By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
As of this morning, the percentage of Garrett Countians who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 was 5% of the population which is the highest in the State. The state average is at 2.6% vaccinated.
The Garrett County Health Department continues to follow the Maryland COVID-19 vaccination plan priority groups. Persons age 75 and older remain in Priority Group 1B, and persons age 65-74 remain in Priority Group 1C. Governor Hogan announced yesterday that he did not plan to change these group designations.
In addition, Garrett County has used nearly their entire allotted inventory vaccinating Priority Group 1A persons. Current supplies are very low, with an additional shipment expected next week. When all available doses are scheduled for vaccinations, scheduling of appointments will stop until the next shipment is received.
“Please remember once you receive your vaccination you will need to continue with the safety measures recommended to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “The vaccine may keep your body from developing the symptoms of COVID-19, but it may not keep you from sharing the virus with other people. In addition, the vaccine is not fully effective until two weeks after the second dose. All these factors make it necessary to continue wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and maintaining social distance.”
Today’s statistics for Garrett County include:
· A total of 1,647 COVID-19 cases
· A total of 56 deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications
· A 7-day case rate of 53.7 per 100,000 Garrett County residents, compared to Maryland’s case rate of 53.4.
· A 7-day positivity rate of 13.8%, compared to Maryland’s rate of 8.5%
For the most up-to-date information about vaccine distribution and testing in Garrett County, watch for announcements from the Health Department on media outlets, the Health Department’s Facebook page and website (garretthealth.org).
When vaccine appointments become available for different segments of the population, the Health Department will announce qualification requirements and instructions on how to schedule an appointment.
Additional COVID-19 resources:
· If you have COVID-19 like symptoms, schedule a testing appointment at the Health Department by calling 301-334-7697.
· Free COVID-19 testing is available (with or without symptoms) on Tuesdays (9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and Thursdays (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park. Pre-registration is recommended. Visit garretthealth.org for more information.
· For all other COVID-19 related questions, or to report a COVID-19 compliance issue, call the local COVID-19 Hotline number at 301-334-7698
