Isolation and Quarantine Mean Stay At Home

Oct 30, 2020

Two different terms- isolation and quarantine – are used by public health when talking about the requirement to remain home and away from other people to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure from people who have, or may have, COVID-19.

The CDC offers the following definitions:

• Isolation keeps people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 separated from others.
• Quarantine restricts the movement of people who were exposed to COVID-19 during the incubation period to make sure they do not infect others prior to having signs and symptoms of COVID.

Whether you have tested positive for COVID-19, or if you have been identified as a close contact of someone else who tested positive, the requirements are the same: stay at home!

Once a positive case is identified, they are told to isolate.

• Positive without symptoms: Isolate for 10 days from the day of positive test. If you develop symptoms, follow the information in the next bullet.
• Positive with symptoms: Isolate at least 10 days from the day symptoms first appeared, and you are fever free for 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medication, and other COVID-19 symptoms are improving.

Note: Isolation means stay home the entire time unless you must leave to seek medical care. Stay away from others in your home in a separate location without face to face contact and do not use shared spaces.

Contact tracing is the next step to reduce the spread. Individuals will be notified if they have had close contact with a positive case. CDC defines a close personal contact as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

Contact tracers are doing their best to reach positive cases and their close contacts, but their work can be hampered by inaccurate information and unanswered calls. It is important to answer the call if the caller ID shows either Garrett County Health Department or MD COVID. Calls from contact tracers could show up as either one, but on cell phones with a US Cellular plan it may display a different out of area number.

“If you know for certain you have been exposed, quarantine yourself whether or not you get a call,” said Dr. Jennifer Corder, Deputy Health Officer for Garrett and Allegany Counties. “And, if you know you are positive, isolate whether or not you have symptoms. It’s time for everyone to do the responsible thing. Contact tracing, isolation and quarantine are key elements of mitigation, and everyone needs to be knowledgeable, responsible, and take this seriously. The health department will continue to work tirelessly with case investigations and contact tracing.”

If you have been identified as a close contact of someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19, you will be required to quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure to the positive case. If you live with that person and they cannot isolate from you, your quarantine period does not start until their isolation period is over.

The Garrett County Health Officer has the authority to order anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, or has been determined to be a close contact of someone who has, to comply with isolation or quarantine as appropriate. “Fortunately, the vast majority of those contacted are compliant and do the right thing,” said Health Officer Bob Stephens. “Unfortunately, there are a few who have had to be served an order, because they did not voluntarily comply and thus put the entire community at risk of the spread of the virus.”

To download a one sheet infographic about Isolation and Quarantine go to https://bit.ly/gc-iq.

Throughout the pandemic, state and local health officials have required or recommended various general safety precautions such as wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing, washing hands, and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

For more information call the Garrett County COVID-19 hotline at 301-334-7698 or visit garretthealth.org.

Garrett County Health Department and Garrett Regional Medical Center address recent spike in COVID-19 Cases

Oct 27, 2020

Garrett County Health Department and Garrett Regional Medical Center address recent spike in COVID-19 Cases

Oakland, MD- Garrett County has seen a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, with an infection rate now above the state average. The recent spike has been linked through contract tracing conducted by the Garrett County Heath Department to an increase in social gatherings among friends and family.

“We were fortunate to have maintained a relatively low infection rate through much of the pandemic,” said Kendra Thayer, Senior Vice President of Patient Services. “However, this has now changed and it is critical that we take the proper precautions to control further spread of the virus. The potential for a spike that would strain our local healthcare system is a serious concern as we enter into flu season. The use of a masks, social distancing, limited gatherings, and hand hygiene are critical to ensure the safety of our community.”

