Tag Archives: COVID-19

Harris Apologizes for Comments on School Reopening

By Adam Pagnucco.

School board at-large candidate Lynne Harris, who blasted the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) for allegedly obstructing school reopening, has apologized. Harris issued the statement below on her website.

STATEMENT REGARDING COMMENTS IN SEPT. 27 SILVER CHIPS PRESS RELEASE

I deeply apologize for comments I made to the reporters from Silver Chips, the student newspaper for Montgomery Blair High School. I recognize that the comments hurt and offended fellow teachers and do not reflect my deep respect and gratitude for their dedicated work to support our students.

As a teacher myself, I know how hard MCPS staff members are working during this time of crisis. Many of us are balancing the work with supporting the distance learning of our own kids — that can be a gargantuan task, particularly if you have young learners, or students with special needs. As rewarding as the work is, many of us are feeling fatigue and frustration working 7 days a week to get the job done.

It’s a bad idea to speak to the media when you’re tired and frustrated. My words do not reflect how much I value the hard work of MCPS educators. I am sorry to anyone who feels unappreciated by my poorly-worded comments. Offending hard-working fellow teachers is the last thing I ever intended to do.

I’m grateful to the many teachers and staff who volunteered for the important work on design teams last summer. I also worked on a curriculum review/writing team, which included writing a plan to bring small groups of students safely back into our buildings for specialized training. While teachers were working on these projects, MCEA (the teachers’ union) and MCPS were simultaneously engaged in difficult contract negotiations, impacting a more collaborative approach to create a plan for distance learning.

I hope you’ll read my blog below for a more thorough perspective. Teachers, MCPS, families – we all want to keep students and staff safe. I welcome a meeting with MCEA anytime to clear up any misunderstandings.

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Harris Blasts MCEA Over School Reopening

By Adam Pagnucco.

Silver Chips, the online newspaper for Blair High School, had quite a scoop yesterday. The newspaper asked school board at-large candidates Lynne Harris and Sunil Dasgupta for their opinions on the statement issued by MCPS and its three employee unions about potential reopening for in-person instruction. According to Silver Chips, Harris said the following in an email on Saturday:

Personally I’m completely frustrated that the associations, especially MCEA, would NOT get in the boat and row since Spring to help create meaningful Covid plans for teaching and learning, especially limited in-person instruction––they were obstructionist, inflammatory, and just said ‘no’ to everything. We need plans in place NOW to bring small groups of students into schools safely––for special education instruction, for specialized arts and other programs that require access to MCPS facilities and resources to be equitably delivered, for CTE programs that can’t be delivered virtually etc.

Harris had more to say about this topic on her website.

Silver Chips also carried a reply from Dasgupta that conforms with his guest blog on Seventh State today.

Dasgupta has been endorsed by MCEA (the teachers) and SEIU Local 500 (support staff) among others. Harris has been endorsed by the Washington Post editorial board, which at various times over the years has been critical of MCEA.

During the primary, there weren’t a lot of apparent differences between Harris and Dasgupta as both were defending MCPS’s boundary study from criticism by fellow at-large candidate Stephen Austin, who finished third, and his supporters. Silver Chips has done the public an immense service by revealing a meaningful difference between these candidates.

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Changing the Reopening Timeline: A Recipe for Confusion and Anxiety

Guest column by Dr. Sunil Dasgupta, Candidate for Montgomery County Board of Education At-Large.

MCPS’s decision to start the 45 day clock on potentially reopening school buildings is premature. While MCPS should absolutely be working collaboratively with teachers, staff, families, and students on a reopening plan, starting the clock before answering some basic questions is disruptive and anxiety-producing for everyone involved.

To calm anxieties and provide a clear path forward, MCPS leadership should focus on three goals in the near term. The first goal should be clear communication with all stakeholders. The second goal should be to meet student needs in the immediate context of online learning. And the third goal should be to collaboratively develop a safe reopening plan with employees, families, and students.

Clear Communication

Clear communication with the public has been MCPS’ biggest shortcoming during the pandemic. We are only four weeks into the first quarter, so it is unclear why MCPS is making an announcement on a 45 day timeline that could place some students and staff back in buildings in early November, after announcing in July that the first semester would be online-only.

In his July announcement regarding the fall semester, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith wrote, “the safest choice for our district is to remain in a virtual-only instructional model through the first semester—January 29, 2021; or until state and local health officials determine conditions in our county allow for students to return safely after the first semester.” MCPS should stick to its previous timeline in order to ensure student and staff safety, and to provide desperately needed clarity for all stakeholders.

