to sign into law any bill that required additional spending.
He talked about new measures have been implemented to help people filing unemployment claims, as the Department of Labor copes with a system that has overwhelmed by a wave of new claims.
During a news conference, Hogan said the state is partnering with the University of Maryland Medical System to implement a “large-scale testing initiative” enabling the system’s lab to run 20,000 tests per day.
The state Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will set up a “contamination site” at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to sterilize N95 masks, worn by health care workers and first responders. The site will be able to disinfect up to 80,000 masks each day, Hogan said, which will enable workers to reuse them to stretch the state’s stash.
“These masks are in short supply worldwide and this newly developed technology will allow us to be reused while we await new production and supply of [personal protective equipment],” Hogan said.
Additionally, the state launched a new initiative called “COVID Connect” for residents who have contracted and recovered from the coronavirus. Participants will be eligible for research studies, one of which includes taking plasma from recovered patients and injecting it into sick patients to help fight the virus. The platform also serves as a space for recovered patients to connect and share stories with others who have gone through similar experiences.
Hogan said COVID-19 is “wreaking havoc” on the state budget. Officials project, in a “worst-case scenario,” that state revenues could decrease by $2.8 billion during the current fiscal year. Hogan on Friday instituted a budget freeze on all state spending across all agencies, aside from coronavirus-associated expenses and employee payroll.
He said Maryland will likely use most, if not all, of its “rainy day fund” and that it is “very unlikely” that any of the 679 bills passed during this year’s legislative session that “require increased spending will be signed into law.”
One of the most significant bills the Maryland General Assembly passed this year was a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of the public education system.
“Responding to this crisis will likely create a multi-year budget issue that will require further substantial budget reduction actions,” the governor said.
State officials also highlighted extended hours for Maryland residents to call and file unemployment claims. Since the first week of March, more than 240,000 residents have filed claims Since March 9. Maryland has made 215,000 unemployment benefit payments, totaling more than $76 million.
Beginning next week, the Maryland Department of Labor will be open on Saturdays to process claims and the claims center’s staffing is being doubled, according to Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson.
Hogan said employees from other parts of state government are being redeployed to help process unemployment claims.
On Tuesday, Hogan announced the formation of “strike teams” dedicated to assisting nursing homes overburdened with COVID-19 cases, providing on-site triage and care for patients.
Hogan said on Friday that since Wednesday, the teams have been deployed to 15 children group homes and nine nursing homes. They are expected to help at assisted living facilities, too, he said.
There are at least 90 nursing homes across the state with cases or clusters of cases. Several are in Montgomery County.
In March, Hogan postponed the primary election, originally scheduled for April 28, to June 2, due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease. A plan for the election would be announced in early April, Hogan said at the time.
On Friday, Hogan said everyone is “strongly urged” to vote by mail, aside from people who do not have a fixed address and those who have disabilities that render them unable to vote that way. Extreme precautions will be taken for people who have to vote in person.
On Montgomery County residents’ ballots will be races to determine who will move on to the November general election in three school board races. The primary election also includes circuit court judge seats and the 3rd, 6th and 8th District Congress seats, as well as the presidential race.
“Free and fair elections are the very foundation of American democracy,” Hogan said. “The ultimate goal must be to do everything possible to ensure the voice of every Marylander is heard in a safe and secure manner.”
Hogan talked about how difficult it is during Holy Week to not be able to spend time with family or at a church service, but it’s the right thing to do to keep people safe.
He also lightheartedly declared that the Easter Bunny is an essential worker and can hop across the state, following similar pronouncements made in other parts of the U.S. and abroad.
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
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To see a timeline of major coronavirus developments in Maryland and Montgomery County, click here.
