ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — No lines.
No search for COVID tests in short supply.
Those who work for Howard County and other essential services no longer have to worry about getting shut out in their bid to get tested for COVID before returning to work.
“We have hospital staff who are infected. Their family members, and so as I noted earlier, having nearly a 30-percent positivity rate here in the county can be devastating and so it is very challenging to address all of those issues and insure that people are getting their tests that they need,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.
With the help of Allied Health, as many as 15,000 employees began getting their exclusive testing at the Roger Carter Community Center in Ellicott City on Tuesday, and the testing will also be provided for their family members, which could drive that number many times higher.
“We continue to learn about the spread of COVID, including it can be transmitted by those who may not be experiencing serious symptoms,” said Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman. “That is why rapid and PCR testing are important tools to try to control the spread of COVID-19.”
The county executive says this testing should ease the demand on existing supplies of COVID tests offered to the general public through private outlets.
Select testing for essential workers will continue here at the community center from 11:30 to 3:30 on Wednesday and from 10am to 6pm on Thursday.