At this time there is no vaccine and no medication that can prevent COVID-19. However, there are ways to protect yourself and others from getting the virus:

• Cover your mouth and nose area with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing, even when masked.
• Wash your hands many times a daywith soap and running water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Alwayswear a cloth face mask or face cover when around other people.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from other people who are not in your household, even if you are wearing a mask.
• Do not share personal items such as cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding. Wash anything you have used in soap and water.
• Clean all “high-touch” areas in the home, such as doorknobs, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, toilets, phones, tablets, and counters and other surfaces. Use a household cleaning spray and follow instructions for use.
• Know the symptoms of COVID-19. If you develop any symptoms or think you have been exposed, call your health care provider immediately.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the community, everyone should continue to practice social distancing. This applies to people of all ages, including young people, teenagers, and children. While anyone can get sick, not everyone has the same risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Older people and people with existing health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease have a higher risk of developing severe illness.

Everyone can help slow the spread of COVID-19 and help protect those who are most vulnerable. These tips can help you and others stay safe:

• Check the Garrett County Health Department website for local information on COVID-19 and follow all guidelines.
• Anytime you go out of the house, always wear a face mask and practice social distancing.
• Avoid crowded places and gatherings where it may be difficult to stay at least 6 feet away from others who are not from your household.
• Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine unless they cannot for medical reasons.

State Superintendent of Schools Continues to Encourage Return to In-Person Instruction at State Board Meeting 

Oct 26, 2020

State Superintendent of Schools Continues to Encourage Return to
In-Person Instruction at State Board Meeting 

In-Person Instruction Critical to Wellbeing of Children;
Health Metrics and Guidance Provided for Reopening of Schools

BALTIMORE, MD (October 26, 2020) – At the October meeting of the State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Schools Karen B. Salmon, Ph.D. continued to encourage local school systems to safely return students to schools for in-person instruction in accordance with Stage 3 of Maryland Together: Maryland’s Recovery Plan for Education. State health metrics continue to remain among the lowest nationally and national research from indicates that school community infection rates continue to stay well below those in the community at-large. Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) issued guidance and metrics during the summer that provides step-by-step directions for response to confirmed and suspected cases of coronavirus in schools:

• Response to a Laboratory Confirmed Case of COVID-19 and Persons with COVID-19-like Illness in Schools
• COVID-19 Guidance for Maryland Schools

Education officials stressed that virtual learning cannot fully replace in-person instruction, especially for low-income, special-Education students, as well as those vulnerable to abuse. To date, 19 school systems have opened schools for small group instruction or the start of hybrid instruction.

“It has been said that true leaders act during chaotic times and it is our responsibility as educators to take action now that will return students to in-person instruction. The stakes could not be higher,” said State Superintendent Karen B. Salmon, Ph.D. “Remote learning cannot replace students’ experiences with their teachers, administrators, and support staff. One might make the argument that any risk is too great and that schools must be completely safe before local school systems move towards any in-person instruction. But this approach disregards the enormous costs to children from keeping school buildings closed.”

An estimate from McKinsey and Company suggests that, if schools don’t return to in-person schooling until January 2021, students could lose between 3 and eleven months of learning, depending on the quality of the remote learning.  According to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics, school closures may be especially disruptive for children from lower-income families, who are disproportionately likely to receive mental health services exclusively from schools. Locally, the Baltimore Child Abuse Center stated reports of abuse plummeted by more than 70% during the early weeks for the pandemic, with vulnerable people further compromised by lack of contact and access to teachers, coaches, co-workers, neighbors and family members.

Students with disabilities benefit the most from face-to-face experiences and require extensive, intensive, and individualized instruction/supports to narrow achieve gaps. Maryland local school systems and public agencies serve approximately 160,000 infants, toddlers, young children, and students with disabilities across the State annually (just over 12% of the school age population) with special education and related services tailored to individual needs.

Superintendent Dr. Salmon continued, “We must all unite in our efforts to maintain equitable learning opportunities and safely return students to their schools. Rather than focusing on obstacles that impede that goal, we must focus on solutions that will overcome them.  The necessary health guidance is available to local school systems, and MSDE stands ready to work together through continued partnership and collaboration.”

Health metrics for the conditions necessary to return to school were provided by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) in joint guidance issued with MSDE on August 28th. These metrics examine the positivity rate and rate of new cases in a jurisdiction and offer recommendations for a mode of instruction within that framework. For example, if a system is in a county where the positivity rate is greater than 5 percent and the new case rate is more than 15 per 100,000 residents, the suggestion is to have limited or no in-person programs in schools. Local systems make final decisions on the utilization of the guidance and reopening.

