CDC Guidance on Masks

February 18, 2021

Category: COVID-19

Dear resident,

In the midst of the vaccination rollout, I want to be sure that you have not missed the important new guidance from the CDC about masks.

The CDC conducted research and found that when 2 people are both wearing tightly fitting masks, or doubling up on masks, exposure to aerosols that transmit virus was reduced by 95%.

For example, the CDC recommends wearing a surgical mask (those are the light blue ones that you can readily purchase from a variety of retail vendors, not the N95 type) with a fabric mask on top of that, both adjusted to fit tightly.

Please review this CDC guidance carefully and consider how you can increase your level of protection by wearing a more powerful mask combination.

The CDC research is good news because it means that we can stamp out this virus by

  1. Increasing our mask protection
  2. Continuing to safely distance
  3. Getting vaccinated

Sincerely,
Hans

P.S. you probably know that I have a personal passion for mask protections. I was one of the first elected officials in the U.S. to propose a mask requirement, and we got it done. Governor Hogan even thanked Montgomery County specifically when he announced a statewide mandate shortly afterwards.

Vaccination town-hall with AARP

February 9, 2021

Category: COVID-19

Dear resident,

Since the start of this vaccination rollout, I have urged the State and County to focus on older residents, who are medically vulnerable.

While people age 80+ are between 2-3% of our County population, they have comprised over 50% of all our deaths from COVID-19.

That is why seniors must continue to be an urgent priority. We know that at our current pace, it will take several more weeks to work our way through appointments for those 75+.

On Wednesday, at 1pm, I invite you to join me for a tele-townhall for seniors sponsored by AARP, featuring the County’s health experts and a vaccine safety expert from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

When: Wed. Feb 10, 2021
Time: 1 PM
Call: 877-229-8493
Passcode: 115393

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Finding a way forward on farm solar

February 5, 2021

Category: agriculture, economy, environment

As a lead sponsor of the proposed zoning change to allow “community solar” on less than 2% of the County’s 100,000 acres of land zone Agricultural Reserve, I can no longer support the zoning change as it was amended by the Council on January 26, 2021. If it comes before the Council again, I am hopeful that we will still find a compromise that provides a clean path forward for a meaningful amount of solar energy; if not, with regret I will vote against it.

The original proposal I introduced with Council President Tom Hucker would have generated enough clean electricity to power about 50,000 homes, helping the County achieve important climate goals and supporting State goals to shut down coal-fired power plants — all while providing discounted clean energy to low income residents.

Working with groups such as the Sierra Club, Poolesville Green and Chesapeake Climate Action Network, we developed a plan that we hoped would be a cornerstone of our County’s environmental and climate action agenda.

The Council’s amendments thus far, unfortunately, restrict the land that can be used so significantly that, if adopted, the zoning proposal would establish a local precedent for solar power that many clean energy advocates are warning us could move Maryland backwards rather than forward, akin to a local government blocking offshore wind generation on the Eastern Shore.

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Vaccination update

January 27, 2021

Category: COVID-19

Dear resident:

As you are seeing in communications from the state, Maryland has opened up eligibility to both 1A and 1B and now 1C priority groups.

I have been among those advocating to widen eligibility, in order to get doses off the shelf and into arms. By widening eligibility, administration of doses should accelerate.

Remember that there are four vaccination administrative operations. It is important to distinguish among them.

  • Hospitals — now 1A/1B/1C as per state guidelines
  • County government — for County priority groups (presently 1A and 75+ only)
  • CVS/Walgreens — for nursing homes, long term care, group homes (1A)
  • Retail pharmacies — The state has added Giant, Walmart, and more are expected soon for 1A/1B/1C, following state guidelines

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Appropriation to support new “Pandemic Prevention Center”

January 19, 2021

Category: COVID-19, Economic development

Today, the Council introduced a $500,000 special appropriation that I authored to fund ConnectedDMV’s work toward creating a new global Pandemic Prevention Center, supported by the federal government and located here in Montgomery County. I describe the County’s role in making this exciting proposal a reality in greater detail below.

MEMORANDUM

TO: Councilmembers & County Executive Elrich
FROM: Councilmember Hans Riemer
DATE: January 6, 2021
RE: Appropriation to support new “Pandemic Prevention Center”

I propose the Council introduce a special appropriation for $500,000 to the organization ConnectedDMV to help develop and advocate for a new global Pandemic Prevention Center here in Montgomery County.

As one of the world’s biggest BioHealth clusters and home to the NIH and FDA, we are a natural choice to host this critical new agency. We have the opportunity — and we should act now to close the deal.

ConnectedDMV is a regional non-profit organization that has convened a broad group of stakeholders from the public and private sectors across the capital region. They have identified a global Pandemic Prevention Center as a key need to keep the turmoil, loss of life, and economic devastation we have suffered at the hands of COVID from ever happening again.

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