The following news items are excerpted from various leaders and sources in Prince George’s, around the region and the nation

Last Updated: 3.31.20 7:15 p.m.

Prince George’s County Board Of Health Holds Meeting On Coronavirus

Prince George’s County Board of Health held a virtual briefing by the County’s Health Officer on the COVID-19 health crisis. In attendance were the county’s leading health and public safety managers. They made brief presentations about the current status of the county in the fight against coronavirus and took questions from BOH members. Health officials included Ernest L. Carter, MD, Health Officer; George L. Askew, MD, DCAO Health, Human Services & Education; Terrence Fullum, MD, MBA, Liaison to the Board of Health; Yolandra Hancock, MD, MPH, Advisor to the Board of Health.

The 1 ½ hour session addressed questions about the current stay at home order, challenges to the quarantine, homelessness, insurance companies, child care, overcrowded apartments, the county’s preparation with Coronavirus tests, equipment and more.

Currently, there have been six deaths in Prince George’s due to COVID-19 but the county’s fatality rate is still at 1% - which is below the national average of Coronavirus fatalities.

Full video of the session can be found at the County Council website here.

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Prince George’s County Council Meets In Livestream Session To Aid Small Businesses Suffering Losses Due To Coronavirus Closures

Financial Leaders to Apply $10 Million In Support To County Businesses

The Prince George’s County Council met with top leaders guiding the county’s economic direction March 31 to address the trending and anticipated deepening challenges that small businesses face as a result of the fight against Coronavirus.

The meeting was attended by Prince George’s County Chief Administrative Officer Major Riddick, David Iannucci, the CEO of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and Shelly M. Gross-Wade, president and CEO of FSC First Corporation.

“It took us five years to add 21,000 jobs to Prince George’s County. It took us 10 days to lose 10,000 jobs [due to business shutdowns as a result of Coronavirus],” said Iannucci.

Iannucci referred to the $175 million that the Maryland Dept of Commerce will wield with regard to getting support to small businesses across the state in his presentation. But the conversation anchored around the $10 million that the county will apply to county-based businesses through the PGCEDC’s EDI Fund.

FSC First is underwriting the deals and has developed a specific portion of their site to businesses hardest hit by the virus. www.covid19@fscfirst.com

“Small businesses of 10 employees or less can get grants of $5,000 and those of 10 employees or more can get $10,000,” Gross-Wade said.

Packages and amounts will vary from business to business.

Councilmembers looked to PGCEDC to increase the number of grants from 20% of the $10 million to 25%.

“Small businesses will have trouble paying back loans,”Councilmember Jolene Ivey said. “We should focus on making a greater part of these funds grants as opposed to loans.” The majority of the esteemed body agreed.

Full video of the session can be found at the County Council website here.

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Maryland Bankers Association: “Call Your Bank, Get Involved In The Paycheck Protection Program”

The Maryland Bankers Association applauds the U.S Treasury’s newly issued guidance implementing the Paycheck Protection Program of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, an important federal stimulus bill that will provide greatly needed help to Marylanders and Maryland businesses. With this guidance, the program is now operational. Maryland’s banks are already working with their business clients on this important program. According to MBA’s President and CEO, Kathleen Murphy, “Maryland businesses are encouraged to contact their bank or SBA lender to express interest in the program and help expedite the application process. We are optimistic about the significant impact this program will have for Maryland businesses.”

Paycheck Protection Program Information from the Treasury

The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.

Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.

For a top-line overview of the program click HERE
If you’re a lender, more information can be found HERE
If you’re a borrower, more information can be found HERE
The application for borrowers can be found HERE

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Gov. Hogan Orders Marylanders To Stay In Unless Essential; Virginia and Washington, D.C. Follow Suit

The Governor announced through executive order March 30 that Maryland residents must stay at home unless they are essential workers, getting groceries or en route to a medical appointment. Essential services are those who work within areas that are essential to civic sustainability: first responders, public works, postal services, medical and dental services, and grocery workers to name a few. Those who violate the governor’s orders face misdemeanor charges and possible prison. See governor Hogan’s announcement, click here.

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Covid-19 Testing Pilot Opens At FedEx Field in Landover

Prince George's County Health Department, in partnership with the Maryland National Guard, the Maryland Department of Health, and the University of Maryland Medical System, are opening a pilot COVID-19 assessment and screening location at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. The screening location will be open for limited hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM starting today, Monday, March 30th.