MDH and MSDE released specific guidance and a decision aid on July 23rd that provides step-by-step directions to identify, isolate, quarantine and return students and staff that are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus. This document is very specific in how a school should be handling potential exposure to COVID-19, including contract tracing.

Also during the summer months, MSDE coordinated with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and other State agency partners to distribute over 570,000 masks, 162,000 gloves, 17,500 gowns, and 10,500 face shields to local schools systems. MSDE will continue the effort to facilitate distribution of additional needed personal protective equipment to local school systems, and will deliver another 1.5 million masks to distribute along with an anticipated 57,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.

MSDE, along with MDH, continues to monitor and respond to State health metrics, as well as guidance by the Center for Disease Control and other national research, especially with respect to testing and vaccinating. Vaccination plans and discussion of dashboards to report local school health metrics continue to evolve.

Finally, the Maryland State Board of Education is working with MSDE to create an initial draft Statewide Recovery Plan Dashboard/Scorecard. The objectives are to create a visual, easy-to-understand presentation of the recovery status and serve as a focal point for mobilizing support and resources to address areas of concern. Work will continue to identify the optimum set of measures.

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Garrett County Participates in October 24th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Oct 24, 2020

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Garrett County Health Department, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and local law enforcement agencies, will participate in the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This event will take place on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at three local locations, providing the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

Participants may bring their medication patches and pills, including pet medications, for disposal to one of the three local medication drop box locations:

• Sherriff’s Department, Oakland
• Oakland City Hall
• Maryland State Police Barracks, McHenry

The sites can only accept pills or patches, not liquids, needles, or sharps. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Anyone who needs to dispose of liquid medications, or who can not get to one of the medication drop box locations, may contact the health department about receiving a Deterra deactivation pouch. These pouches use patented technology for simple and environmentally safe disposal of prescription drugs, including opioids, by just adding water to the powder in the bag.  The mixture neutralizes the drugs making it safe to dispose of the pouch in regular household trash.

This event is DEA’s 19th nationwide event since its inception 10 years ago. Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 883,000 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 sites operated by its state and local law enforcement partners. Events over the years have now collected a total of nearly 6,350 tons of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications.

Collection sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations to help keep everyone safe.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 24^th  Take Back Day, visit www.DEATakeBack.com or call the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111. The local take back is made possible by the police agencies, Maryland Department of Health, SAMSHA, and the Garrett County Health Department.

Health Department Accepting Appointments for Flu Vaccine

Oct 24, 2020

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Garrett County Health Department will be offering flu vaccine by appointment only this season. There will not be mass clinics and walk-ins cannot be accommodated in order to comply with COVID-19 precautions.

In addition, it is anticipated that there will not be flu vaccinations done at the public schools. Parents are encouraged to schedule an appointment for their child using the information provided below, or to seek vaccine from their doctor or pharmacy.

To schedule a flu vaccine at either the Health Department’s Oakland location at 1025 Memorial Drive, or the Grantsville location at 28 Hershberger Lane, call 301-334-7697 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and choose your preferred location. Flu vaccine administration will start the second week in October.  We will also have a limited number of appointments later in the day to accommodate persons who need it.

Participants are asked to arrive just a few minutes before your designated appointment time. All persons must wear a face covering, observe social distancing of at least 6 feet from others, and hand sanitizer will be readily available.

Call to reschedule your appointment if you are experiencing any of these symptoms on the day of your appointment: fever, cough, sore throat, sudden loss of taste or smell, unexplained fatigue or muscle aches, or vomiting or diarrhea.

Clinics will not be held at senior meal sites, so persons who usually receive their flu vaccine at those locations should schedule an appointment as mentioned above.

Everyone is encouraged to get a flu vaccine as early as possible this year. So, if your doctor or pharmacy has it already, get it there.

Please bring your medical insurance card to your scheduled appointment.  If you are uninsured, or your insurance does not cover flu vaccine, there will be no out-of-pocket cost to you.

