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Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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1. What stage of recovery are we in now?

We still have sustained community spread in Frederick County. There are few effective therapeutic treatments for COVID-19 and no vaccine or effective preventive treatments.

This means that all Marylanders should continue to:

• Stay at home except for essential business and approved outdoor activities

• Wear masks or face coverings

• Practice physical distancing

On May 28, 2020, Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announced an expanded list of businesses and activities that will be permitted to open beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29. With the signing of Executive Order 02-2020, Frederick County has fully implemented the initial portion of Stage 1 of the Governor’s Roadmap to Recovery plan.

As of 5 p.m. on May 29, the following will be authorized in Frederick County, with limitations:

• All retail establishments – Retail businesses may open at 50% capacity.
• Hair salons and barbershops – Operations may resume at 50% capacity, by appointment only. Additional cleaning and sanitation are required. Morning hours must be established exclusively for seniors and other vulnerable residents at least one day each week.
• Indoor worship – Indoor worship facilities may open at 50% capacity. No more than 250 people may be present. Worship leaders are encouraged to implement the recommendations of the Governor’s Faith-Based Task Force.

For all three categories, safety requirements include the use of face coverings by employees and customers, and physical distancing of 6 feet.

The Maryland Strong Roadmap to Recovery is divided into 3 stages:

• STAGE 1 Low Risk - This is the first stage of the recovery, and involves business, community, religious, and quality of life improvements. 

• STAGE 2 Medium Risk - This will likely be a longer stage of the initial recovery, but will also be the stage when a large number of businesses and activities come back. 

• STAGE 3 High Risk - These are the more ambitious and long-term goals.

2. What if people from an area that has not reopened come to Frederick County?

Governor Hogan announced the State’s plans for reopening. The plans give local jurisdictions the authority to set their own guidelines for reopening. Based on the rates of COVID-19 in each jurisdiction, some jurisdictions will reopen sooner than others. There is no travel ban between jurisdictions, but all Marylanders are recommended to stay at home except for essential business and approved activities, wear masks or face coverings, and practice physical distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

3. How do I get tested? Does the Health Department test people?

For current testing locations, eligibility and instructions, click here. 

The Frederick County Health Department does not test people for COVID-19.

4. Does Frederick County have any cases of COVID-19?

Frederick County’s first case was announced 3/16/2020. Visit our Statistics dashboard for an interactive map of confirmed cases of COVID-19, zipcodes and congregate care facilities (such as nursing homes) in Maryland.  

5. There aren’t many cases of COVID-19 in my zipcode. Does this mean I can’t get infected?

Frederick County lsits cases by zip codes on their website: https://FrederickCountyMD.gov/COVIDstats. Data for ZIP codes with 7 or fewer cases is suppressed, so if there is no case count listed for your zip code, it means that there are 0-7 cases there. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 are listed by home address and not where they got infected. The majority of cases don’t know where or how they got infected. This means that Frederick County has “sustained community spread.” Everyone is at risk for COVID-19, and everyone needs to stay at home and take precautions.

6. Do I need to wear a mask? Where do I get a mask?

Governor Hogan signed an executive order requiring face coverings when inside any retail establishments, including grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores, or when riding any form of public transportation in Maryland beginning Saturday, April 18, at 7 a.m. 

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings when out in public (such as grocery stores and pharmacies) except for children under age 2, people who have trouble breathing, or people who are unconscious or unable to remove the mask without help. You can use a scarf, bandana, or you can make one using one of these patterns online: Sew and No-Sew Instructions It is important not to touch your mouth, nose, eyes or face when putting it on and taking it off. You must still practice social distancing and wash hands frequently. Click here for more FAQs about masks.

7. Should my child wear a face covering? What if my child is scared? What about children with special health care needs?

Staying home and physical distancing is still the best way to protect your family from COVID-19. Especially for younger children who may not understand why they can’t run up toward other people or touch things they shouldn’t, it’s best to keep them home. Children under the age of 2 years should not wear cloth face coverings.

For those times when a child must enter a retail establishment with you, they may wear a face covering. Here are tips on what to tell them and other precautions for children with special health care needs. 

8. How important is it for me to get my child’s vaccinations now? Can it wait?

Vaccinations are a vital part of maintaining your child’s health and well-being. Without up-to-date vaccinations, your child could get sick from serious diseases like measles, rubella, pertussis (whooping cough) and many others. Many children have missed their vaccinations due to concerns about COVID-19. Children need to be vaccinated before they are potentially exposed. Now is the right time to bring your child’s vaccinations up to date to protect your child.

9. What if I don’t have a primary healthcare provider?

If you have health insurance and need to find a provider, go to www.frederickhealth.org/Find-a-Doctor.aspx

The State of Maryland has a special enrollment period. Call 301-600-3124 to make a Medicaid enrollment appointment by phone or visit Maryland Health Connection: 

www.marylandhealthconnection.gov

Frederick Health Hospital is also providing Virtual Visits, free for a limited time. Talk with a provider online. Click here to schedule a Virtual Visit.

10. How many people have been tested in Frederick County?

Multiple healthcare providers are testing in Frederick County and can send tests directly to commercial labs. Therefore, we do not have a total number of tests. All confirmed cases must be reported to the Health Department.