This screening site is designed to alleviate the pressure on primary care physicians, hospitals, and health care facilities that will likely increase in the coming weeks due to COVID-19. Those who normally go to hospitals or emergency rooms to receive primary health care, are highly encouraged to seek a telehealth appointment through the Prince George’s County Health Department if they believe they have been exposed and are exhibiting symptoms associated with this virus.

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A Special Opportunity To Get Health Insurance

The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange announced a new special enrollment period open to all Marylanders in need of health insurance during the State of Emergency for Coronavirus (COVID-19) declared by Gov. Larry Hogan this week. Uninsured Marylanders may enroll through MarylandHealthConnection.gov, the state’s health insurance marketplace.

To ensure residents of the state receive access to affordable ACA-compliant insurance coverage during this emergency, individuals can visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov or download the free “Enroll MHC” mobile app. Request or select “Coronavirus Emergency Special Enrollment Period.” Free consumer assistance is available by calling 1-855-642-8572 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

Individuals can enroll through Wednesday, April 15. Coverage selected during this time will have a start date of April 1, regardless of when a consumer enrolls during this period.

“Health concerns are heightened for many families, and Maryland is in a state of emergency. We are grateful for the support of our insurance companies in opening this additional special enrollment for uninsured residents,” said Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which administers Maryland Health Connection.

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The Maryland General Assembly

Excerpted from the End of Session Legislative Report Issued By G.S. Proctor & Associates

The 440th Maryland General Assembly (MGA) session started with tributes to the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings and Speaker Michael Busch and began a new era of leadership in the House and Senate Chambers, along with 10 new legislators –but, abruptly ended due to an unexpected, world-wide coved-19outbreak.For the first time since the Civil War, the Maryland General Assembly in a state of emergency adjourned early.

The Maryland General Assembly took steps to pass several emergency pieces of legislation related to COVID-19, which freed up additional state resources, protected Maryland residents, and granted more authority to the Governor during the emergency. More details on those pieces of legislation are included below. Many pieces of legislation fell by the wayside after session was upended by the coronavirus pandemic resulting in this year’s primary health and pharmacy scope of practice bills (tobacco/injectables) left in varying House and Senate committees.

3Healthcare advocates in Maryland did manage to pass legislation to fund the new prescription drug affordability board and protected as much of the federal Affordable Care Act into state law as possible, in case Obamacare is struck down by the Supreme Court. Also, receiving the legislator’s approval was a bill that authorizes the use of telehealth by all types of health care practitioners, enabling Marylanders to get health care services in their home and a bill that would require a health practitioner to issue a prescription for a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) electronically, except under specified circumstances, passed

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GRAPHIC SOURCE: THE OFFICE OF MARYLAND DEL. DARRYL BARNES

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For Small Businesses: Covid-19 Funding

Excerpted from A Report Issued By Delegate Darryl Barnes

The State of Maryland has several websites with information pertaining to COVID-19, its effects on businesses, and available financial resources:

Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Loan Fund - This $75 million loan fund offers no interest or principal payments due for the first 12 months, then converts to a 36-month term loan of principal and interest payments, with an interest rate at 2% per annum.
Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund - This $50 million grant program offers grant amounts up to $10,000, not to exceed 3 months of demonstrated cash operating expenses for the first quarter of 2020.
Governor Hogan announced that the entire state of Maryland has received the designation for SBA assistance. Small businesses can apply here.
Maryland Department of Labor Layoff Aversion Fund - Designed to support businesses undergoing economic stresses due to the pandemic by preventing or minimizing the duration of unemployment resulting from layoffs. The award (up to $50,000 per applicant), will be a quick deployable benefit and customizable to the specific needs of your business to minimize the need for layoffs.
Maryland Office of Legal Counsel Interpretive Guidance COVID19-04 - This document identifies an interpretation of the Governor’s order closing all non-essential businesses.

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Aiding New York: Stephon Marbury To Get 10 Million Face Masks To NYC

Excerpted from Black Enterprise Magazine March 30

Giving back is essential in this dire time of need and New York Knicks legend Stephon Marbury is coming through in a big way!

According to the New York Post, the former point guard has arranged a deal that will sell 10 million face masks to New Yorkers for $2.75 each from a mask supplier in China. That price is almost a third of the $7.50 price that other retailers have been quoting for the N95 masks.

The former New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks player is now a coach for the Chinese Basketball Association’s Royal Fighters and still has family in Coney Island, Brooklyn, where he grew up. “At the end of the day, I am from Brooklyn,” Marbury told the New York Post in a phone call from his Beijing home. “This is something that is close and dear to my heart as far as being able to help New York.”