Meeting Students’ Immediate Needs

MCPS has performed much better in this area, but there are still students who need additional resources and support to make online learning as productive as possible. Many students in certain zip codes still lack access to high-speed internet and functioning Chromebooks. MCPS leadership and local staff are focused on this issue, and they should continue to reach out in every way possible to get these students and families connected to the learning that is taking place online.

MCPS recognizes that student mental health is suffering during the pandemic and is rightly focused on providing additional support to students and staff. And the school system continues to provide meals to thousands of students on a weekly basis.

A Collaborative Plan for a Safe Reopening

While teachers and staff are doing an amazing job considering the circumstances, not every student’s needs can be met through online instruction. Unfortunately, MCPS continues to persist with poorly designed surveys to gauge what families and staff want, hindering our ability to craft a reopening plan that fits the situation.

To honor individual choices of families and employees, MCPS needs better data. Rather than running poorly-designed surveys, there needs to be a census of every student and every staff member. We should ask the question, “When do you want to return,” and offer a menu of conditions to choose from. The census could be tied to student and employee dashboards, so everyone must answer before they can proceed with schoolwork. Importantly, respondents should have the ability to log back in and change their minds by picking a reason from a menu. Rather than an artificial 45 day timer, this evolving census data should help drive decisions to return.

The MCPS employee associations must be at the table contributing to the discussion on safety precautions, equipment and materials, protocols for testing, tracing, and quarantining, medical leave, substitution, and the many transitions between online and in-person delivery of instruction. There is also considerable work to be done to assess infrastructure – especially school building ventilation – and to identify safe teaching spaces. Teachers and staff must be involved in every step of the planning process.

What Now

This difficult moment requires steady leadership, deep collaboration, and clear communication. We should be squarely focused on how to safely meet the needs of all students. By all means, we should be planning how and when to reopen, but setting an artificial timer is not going to bring clarity. It’s a recipe for confusion and further anxiety.

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Craig Rice: Follow the Rules to Open the Schools

By Adam Pagnucco.

In one of his patented straight talk moments, Council Member Craig Rice has implored residents to wear masks and heed social distancing requirements if they want schools to open for in-person instruction. Rice said today, “If we cannot control community spread, if we can’t get folks to do what they need to do, we are not going to open back our schools. So let me just be very clear. By folks refusing to do the things that we know are going to lower community spread and keep the community safe, it then in turn forces us to keep our schools closed.”

Amen, Council Member. Video of Rice’s remarks appears below.

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MoCo Medical Society Praises Gayles

By Adam Pagnucco.

The Montgomery County Medical Society has released the statement below praising county health officer Travis Gayles.

*****

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 18, 2020

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY RECOGNIZES TRAVIS GAYLES, M.D., MONTGOMERY COUNTY (MARYLAND) HEALTH OFFICER, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Statement from Annette Pham, MD, FACS, President, MCMS

On behalf of the Executive Board of Montgomery County Medical Society, a professional association representing more than 1,600 physicians practicing in and/or living in Montgomery County, we wish to thank Travis Gayles, M.D., Montgomery County Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services, for his exemplary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We commend Dr. Gayles for putting science first. Given the nature of the novel virus, his insistence on the use of scientific public and population health guidelines has been critical to ensuring the safety of Montgomery County residents. The reason that COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County have not been greater is due, in large part, to the aggressive public affairs and collaborative public health initiatives under his direction.

Sometimes these decisions have been unpopular; however, we commend Dr. Gayles for being a physician first using his medical knowledge and experience, strategic leadership, and passion for and dedication to our community’s health to tackle the challenges associated with COVID-19. His efforts have been professional, fair, and tireless. He is committed to the best interests of ALL Montgomery County residents.

The medical society has appreciated his collaboration with our organization to ensure physicians in our community have been kept informed throughout this crisis. We look forward to continuing collaborative efforts to also advocate for our patients as we head towards the next phase of recovery.

We are fortunate to have Dr. Gayles lead Montgomery County’s public health efforts. He is a critical asset to our county.

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How Hard are County Employees Getting Hit by COVID?

By Adam Pagnucco.

One dimension of the current COVID crisis that has not been addressed so far is the impact on county employees. Many county employees, especially in public safety and transportation, are essential workers who have to interact face-to-face with the public. How are they doing in terms of their exposure to COVID-19?

The county’s COVID dashboard contains some data on county employee exposure. As of this morning, the county reported that 1,102 of its employees had missed work due to “a COVID-19 related exposure.” Of those employees, 1,037 had returned to work, 72 were currently in quarantine and 3 had passed away. Exposures by department are shown in the table below.

Overall, 10% of county employees have missed work due to exposure. The four departments with the highest rates of missed work are correction (38% of positions), fire and rescue (16%), transportation (12%) and police (11%).

