$2M Set Aside To Support Howard County General Hospital During COVID-19 Surge

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Critical staffing needs loom at Howard County General Hospital and within the Howard County Health Department during the coronavirus pandemic with its latest surge. To address this grave concern, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has committed $2 million to the hospital and $400,000 to the health department from American Rescue Plan funding.

“This latest COVID-19 surge caused by variants is overwhelming, and our healthcare workers, those on the frontlines, our EMS and paramedics are exhausted,” Ball said. “During this pandemic, they've been asked again and again to step up, sacrificing their time, energy and health for our community. It is paramount that we invest in our healthcare workers, and our public health system, to retain our frontline employees and support them through this crisis.”

The funding support for Howard County General Hospital comes as hospitalizations are expected to reach new heights amid the surge fueled by the delta and omicron variants. From mid-December to early January, Howard County General Hospital saw a 411 percent increase in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. According to the Maryland Department of Health, Howard County’s current positivity rate is nearly 30 percent with an average of 165 cases per 100,000 residents.

Just one month ago, the county’s positivity rate was just under 4 percent with a case rate of approximately 10 per 100,000. Howard County General Hospital currently has 63 COVID-19 patients in Acute Care and the ICU, compared to 7 COVID patients a month ago.

“Howard County General Hospital is grateful for the unwavering support we have received throughout the pandemic from the Howard County government,” Shafeeq Ahmed, M.D., HCGH president said. “This financial support will help us to continue providing critical care to our community, despite the challenges we face.”

Ball already allocated the $400,000 to the health department over the holiday break, citing the impressive efforts of the staff to set up testing, contact tracing, vaccination clinics and the need to continue addressing other public health needs of the community.

"Our public health team has spent the last two years performing critical work to support the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Howard County," Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman said. "Investment in our workforce allows us to retain trained, experienced staff, putting the health department in a better position to serve our residents."

The Ball administration has provided more than $24 million in federal relief dollars to support private and public workers across industries.