Please see today's briefing for my Administration's continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to contact my team with your questions or concerns. I remain committed to protecting our City's health by using every resource available to us. - Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young

BALTIMORE CITY COUNT:

6,038 confirmed cases, 264 deaths

as of 2:00PM June 5, 2020 via coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/

COMMUNITY TOOLKIT

1. Share our information - Help us get important information out about COVID-19 by sharing our graphics: coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/infographics-0

2. Lending a hand - We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support for Baltimore’s response to COVID-19. Volunteer opportunities here: coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/how-get-involved-covid-19

3. COVID-19 Online Dashboard - Access information about the number of COVID-19 cases with breakdowns by race, zip code, age, gender. coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/

4. BMORE Alert - Register for BMORE alert system by texting bmore alert to 99411 or via emergency.baltimorecity.gov/bmore-alert

5. Multilingual Resources - Information in other languages related to the City’s COVID-19 response: mima.baltimorecity.gov/coronavirus 

6. COVID-19 Presser Updates - View the most recent COVID-19 response press event here: youtube.com/channel/UCasQyO1K4yMq3Hi_0RQ0jfA

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young Announces Baltimore City Will Enter Phase 1 of Reopening Beginning Monday, June 8

Mayor Young announced Baltimore City would begin its phased reopening of services and businesses based on positive trends in COVID-19 health data.

The shift into Phase I reopening reflects key metrics being met:

• 14-day drop in the number of new cases
• 14-day drop in the number of new deaths
• The test positivity rate remaining under 20% for 14 days
• An average of more than 1,000 tests performed per day
• Hospital utilization rate of less than 90% for 7 days

While the City’s data supports the shift into Phase I reopening, Mayor Young noted that if the data changes and certain criteria are met, the City could return into a stay-at-home phase. The criteria for returning to stay-at-home or similarly strict constraints are:

• 5-day increase in the number of new cases
• 5-day increase in the number of new deaths
• The test positivity rate remaining above 20% for 5 days
• Hospital utilization rate of more than 90% for 7 days

The shift into Phase I of reopening loosens certain restrictions on private businesses, while also increasing the availability of City-provided services available to residents. Under Phase I, the following activities will be allowed to come back online:

• Barbershops and hair salons – by appointment only, with up to 5 people allowed inside per 1,000 square feet. After providing services to each customer, appropriate cleaning will need to take place per CDC and Maryland Department of Health guidelines.
• Faith-based gatherings – up to 50 people can worship in tented outdoor services. Fees for tent permits will be waived for exempt religious institutions during COVID restrictions, and Fire and Building inspections will be available within 48 hours of application. As a condition of the permit, congregants will be required to practice social distancing and wear face coverings. Virtual worship is still strongly encouraged at this time.
• The Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar produced by Baltimore’s Office of Promotion & the Arts will open for its 43rd season on Sunday, June 14 at 7am with restrictions. It will open as a food resource only, and a limited number of people will be allowed to shop at any one time.
• Childcare – can open with limits of up to 10 people per room, and for use by essential workers.
• Restaurants – as previously announced, restaurants can serve customers through outdoor seating. Restaurant licensees who would like to add outdoor seating can apply through the City’s e-permit website.
• Summer camps – will be allowed to reopen, with limited capacity of up to 10 people per room for indoor activities and up to 50 people for outdoor activities. Baltimore City Recreation and Parks will offer a new BMORE Summer Fun experience.
• Enoch Pratt Free Library – beginning on June 15, Pratt library branches will begin offering Sidewalk Service, a contact-free way for customers to pick up books, DVDs, CDs, and other library materials.
• Retail outlets – non-essential retailers can provide curbside and delivery service.
• Construction sites – can reopen with appropriate safeguards in place.
• Hotels and accommodations – can reopen with appropriate safeguards in place.

BMORE Summer Fun

Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ Executive Director, Reginald Moore, announced BMORE Summer Fun, a free, outdoor summer camp alternative for Baltimore youth ages 5-12.  

The BMORE Summer Fun experience will rely on outdoor spaces to allow social distancing while participants engage in summer sports and games, stem activities, crafts, nature play and more. Launching July 6, the six-week program operates Monday-Friday from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

The following BCRP greenspaces will serve as BMORE Summer Fun locations:

• North Harford Rec Center
• Samuel FB Morse Rec Center
• Rita Church Community Center
• Dewees Rec Center
• Edgewood/Lyndhurst Rec Center
• Farring Baybrook Rec Center
• Harlem Park Rec Center
• Herring Run Rec Center
• CC Jackson Rec Center
• Fred B. Leidig Rec Center
• Joseph Lee Rec Center
• Lakeland Rec Center
• Locust Point Rec Center
• Bocek Rec Center
• Roosevelt Rec Center
• Virginia S. Baker/Patterson Park Rec Center
• Luckman Park
• Vollmer Center
• Greenmount Rec Center

Each location is equipped with nearby indoor areas for inclement weather/Code Red Days, restrooms and supply storage.