However, exposures do not equal actual cases of COVID-19. I asked county health officer Travis Gayles for actual COVID cases by department and the county’s Office of Human Resources supplied them. The table below shows cases by department and compares them to cases among county residents.

Countywide, COVID cases account for roughly 2% of the population. For the most part, the case rates among county employees are near that level or lower.

Overall, the data shows that the county is doing a decent job of protecting most of its employees from COVID. Some departments have experienced significant scheduling challenges due to quarantine procedures from exposures. But those same quarantines may have helped limit the spread of the virus in employee work sites. This data suggests that as an employer, the county has done its part to contain COVID-19.

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Should MoCo Reopen? Part Two

By Adam Pagnucco.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 dashboard is a great resource for judging the county’s progress in its efforts to control the coronavirus. Unfortunately, it’s not so great at enabling comparison with other jurisdictions, most of whom don’t release data at that level of detail. Inter-jurisdictional comparison is relevant because both public health and economic competitiveness cross state and county lines. Also, if local leaders facing similar circumstances make different decisions, that’s important for voters to know.

Johns Hopkins University hosts data on COVID cases and deaths relative to population by county on its website. On those two measures, here is how MoCo compares to other large jurisdictions in the region as of 9/6/20.

MoCo is about average for the region in terms of cases per capita. It is above average on deaths per capita. Prince George’s County has been hardest hit in terms of cases and, along with D.C., on deaths.

The data above illustrates the historical impact of COVID-19 but it’s less helpful in understanding recent trends. The table below shows cases in the two most-recent 7 day periods (8/24-8/30 and 8/31-9/6) relative to population.

During the 8/24-8/30 period, MoCo had the lowest cases per capita of any large jurisdiction in the region. During the following week (8/31-9/6), MoCo was below the regional average and about equal to Baltimore City, Howard, Fairfax and Loudoun. It’s worth noting that MoCo’s cases per capita increased over the two weeks.

MoCo is one of just four jurisdictions in Maryland (along with Baltimore City and Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties) that is not reopening in line with the state’s phase 3. MoCo’s cases per capita in the most recent week are roughly equal to or lower than Howard, which is proceeding to stage 3, and most of Northern Virginia, which has been operating under Virginia’s phase 3 (which is less restrictive than Maryland’s) since July 1.

Here’s the bottom line, folks: if reopening is a data driven decision, then the facts do not point exclusively in one direction. As seen here and in Part One, supporters and opponents of reopening can each point to data that reinforces their respective points of view. Anyone who says that the data is completely with them is mistaken.

That said, each side bears a burden in making their argument.

County Executive Marc Elrich must explain why he continues to resist reopening despite improvement in the majority of the county’s tracked measures. He must also explain why some jurisdictions with similar or higher recent COVID case rates have proceeded to greater economic liberalization than MoCo, especially in Virginia.

The critics have a different problem. Elrich has been very consistent in saying that public health is his top priority. In making that judgment, he is far from alone among MoCo residents. Critics have to acknowledge that further reopening creates greater risk. They must also explain why public health should not be considered the county’s sole top priority, or at the very least why concessions on that issue are justified by economic recovery.

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Should MoCo Reopen? Part One

By Adam Pagnucco.

Last week, Governor Larry Hogan announced that Maryland would enter phase 3 of its reopening, which included a partial lifting of restrictions on indoor theaters, outdoor venues, retail stores and religious institutions. County Executive Marc Elrich said he was a “bit disappointed” with the decision and said the governor “has again taken us by surprise.” Declaring “this is not party time,” Elrich declined to follow the state’s reopening plan, which he is allowed to do under the governor’s executive orders.

Jurisdictions around the state are split. Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties are not proceeding to phase 3. Baltimore City is not either, although it is relaxing some restrictions. Most of the rest of the state, including large jurisdictions like Baltimore County, Frederick and Howard, are moving into phase 3 with a handful of small counties not making announcements yet.

Elrich has said time and again that his reopening decisions are made based on data and science. Elrich’s critics say he is not balancing economic needs with public health and that county restrictions are driving MoCo residents to spend money in neighboring jurisdictions.

Who is right?

First, let’s look at MoCo’s COVID-19 dashboard, which tabulates 10 quantitative data points and 7 qualitative data points identified by the county as relevant to its progress. At this writing (Sunday, September 6), 4 data points (intensive care unit bed utilization, percentage of ventilators in use, test positivity and hospitalizations) have been rated adequate on at least 80% of the days since the county went into phase 2. No data points have been rated inadequate on a majority of those days, although one (acute care bed utilization rate) was close. This is not a perfect record, but it’s a decent one.

