Maryland’s Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted to approve $50 million in emergency funding for the state’s coronavirus response.
At its Thursday afternoon meeting, the committee heard from Deputy Secretary of Health Dr. Fran Phillips, who explained that the money would cover the costs associated with education, equipment and staff.
“We have now lab staff that are running two shifts,” Phillips said, adding, “we anticipate great increases in volume of testing that will require more lab scientists and more materials.”
State Sen. Andrew Serafini, R-Washington County, asked Phillips about how to strike a balance between keeping the public informed and not creating anxiety: “What should we say to our citizens as far as making sure they don’t overreact or under-react?”
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Phillips said, to put it in perspective, “Right now, we are near the height of the annual influenza season. We’ve lost 40 Marylanders — and thousands of Marylanders will be hospitalized during this season as a result of the regular seasonal flu.”
Phillips said the state has had to manage a number of pandemics over the past 20 years, including outbreaks of SARS, MERS, H1N1 and the West Nile virus. She said state health officials have learned from each experience.
“I’m certain that we’re stronger than we have ever been in the past with regard to our capabilities to respond” to the coronavirus, Phillips said.