The outdoor format includes health and safety precautions in response to the latest COVID-19 guidance. Program participants will enjoy activities in small groups--one counselor assigned to every nine participants. Group assignments will remain the same for the duration of the program. Both staff and participants are required to wear masks and routine temperature checks will be taken upon arrival. To ensure staff and participant safety, BMORE Summer Fun will not offer trips or off-site activities.

Current Camp Baltimore registrants will have first opportunity to confirm their participation. The general public is encouraged to stay tuned to @recnparks on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram for an announcement as additional spots become available. For more information on BMORE Summer Fun, call 410-396-7900. Those looking for additional summer fun activities are encouraged to visit BCRP’s Virtual Rec Center.

New ‘Baltimore Health Corps’ to Hire and Train Hundreds of Jobless Residents to Serve Neighborhoods Hardest-Hit by COVID-19

The Baltimore Health Corps will recruit, train, and employ more than 300 residents who are currently jobless during the pandemic to serve as contact tracers and care coordinators for Baltimore City residents. Health Corps staff will be deployed to address critical COVID-19 needs in Baltimore’s most vulnerable communities, performing three key functions: contact tracing, public health education outreach, and care coordination and social support.

Over the course of 12 months, the Baltimore Health Corps will serve three core objectives:

1. Job Creation and Skills Training: The Baltimore Health Corps will onboard, and support hundreds of recently unemployed or out-of-work Baltimore residents in building careers as community health workers (CHWs). Community health is a growing field that bridges communities to healthcare services. Practitioners leverage trusted community relationships and shared life experience to improve access to care for vulnerable populations.

2. Controlling the Spread of COVID-19: In order to stop the spread of COVID-19, aggressive case investigation and contact tracing are needed in conjunction with support for individuals in self-isolation or self-quarantine. The Baltimore Health Corps will significantly expand the city’s existing contact tracing system, enabling the Baltimore City Health Department to reach communities with a depth of service not currently possible.

3. Serving the Social Needs of Baltimore’s Most Vulnerable: Controlling the spread of COVID-19 is not limited to case investigation and contact tracing. It is also critical to provide social support to those impacted, including supporting individuals who are close contacts of cases to quarantine safely, creating housing options for people with COVID-19 who need to be isolated, and supporting families of ill and isolated residents. The Baltimore Health Corps will address the social needs of Baltimore’s most vulnerable populations such as older adults, those uninsured, and those who are pregnant and have young children through enhanced care coordination.

The Baltimore Health Corps will develop a core referral system for residents who are COVID-19 positive, a close contact, or need additional assistance during the pandemic. It will also develop a focused inventory of high-value COVID-19 essential service referral resources to empower care coordination services. Lastly, it will provide essential care coordination services for older adults, those uninsured, and those who are pregnant or have young children.

The Baltimore Health Corps is a centerpiece of the City’s strategy to support expanded employment opportunities and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as Baltimore re-opens. Partners hope this program will serve as a national model for establishing a public works program to assist in the response and recovery from COVID-19.

The Baltimore Health Corps is hiring immediately. More information about the program can be found here: coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/baltimore-health-corps

Mayor Young, emocha Partner to Implement Return-to-Work Solution for City Employees

emocha’s mobile application uses short, asynchronous virtual check-ins to identify and track symptoms of COVID-19. Baltimore City employees, across over 30 agencies, will be enrolled in emocha’s program and connected with their engagement team. The partnership is a key element of the City of Baltimore’s multifaceted return-to-work plan.

emocha’s platform, a mobile app available to City of Baltimore employees, allows employees of the City to track their symptoms and temperature. The emocha app will also provide links to Baltimore City COVID-19 resources and display a color-coded digital badge indicating the employee’s return-to-work status for entrance to facilities. For City visitors or employees who do not have smartphones, emocha is developing an on-site kiosk and a web portal for symptom reporting before entering the building.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Information on meals

Starting June 7th, rec centers will discontinue meal distribution on Sundays.

Meals for Baltimore with World Central Kitchen will have their final distribution. From 11AM-2PM (or while supplies last) they will be at two locations: East Baltimore and West baltimore.

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Alexandra Smith, Team Lead, JIC Community & Government Affairs

Liam Davis, Government Specialist

 Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, JIC City Council Representative