The record looks stronger when these numbers are compared to the worst days in May. Let’s look at the county’s weakest measure: acute care bed utilization rate. This measure has averaged just above 70% in the last couple weeks. It topped out at 82% in early May. Bear in mind that this is the county’s weakest measure and it has shown improvement.

Now here is one of the county’s strongest measures: the percentage of the county’s ventilators in use. In the second week of May, this measure peaked at just over 60%. It has now been under 30% since mid-August.

The qualitative criteria are even better. As of September 6, 4 criteria were judged to be met and 3 were making progress.

Elrich and his critics can each find support for their arguments in this data. Elrich can say that not every measure is where it should be and that the trend of improvement is not as robust as it was in June or July. Those who disagree can say that most measures have been improving, and if that is not enough to justify further reopening, then what is?

All of the above is just one dimension of the issue. In Part Two, we shall see how MoCo compares to its neighbors.

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Elrich to Hogan: Let the Music Play

By Adam Pagnucco.

In a retort to County Executive Marc Elrich’s decision to not follow the state’s phase 3 reopening of businesses, Governor Larry Hogan’s office has released a letter written by Elrich asking the governor to relax restrictions on live entertainment. Specifically, Elrich asked Hogan to allow live entertainment, which was at that time prohibited, in front of audiences of 50 or less people. Hogan’s phase 3 reopening, which is scheduled to take effect tomorrow, allows live performances with audiences of 50% capacity or 100 people indoors and 50% capacity or 250 people outdoors, whichever is less.

Elrich’s defense of the live entertainment industry will be appreciated by musicians, comedians, actors and other performers. But those in other industries that are affected by the county’s refusal to follow the state into Phase 3, such as retail and religious establishments, will inevitably ask: what about us?

Elrich’s letter to Hogan appears below.

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MoCo Doesn’t Want You to Know What it Pays for COVID Tests

By Adam Pagnucco.

Stories in Bethesda Beat and the Washington Post have confirmed a disturbing aspect of the dispute between Montgomery County and Rockville lab AdvaGenix, with which the county had a contract to provide COVID tests that was later terminated. Specifically, the county’s contract with AdvaGenix prohibits it from disclosing to the public how much it is obligated to pay the company.

Bethesda Beat filed a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request with the county to obtain its contracts with AdvaGenix and Bio-Reference Laboratories, another testing lab. According to Bethesda Beat, the county took 53 days to answer the request despite plainly having the contracts in its possession, a violation of the 30-day requirement in state law. Both contracts had pricing terms redacted.

The images below are from the AdvaGenix contract as posted online by the Washington Post. Note how pricing references are redacted and the parties agreed to keep “all information and matters regarding pricing” confidential.

The county’s public information officer cites provisions in the MPIA preventing disclosure of trade secrets as the reason for redacting pricing data in the contract. He has a point: according to the state’s Attorney General, the MPIA indeed “prevents disclosure of trade secrets, confidential commercial or financial information, and confidential geological or geophysical information, if that information is furnished by or obtained from any person or governmental unit.” However, that doesn’t mean that the county had to agree to specific contract provisions keeping pricing confidential. In fact, the county’s MPIA response database is full of requests for and disclosures of county contract information, including pricing schedules.

A contractor’s pricing schedule for inmate phone calls released in response to an MPIA request.

Pricing secrecy benefits a county contractor in two ways. First, if the company’s pricing is protected from disclosure, that makes it harder for a potential competitor to undercut it in the future. Second, secrecy makes it easier for a contractor to charge higher prices to other customers. For example, if another county knows that the company is charging MoCo X dollars per unit, why would it agree to pay more? This is all very helpful to contractors but not so helpful to taxpayers.

MoCo’s secrecy agreement occurs in a context of widespread variation of COVID test prices. The New York Times reported that COVID test charges in Texas vary from $27 to $2,315 per test. That range is facilitated by the common practice of hospitals and insurers to keep COVID test prices secret, as MoCo does. Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring hospitals “to publicly post standard charge information, including charges and information based on negotiated rates and for common or shoppable items and services, in an easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly, and machine-readable format using consensus-based data standards that will meaningfully inform patients’ decision making and allow patients to compare prices across hospitals.” When the American Hospital Association sued to keep prices secret, it lost in U.S. District Court. (It will no doubt appeal.)

Montgomery County Government is actually more anti-transparency in the case of COVID test pricing than Donald Trump. Think about that.

Unlike out-of-pocket costs paid by hospital patients, MoCo’s testing costs don’t directly hit the wallets of those being tested. But they do hit residents’ wallets through their tax bills. On top of that, possible litigation with AdvaGenix looms. The fact that MoCo taxpayers do not know how their tax dollars are being spent is highly problematic. And that is the case because their county government wants it that way.

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