Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says that half a million coronavirus test kits bought last month from South Korea have helped expand testing at hotspots, including meat processing plants and a home for disabled veterans.
Maryland National Guard Col. Eric Allely and his team delivered hundreds of coronavirus tests to Charlotte Hall, a home for disabled veterans in St. Mary's County, Hogan said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Universal testing will also be implemented at Maryland's meat processing plants after more than 260 workers at two sites on the Eastern Shore tested positive for coronavirus, Hogan said.
The tests from South Korea were delivered in April but weren't distributed right away. The state needed more materials to conduct each test, including swabs and reagents.
A shipment of swabs from FEMA, increased lab capacity and the acquisition of reagents have allowed more coronavirus testing in Maryland, Hogan said.
Hotspots and outbreaks will be priority for testing, Hogan says, but front line health care workers and first responders can also expect more tests. The state is also working on creating more drive-thru test sites are vehicle emission testing spots.
