Baltimore County To Distribute PPE To Nursing Homes, Hot Spots

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Baltimore County will be providing more than 100,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help nursing homes that need help securing this gear, officials announced Monday. State-regulated long-term care facilities around the county will be eligible to receive masks, gowns and gloves if the facility makes a request, a state strike team indicates a PPE shortage, EMS providers make requests or county health officials note a need.

Baltimore County is securing 60,000 surgical masks, 40,000 isolation gowns, and a "significant supply of gloves" using its supply chain and purchasing infrastructure to help long-term care facilities that have not been able to get products on their own, officials said.

"Residents and staff at long-term care facilities are uniquely vulnerable to this virus, making it critical we must ensure they have the resources they need to stay safe,” County Executive Johnny Olszewski said in a statement.

"Adequate personal protective equipment for front-line personnel is a key factor in ensuring we are ready to safely reopen in Baltimore County," Olszewski said, calling the county's stepping in to provide assistance an "important step toward that goal."

Last week, the Baltimore County Department of Health began providing bags with gloves, masks and other PPE in them at communities that are "high-case neighborhoods," Sean Naron, spokesman for Baltimore County government, said in a statement. Randallstown was one, he confirmed. In these "areas of concern, the county will be expanding" its efforts so "when picking up food, also people will be picking up bags with gloves and PPE" as well as educational materials at meal distribution sites, Naron said.

Funding for the PPE for nursing homes and communities comes from the general fund, Naron said.

To request PPE, long-term care facilities can email LBSS@baltimorecountymd.gov for more information.

See Also:

• Baltimore County Opens Some Businesses, Others Stay Closed
• Phase One Of Reopening From Coronavirus To Begin: MD Governor