Now is a great time to schedule a flu shot at the Garrett County Health Department. In fact, there is a new, very easy online registration process to schedule an appointment. In order to comply with COVID-19 precautions, flu vaccines are appointment only this year. Using this online system, patients can register themselves and their children.

This registration process is open for appointments beginning in November:

• Log on to bit.ly/mdfluvax. Note: Any field marked with an asterisk is required.
• Select desired date and location – clinics are available in Oakland and Grantsville. (If you want a Grantsville appointment, you may need to scroll down pretty far until you find one listed as Grantsville.)
• Appointment time will be chosen near the end of the process.
• Complete all required demographics fields, clicking “save and continue.”
• Email is a required field. No email? Make up a “dummy email” in order to advance to the next screen.
• Have insurance card ready to enter policy and group number. No insurance? Choose that drop-down option.

Write down the date and time of the appointment and remember to come get vaccinated!

Having problems and need assistance during the scheduling/registration process? Call the health department at 301 334-7697. A staff member will assist you over the phone

For more information, you may call us at 301 334-7770 or 301 895-3111.

No Cost COVID-19 Testing: 18 Years of Age or Under

Oct 23, 2020

By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team

The Garrett County Health Department is offering no-cost nasopharyngeal COVID-19 community testing beginning October 22, 2020.  To be eligible for testing, individuals must be 18 years of age or under. In order to obtain a test, an appointment must be scheduled by calling 301-334-7770.  Testing will be offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The parent, guardian, or of age individual will be contacted with results in a timely manner.

Cases of COVID-19 Increasing in Garrett County; Up to 117 Cases

Oct 23, 2020

By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team

The Garrett County Health Department received additional positive COVID-19 results that bring the current county total to 117.

The new positive COVID-19 cases include a female from 0-9 years, a female from 10-19 years, a male in his 20s, a female in her 30s, two females and a male in their 40s, a female and a male in their 50s, and a female in her 80s. All of the individuals are being advised to isolate at home or to seek immediate medical attention based on their signs and symptoms.

“Contact tracing continues to reveal that the current surge in cases in Garrett County is primarily spreading through family, friends and social gatherings,” said Health Officer Bob Stephens. “Too many people are letting down their guard because they are comfortable with their close social circle and they are not maintaining the distancing and face covering use that is known to reduce the spread.”

For more information call 301-334-7770 or 301-895-3111.

Spread in Garrett County COVID Cases Tied to Social Situations

Oct 23, 2020

By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team

The Garrett County Health Department is currently doing an extensive round of contact tracing due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks. This contact tracing and a review of the positive case statistics has revealed several important trends.

In a presentation to the local Health Planning Council and the Garrett County Commissioners on October 22, Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens provided the following COVID-19 update.

COVID-19 statistics were compared from October 10 to October 20:

• County cases increased from 81 to 110
• County positivity rate increased from 0.65% to 5.26%
• Maryland positivity rate increased from 2.83% to 3.11%
• County rate per 100,000 increased from 1.82 to 11.82
• Maryland rate per 100,000 increased from 9.4 to 10.4

“Although Garrett County continues to remain the county with the lowest number of total cases in the state, we are on a bad trajectory,” said Stephens. “Our positivity rate and our rate per 100,000 persons are both higher than the state average for the first time since the pandemic started.”

Contact tracing continues to show the most recent spread is through social events, and not from an influx of visitors to the county.

“COVID is being spread through those places where people expect that it would not spread,” Stephens said. “The main spread is through family, close friends, and recreational activities where people are getting together and they feel much more comfortable. For the most part they are not following the guidelines of social distancing and wearing face coverings.”

“To reduce the spread of COVID-19, everyone needs to take the precautions we have been talking about since way back in March,” Stephens said. “Those measures include good hand hygiene, wearing face coverings, especially in indoor settings and all public places, and keeping a distance of six feet from individuals.”

“The other thing that is incredibly important is self-quarantining once someone begins to feel that they may be ill, or if they have come in contact with someone who has COVID-like symptoms,” Stephens said. “It is also a good idea to get a test as soon as possible.”