Mayor Scott Remains In Quarantine After Testing Positive For COVID-19; Contact Tracing Efforts Underway
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Mayor Brandon Scott remains in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 Monday morning.
The mayor's office said he feels OK, he's continuing to work remotely from home.
He attended Sunday afternoon the Parade of Latino Nations here on Eastern Avenue.
It was one of several public events the days before the positive test.
The mayor was vaccinated in March.
He had attended a flurry of events the past few days, including a groundbreaking on Saturday, a COVID-19 update Friday and five public events Thursday, starting with a recycling bin distribution that morning.
Those events were all outdoors. Some masked, others not.
His staff said he tested negative Friday on a routine test.
Scott's team said he is asymptomatic.
Baltimore County's executive was among the fellow public officials to reach out to the mayor Monday.
"It's encouraging to know he's not showing any symptoms," said Johnny Olszewski Jr. "He seems to be in good health and good spirits. And, again, that reinforces the importance of having folks get the COVID-19 vaccine. That is the whole point."
"The vaccines keep the infection that people have to quite mild symptoms," said Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist with Johns Hopkins.
Hopkins doctors Friday said the data shows most people are well-protected by their vaccines. But it is not uncommon to get COVID after vaccination.
"This virus replicates really quickly, so it becomes an arms race between the virus and our memory-immune response," said Dr. Bill Moss.
Scott was not available for a virtual interview on Tuesday.
As far as contact tracing, the CDC considers a "close contact" anyone within six feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over the course of a day.
The health department is working with the mayor on those contact tracing efforts.
