WASHINGTON — Gov. Hogan issued Wednesday an executive order requiring universal testing of all residents and staff at all Maryland nursing homes. Facilities will be prioritized based on an imminent outbreak or a current rising threat risk, Hogan said.
Under the order, it will be mandatory for facilities to fully comply with strike teams deployed by the state. All nursing homes must have a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or registered nurse to evaluate all residents on a daily basis.
Hogan said that all facilities must develop surge staffing plans to ensure continuity of care in the event of an outbreak. To aid in this effort, new bridge teams will be created to provide emergency clinical staffing.
There are currently 4,011 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at 143 different Maryland nursing homes. These outbreaks account for 19% of MD’s total positive cases and 46% of the state’s deaths.
Maryland has announced 736 new cases, 117 new hospitalizations, and 56 additional deaths due to COVID-19. The total number of cases in Maryland is now 20,849. About 1,300 people have recovered and been released from isolation.