The Allegany County Health Department reports that the total cumulative COVID-19 case count for Allegany County is now at 570. The latest cases include six females and one male in their teens, three males in their 20s, a female and two males in their 30s, a male in his 40s, a female in her 50s, two males in their 60s, and two males in their 70s. One of the new cases has required hospitalization.
To date, 19,610 Allegany County residents have been tested for COVID-19 and received their results. Of those, 19,040 were negative and 570 were positive. Currently, 56 Allegany County residents are isolating with a COVID-19 diagnosis.
In the event of a positive Covid-19 case within the Allegany County Public Schools, ACPS in collaboration with the Allegany County Health Department, will directly notify the parents/guardians of those students who have had close contact with the ill person while at school. Close contact is defined as being fewer than 6 feet apart for longer than 15 minutes, with or without a face covering.
The school will also notify parents/guardians if the Covid-19 positive case was within their child’s school, even if their child was not a close contact. This notification will be done through the ACPS Blackboard Notification System.
Every Friday, ACPS will release to the public the total number of positive cases within the county school buildings. For the week of October 12 – October 16, ACPS reports two individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 who were within an Allegany County Public School(s). These two individuals are currently out of the school building(s) and will continue to isolate. In both cases it was determined that there were no close contacts within the school(s), and no students or staff were quarantined as a result of these positive cases. Parents who have children attending these schools were notified through the ACPS Blackboard Notification System
Two additional individuals in the Garrett County Public School system have tested positive for COVID-19. The individuals are out of the buildings and will continue to quarantine. Garrett County Public Schools will follow its comprehensive internal plan for positive cases, including consistent sanitizing, informing families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and supporting the affected family. Through collaboration with the Garrett County Health Department and contact tracing, it has been determined that no close contact of any student or staff member has occurred in either case. The GCPS’ plan for notification is as follows:
The Garrett County Health Department will notify those who have had close contact with the ill person. Close contact means being less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, with or without a face covering.
The school will notify parents/guardians if the COVID-19 positive person was in their child’s classroom even if your child was not a close contact. A letter will be sent home with your child.
The confidentiality of the COVID-19 positive persons will be maintained.
Students and staff members have been closely adhering to all safety protocols in place, including facial coverings, hand washing, and social distancing. Garrett County Public Schools follows all CDC, Maryland Department of Health, and Maryland State Department of Education protocols, including collaborating with the Garrett County Health Department. Additionally, the district requests that if your child is tested for COVID-19, you report your child’s test results to the school nurse at your child’s school.
Garrett County Public Schools will continue to be vigilant in adhering to all of the protocols put in place to continue in-person learning. Students who are required to quarantine at home will continue learning via remote education.
We have been preparing for this scenario in all of the planning for the return to learning. Our primary goal continues to be keeping our students and staff safe. We will continue our efforts to mitigate risk and to maintain a safe environment in our schools. We are grateful to our families for their continued efforts in keeping students home at the first sign of symptoms. These measures along with wearing face-coverings, social distancing, and hand washing will significantly reduce any further transmission risk.
The Garrett County Health Department received seven additional positive COVID-19 results, bringing the current county total positives to 95.
The new positive COVID-19 cases include:
• Two females in their 40s, both with symptoms and isolating at home
• One male in his 60s, with symptoms, isolating at home
• Three teens, two male and one female, all with symptoms and isolating at home
• One female in her 50s, with symptoms, isolating at home
“We are currently experiencing a surge in cases in Garrett County,” said Health Officer Bob Stephens. “Contact tracing continues to reveal that the primary spread is through family, friends and social gatherings. As the restrictions have been relaxed, it is more important than ever that community members be compliant with social distancing and face covering practices to prevent the spread of COVID.”
“I am very concerned that a continued surge in cases will require reimposing restrictions that we have worked so hard to relax,” Stephens said. “If we as a community want our businesses, schools and churches to remain open, we need to renew our efforts to keep Garrett County safe and healthy.”
MD Governor Larry Hogan and Maryland Secretary of Health Robert Neall issued orders updating safe capacity limits for outdoor sporting and entertainment venues, while maintaining face covering requirements and strict public health protocols.
“With our key health metrics low and stable, we are taking steps to allow more spectators, including fans of the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Football Team, to safely attend games in the stands,” said Governor Hogan. “It remains important to continue following all of the mitigation measures and public health protocols that keep us safe, including wearing masks and practicing physical distancing.”
OUTDOOR SPORTING VENUES. The governor’s order limits spectators at outdoor sporting venues to 10% of total capacity, including at M&T Bank Stadium and FedEx Field.
OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES. The governor’s order limits occupancy to 10% for outdoor entertainment venues that have a total capacity greater than 2,500.
FACE COVERINGS AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS. The governor’s order requires face coverings at all outdoor sporting and entertainment venues. Under the health secretary’s order, venues must follow social distancing protocols, and social gatherings at the venue—such as tailgating—are prohibited.