1) Governor Hogan is holding a press conference at the State House in Annapolis. He is joined by @MD_Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson and Special Agent Derek Pickle from the U.S. Dept of Labor Office of the Inspector General.
I will thread the governor’s announcements.
I will thread the governor’s announcements.
2) The State of Maryland has uncovered a massive criminal enterprise involving over 47,500 fraudulent claims and totaling over $501 million. Exposing this scheme and notifying fed authorities shed light on related fraudulent criminal activity in other states.
3) After detecting an unusual increase in out-of-state Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims, @MD_Labor discovered more than 47,500 fraudulent claims using stolen identities and personal information acquired from previous national data breaches.
4) @MD_Labor immediately notified the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland as well as the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and has been coordinating with them on this ongoing investigation.
5) @MD_Labor has not experienced any breach of the state’s unemployment insurance system, and Maryland claimants’ personal information has not been compromised in any way.
6) @MD_Labor has now processed over $4.3 billion in federal unemployment insurance benefits payments to more than 489,000 Marylanders.
Labor has processed 96.4% of all claims and their backlog is down to just 3.6%.
Labor has processed 96.4% of all claims and their backlog is down to just 3.6%.
7) @GovLarryHogan: “I can assure you that nothing is going to stop us from continuing to help struggling Marylanders get the assistance that they need during this crisis."
8) Gov. Hogan: Maryland was able to keep more than 70% of the state economy open throughout the #COVID19 crisis. 62 days after lifting the Stay at Home order and 41 days after entering Stage Two of recovery, 98% of Maryland’s economy is now open.
9) #COVID19 UPDATE. Daily positivity rate dropped to 4.26%, seven-day positivity rate dropped to 4.49%. Slight uptick in hospitalizations, but they are still down 73% from peak 77 days ago.
10) CONCERNING TRENDS. Positivity rate among Marylanders under the age of 35 is now 83% higher than Marylanders 35 and older. An increasing number of #COVID19 cases are connected to non-compliance with public health requirements, particularly in bars and restaurants.
11) BARS AND ENFORCEMENT. Yesterday, the governor sent a letter to county leaders urging them to actively and aggressively enforce public health requirements in bars and restaurants across the state.
12) @GovLarryHogan: “Young people should avoid crowded bars, house parties, and large gatherings of any kind. You are not only putting yourselves at risk, you are also risking the lives of your parents, your grandparents, and other vulnerable people in the community.”
13) OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL. Marylanders are advised to refrain from traveling to areas that are experiencing rapidly escalating numbers. Any Marylander who has traveled to, or is returning from travel out of state should immediately get tested.
14) @GovLarryHogan: “This battle is not behind us, not by a long shot. Only you can stop the spread of this virus.”
15) SAFER AT HOME. The governor reminds Marylanders to continue teleworking when possible, not to use public transportation unless absolutely necessary, continue wearing masks, and practicing physical distancing.
16) @GovLarryHogan: “Our economy is open, recovering, and doing better than many other states, but only you can keep Maryland open for business by continuing to follow the public health guidance.”
17) SCHOOLS. Gov Hogan: “We all want our children to get back to school as soon as possible, but only if and when we can do it in a way that keeps our students and our teachers safe.”
17a) Local jurisdictions are continuing to finalize their proposed plans in order to meet the August 14 deadline. Once that input is completed, MSDE will institute guidelines that follow CDC guidance and provide flexibility for local school systems.
17b) @GovLarryHogan: “We cannot and should not rush this decision. It is absolutely critical that we get it right for our communities and for each and every one of our children and our teachers.”
17c) Dr. Karen Salmon, the State Superintendent of Schools, will join the governor for a press conference next week to provide an update on MSDE’s progress.
