Gov. Hogan announced further measures for the state of Maryland to fight the spread of coronavirus in his press conference on Monday (March 23) morning:
- At 5PM today, all non-essential businesses, organizations, establishments and facilities must close. It was noted that this is not a shelter-in-place directive.
- Executive order to protect Marylanders from price gauging. If retailers spike prices on household essentials, they "will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
- $175 MILLION+ economic relief package for Maryland small businesses and workers.
- Maryland National Guard and the Maryland Department of Health to collaborate with Prince George’s County and the University of Maryland Medical System on a pilot assessment location at FedEx Field in Landover.
- The University of Maryland Medical System has agreed to reopen Laurel Hospital, which will make another 135 beds available.
- Emergency order to authorize a fast-track process to bring more testing capacity online without FDA approval--dramatically shortening a process that would ordinarily take several months.
- Health care providers are required to prioritize tests for hospitalized and chronic care patients, symptomatic first responders, and symptomatic nursing home patients.
In addition, Gov. Hogan re-iterated the important of social distancing. If you are engaged in gatherings or ignoring these guidelines, you are in violation of state law