Council Approves $10 Million to Help Hospitals Fight COVID-19

On Tuesday the Montgomery County Council approved $10 million in appropriations for Montgomery County hospitals to help address COVID-19 emergency measures, according to a press release from the council.

In order to prepare for additional COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County as well as in the state of Maryland, local hospitals need to increase the number of hospital beds available, increase critical care capacity, and ensure they have enough personal protective equipment.

To make these emergency purchases and prepare quickly enough to address the increasing number of cases in the county, hospitals need financial support from the county, according to the press release. 

The funds will be administered through the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. The funds will come from the General Funds Reserves. 

The legislation was introduced and voted on at their March 31 meeting. Due to the declared county emergency, the council was not required to hold a public hearing on the bill. 

The Maryland Department of Health has reported 1,660 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Maryland, with 388 cases in Montgomery County as of March 31.

About Grace Mottley

Grace Mottley was a spring 2020 intern for Montgomery Community Media. At the time, she was studying at the University of Maryland, where she is majoring in multi-platform journalism.

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