Health Officials Remind Marylanders To 'Answer The Call' From COVID-19 Contact Tracers
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- For the first time since the pandemic began, Maryland has reported zero COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.
But, officials say there is still a lot of work to do.
"We do still have a lot of work to do," Katherine Feldman, of the Maryland Department of Health, said. "The pandemic isn't going anywhere."
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Since the outbreak, contact tracing has been a pillar of focus for the CDC to stop the spread.
"We still get many hundreds of cases reported each day, and we aim to reach out to those as well as their contacts within 24 hours," Feldman said.
Contact tracers have been hard at work trying to track down those infected and everyone they may have come in to contact with.
"When there are large gatherings and a case is identified, we ask [the participant] to name everybody who was within six feet for 15 minutes, and it can be quite challenging," Feldman said.
So, the work is not over just yet- not for contract tracers and not for us either, health officials say.
Health officials are reminding Marylanders to wear their mask, social distance and answer if MD COVID calls.
"They are not enforcing any orders," Feldman said. "They are really out to check on you to make sure you're doing okay health-wise, and to make sure you have the resources you need and to successfully navigate isolation and quarantine. Contact tracers are not the COVID police."
The caller ID should say MD COVID, but residents might also get a call from 240-466-4488.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
