Cong. Andy Harris Announces Coronavirus Testing Grants to Eastern Shore Health Centers
Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) announced the award of $1,639,947 in federal grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Funding was provided by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which was signed into law by President Trump on April 24th. HRSA-funded health centers will use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities, including the purchase of personal protective equipment; training for staff, outreach, procurement and administration of tests; laboratory services; notifying identified contacts of infected health center patients of their exposure to COVID-19; and the expansion of walk-up or drive-up testing capabilities.
Specifically, three health centers serving the Eastern Shore have been awarded funding:
- West Cecil Health Center, Inc – $236,569
- Choptank Community Health System, Inc. – $547,054
- Three Lower Counties Community Services, Inc. – $856,324
Congressman Harris made the following statement:
âAs a physician, I am pleased our local front line rural health centers will soon receive these additional funds for testing. Thankfully, we have successfully flattened the curve in much of the country, and this additional funding will allow our local communities on the Eastern Shore to continue testing when it is appropriate. Unemployment, bankruptcy, and poverty have severe health consequences as well as long-lasting economic impact. A bad economy is bad for health. Hopefully the increased testing capacity we have now can allow us to rapidly re-open low risk businesses while we concentrate on employees in high risk businesses like nursing homes and meat processing plants. I thank the Administration for awarding these grants to the First District.â
