CARROLL COUNTY NURSING HOMERESIDENT WHO DIED FROMCOVI━19.

DOZENS MORE HAVETESTED POSTIVE..

TODAY THECOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTANNOUNCED NEW RESIDENT ANDSTAFF CASES& AS GOVERNOR LARRYHOGAN ISSUED EMERGENCY ORDERSTO PROTECT RESIDENTS ANDSTAFF.

WMAR 2 NEWS ABBY ISAACSEXPLAINS THE IMPACT THE ORDERWILL HAVE.THESE DIRECTIVES HAVE TO DOWITH EXPEDITING TESTING ANDEXPANDING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTREQUIREMENTS, BUT THEPRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATIONTHAT REPRESENTS THE MAJORITYOF MARYLAND ASSISTED LIVINGFACITILITIES SAYS THEY WILL BENEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOWUNDER THE CURRENT EQUIPMENTSHORTAGES.

Itall of us SUNDAY, MORE EFFORTSTO KEEPING NURSING HOMERESIDENTS AND STAFF SAFE.Families trust us to providequality care and so we aredriven by providing thatquality care and keepingpatients residents and staffsafe in this environmentGOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN ISSUEDTHE EMERGENCY ORDERS TOFURTHER PROTECT SOME OF THEMOST VULNERABLE MARYLANDERS..AFTER SEEING CASES AT 81NURSING HOMES AND LON━TERMCARE FACILITIES ACROSS THESTATE.

HE CALLED FOR EXPEDITEDTESTING THROUGH THE MARYLANDSTATE PUBLIC HEALTH LAB ANDSAID ALL NURSING HOME STAFFWHO INTERACT WITH RESIDENTSNEED TO WEAR PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT.

These orders areimportant next steps & but therequirement on PPE is going tobe nearly impossible to meetunder the current scenariowithout state and federalassistance & and testingcontinues to be a problem.PRESIDENT OF THE HEALTHFACILITIES ASSOCIATION OFMARYLAND JOE DEEMAHTOES SAIDWHILE THE ORDERS ARE WELCOMED,CURRENT EQUIPMENT SHORTAGESPOSE PROBLEMS. Nursing homeshave been literally taskingfull time employees for thelast several weeks to scourthe planet to identify PPE atwhatever price is availableHOGAN ALSO ORDERED FACILITIESMUST DESIGNATE A UNIT OF STAFFASSIGNED TO THE CARE FOR KNOWNOR SUSPECTED COVI━19 POSITIVERESIDENTS&.

AND THE FACILITIESMUST CREATE SEPARATEOBSERVATION AND ISOLATIONSAREAS FOR RESIDENTS& SOMETHINGDEMATTOS SAYS IS ALREADY INPRACTICE.

HOGAN SAID AVIOLATION OF f OF THESEORDERSf COULD RESULT IN AMISDEMEANOR CHARGE.

DEMATTOSSAYS UNTIL THE EQUIPMENT COMESTHROUGH, THE FACILITIES WILLOPERATE THE BEST THEY CAN WITHWHAT THEY HAVE.

I know thathealth care providers will doeverything in their power todo the right thing.

LOOKLIVEIN A STATEMENT, THE CARROLLCOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT,WHICH HAS SEEN OUTBREAKS ATTWO NURSING HOMES, SAYS THEYWILL BE ADOPTING THEENHANCED PROTECTIVE MEASURES.FOR WMA━2 NEWS, IISAAWHILE MOST CHURCH MEMBERS TOOPART IN VIRTUAL W