May 21, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Today, Howard County released a list of locations where residents can access free Wi-Fi. Residents who visit these locations to gain internet access are highly encouraged to maintain and practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, and continue to follow CDC guidelines.
“Many events, public meetings, and education has moved online to practice safe physical distancing, it's important that our residents are able to stay connected,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “We’ve identified public locations where there is space to physically distance, but residents can easily access the internet services they need. Especially with our schools and libraries closed, internet access is more critical than ever.”
The locations are:
- Access from parking lots at Fire Station 1 in Elkridge and Fire Station 14 in Columbia
- Downtown Columbia Lakefront
- Historic Ellicott City Main Street and Lot D
- Kiwanis Wallas Park back fields
- Troy Park at Elkridge football fields
CVS Testing Site
Governor Hogan and CVS Health today announced 17 new COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Maryland. Currently, the only CVS location in Howard County that will be testing is CVS Pharmacy, 8197 Westside Boulevard, Fulton, MD 20759.
Self-swab tests will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday, May 22 to schedule an appointment. Patients will be required to stay in their cars and be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window, where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions. A CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days.
Testing will not take place inside any retail locations, and CVS Pharmacy, HealthHUB, and MinuteClinic will continue to serve customers and patients.
Unemployment Updates
Howard County saw an additional 2,206 residents file for unemployment insurance or pandemic unemployment assistance last week. This brings the total unemployment claims since March 7th to more than 28,206.
The Howard County Economic Development Authority has created a business portal listing federal, state, and local resources to support businesses during the pandemic. This includes new guidelines for those that are eligible to reopen currently.
To help residents who might have questions about its Pandemic - Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) has put together this helpful Frequently Asked Questions informative graphic.
Maryland households with children who have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price meals at school due to COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures are eligible for P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits will continue to be issued for the duration schools are closed due to COVID-19. For questions about this program, contact DHS at 1-800-332-6347 or visit https://mydhrbenefits.dhr.state.md.us/.
Maryland Department of Health
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) launched a new public service announcement this week encouraging parents to review their children’s scheduled vaccination status and bring them up-to-date on missed vaccinations.
MDH is raising awareness based on recent data showing a significant decrease in pediatric vaccination rates both in Maryland and across the United States after a national emergency was declared on March 13. To learn more, please click here.