11. I’m sick but can’t get tested OR I tested positive for COVID-19. What do I do now?

Early on in the COVID-19 emergency, there were not enough tests to test everyone who wanted one, and those with the most severe symptoms were prioritized. The number of tests and supplies have increased, and testing is becoming more widely available every day. If you or your healthcare provider think you should be tested, click here to find a testing site. Different testing sites have different criteria for eligibility, so read carefully before showing up.

Everyone with symptoms, whether they have or have not been tested, needs to follow the same precautions - stay home when sick, avoid contact with other people and practice social distancing, cover your cough/sneeze, monitor your symptoms and stay in contact with your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen – to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. If you are sick with severe symptoms, call ahead and get medical care immediately. Older adults and people with underlying health conditions should contact their provider for medical concerns.

12. Should I get an antibody test? If it is positive, does it mean I am immune to COVID-19?

Antibody tests look to see if there is evidence of an immune response to the COVID-19 virus in a person’s blood. Antibody tests of varying quality are being marketed worldwide as a “test for immunity to COVID-19” and people are interested because they think it will give them “peace of mind” and they won’t have to take precautions to prevent getting COVID-19. Some of these tests are marketed for home use and others are for healthcare providers on patients and then send to a lab for results. In the US, the FDA tests and approves antibody tests to make sure they are sensitive and accurate in detecting COVID-19 antibodies, and don’t result in too many false positives or negatives.

A positive test result – a test which shows that antibodies are present – does not mean that a person will be immune to COVID-19 for many reasons:

• It is unknown how long COVID-19 antibodies last in the body – a positive test could indicate an early infection or a more recent one.
• Depending on the quality of the test, a positive result could be from another type of coronavirus - not specifically COVID-19.
• It is unknown if the existence of COVID-19 antibodies means a person is immune to COVID-19 – there are cases worldwide of people getting infected more than once.

Because so much is unknown about COVID-19, antibody tests are not recommended to diagnose COVID-19, and most people do not need an antibody test at this time. If you believe you may have COVID-19, it is best to get tested with a viral test. Frederick Health Hospital offers Curbside testing, as well as healthcare providers and other locations in Frederick County.

For everyone, it is recommended to wash hands, practice physical distancing, and wear a face covering when around others.

For more information about antibody testing, visit: CDC Test for Past Infection

13. Doesn’t the public need to know where a person with COVID-19 has been?

Our public health nurses talk with people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 to learn where they have been and who they have been in contact with. They then contact any individuals who might be at risk. This is called "contact tracing." If there is any risk to the public, we put that information out as soon as possible. For more information about contact tracing, visit the Maryland Department of Health Contact Tracing FAQs.

14. How can I get information about cases in nursing homes?

Outbreaks in congregate living facilities including nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes with 10 or more occupants are now being reported at https://FrederickCountyMD.gov/COVIDstats. For state congregate living facilities, visit https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/hcf-resources.

15. Can people with no symptoms have COVID-19?

COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person in respiratory droplets from someone who is infected. People who are infected often have symptoms of illness. Some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus. There is growing evidence of transmission risk from infected persons without symptoms or before the onset of recognized symptoms  

16. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild. Why is this more serious than the flu?

It is true that the majority of people with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, but about 20% of people will have a serious case which can require hospitalization. People who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 include older people (especially over the age of 60) and people with chronic health conditions such as heart and lung disease and diabetes. Our healthcare system is used to the amount of patients who come in during a regular flu season. With COVID-19, since it is a new virus and no one has immunity, and there is no vaccine or treatment, it could cause a surge to healthcare facilities and strain resources. It is critical that we implement social distancing so that the health care system can better manage the flow of people seeking care. This is referred to as “flattening the curve.”

17. I’ve lost my job. Where can I get help?

During these difficult times, when many have had their normal work routines disrupted, it is important to establish a new schedule. Stick to the same sleep and wake times as you usually would. Schedule breaks and eat meals at the same time you normally would. Make time for socializing via FaceTime or phone. Stay informed but avoid overconsumption of media.

Visit Workforce Services for help filing for unemployment or finding a job. More resources can be found on the Frederick County COVID-19 Resources page. For financial resources, read the COVID-19 Health Crisis: Financial Relief Guide for Marylanders.

18. What resources exist for business owners?

Here are local, state and federal resources to help businesses whose daily operations are affected during the state of emergency:

• Maryland Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Businesses
• Frederick County Office of Economic Development
• Frederick County Chamber of Commerce Resources
• City of Frederick Resources

19. How do I report a violation of the Governor’s or County Executive's orders?

For physical distancing concerns, please contact the local law enforcement non-emergency line.

For concerns about a business, please email FCHDBusinessInfo@FrederickCountyMD.gov or call 301-600-6200.

20. How Can I Help?

By staying home, you are already doing the most important thing you can to help control the spread of the disease and flatten the curve. If you are looking for other ways to help our community, check out some of the opportunities listed on the Frederick County COVID-19 page by clicking on the How Can I Help? tab.

21. Can pets get COVID-19? Can I take my pet to the vet?

Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low. 

We are still learning about this virus, but it appears that it can spread from people to animals in some situations. Treat pets as you would other human family members – do not let pets interact with people or animals outside the household. If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets. When possible, have someone else care for your animals while you are sick to avoid contact with your pet. 

If your pet is sick or injured, contact your veterinarian to find out which services are considered essential. Veterinarians are considered essential employees. For more information, visit CDC: If You Have Animals.