By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
The Garrett County Health Department is continuing to work with various state and local partners to hold vaccination clinics across the county in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus and keep local COVID-19 numbers in check.
The current positivity rate in Garrett County is at 6.01%, while the 7-day case rate stands at 8.86 per 100,000 residents. Cumulative cases have just reached a new sobering milestone at 2,005 cases, with a total of 62 deaths attributed to COVID-19 and its complications. A total of 39,165 tests have been administered.
“The best way to continue to combat COVID-19 is to increase the number of persons who have been vaccinated,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “There are many chances to receive vaccinations in the county, and we recommend that everyone be vaccinated as soon as possible.”
Currently 36.5% of Garrett County residents have received at least one vaccination. A new metric listed on the Health Department website is the percentage of Garrett County population who is 16 or older who is vaccinated, which stands at 43.5%.
“We think that the new metric of persons who are 16 or older who are vaccinated is a better way to report the vaccination totals,” Stephens said. “Although we hope to soon be able to vaccinate younger persons, current numbers only include 16 and older, so it makes sense to only include those ages in the baseline numbers.”
The GoVAX Mobile Clinic will be open at GCC Technologies again this Tuesday through Saturday, May 11-15, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Links to schedule appointments are available on garretthealth.org, but walk-ins are accepted. This week the clinic will be using Johnson and Johnson single dose vaccine.
Vaccination appointments continue to be available at MEDCO each Tuesday and Thursday unless otherwise announced. Schedule appointments for both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccine at garretthealth.org or call 301-334-7698 for assistance. Watch the Health Department’s Facebook page for announcements of walk-in availability throughout the week. Walk-in times will vary depending on already scheduled appointments.
The following Community Clinics are scheduled with the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force for 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the designated day. To decrease your time at the clinic, schedule an appointment at garretthealth.org or call 301-334-7698 for assistance. Walk-ins are also accepted. These clinics will be using Moderna vaccine.
- May 15, Friendsville Volunteer Fire Department,122 Walnut Street, Friendsville
- May 22, Grantsville Medical Center, 32 Corporate Drive, Grantsville
The GoVAX Mobile clinics and Community Clinics are made possible through partnerships with Maryland Department of Health, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Maryland National Guard, and Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force. Local partners include Garrett County Health Department, Garrett County Emergency Management, and Garrett County Government.
