Citizens don’t have to have coronaviirus symptoms to get the tests.
Frederick, Md (KM) Expanded testing for COVID-19 is available in Frederick County.
During a public information briefing on Thursday, Danielle Haskin, Director of Community Testing for the Health Department, says there will be community-based clinic and mobile testing clinics. “We have the reoccurring public clinics that are scheduled in Brunswick on Thursdays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and we have the Thurmont location. That will be Fridays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM,” she said. “There are other locations that are coming soon, and they will be announced as soon as they are scheduled.”
“The community testing sites are designed to target vulnerable and minority communities who may be more at-risk for being infected by COVID-19, and who may experience barriers to testing, as well as provide support to the community-based and faith-based organizations,” says Haskin.
The locations of the two clinics will be available on the Frederick County Health Department website at Health.Frederickcountymd.gov.
There will be “pop-up”: testing around the county involving mobile clinics, and closed clinics will be offered to special groups.
County Executive Jan Gardner urges citizens to get tested. “It’s free. It’s easy. It doesn’t require a doctor’s note,” she says. “And testing is no longer limited to people with symptoms So everybody is able to go out and get tested.”
The Maryland Department of Health is encouraging counties to step up testing so it meets the goal of 10% of their populations. Gardner says 8.1% of Frederick County’s population has been tested.
Dr. Barbara Brookmyer, Frederick County’s Health Officer, says the best time to be tested is 12 days after exposure to COVID-19 because it takes time for the virus to show up in the body. “If you’ve been quarantining yourself, around day 12, you can get the results ideally back before your quarantine would end,” she says.
But she says don’t be too confident if your tests comes back negative for the COVID-19 virus. “It could be that you weren’t exposed. Or if you were exposed and you were infected, you might have just been testing too early in your disease course. So that is a word of caution I give to folks,” says Dr. Brookmyer. If that’s the case, it’s best to get re-tested, she says.
By Kevin MCManus 