Where We Stand Now
County Board Of Health Discusses COVID-19 And Prince George’s
By Raoul Dennis
VIDEO OF BOARD OF HEATH TELEMEETING (ABOVE) APPEARS COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COUNCIL
The Prince George’s County Board of Health convened March 31 with COVID-19 at the center of the board’s focus.
In attendance were the county’s leading health and public safety managers. They each made brief presentations about the current status of the county in the fight against coronavirus and took questions from Board of Health members.
Health officials included Ernest L. Carter, MD, Health Officer; George L. Askew, MD, DCAO Health, Human Services & Education; Terrence Fullum, MD, MBA, Liaison to the Board of Health; Yolandra Hancock, MD, MPH, Advisor to the Board of Health.
The 1 ½ hour session addressed questions about the current stay at home order, the challenges to the quarantine, homelessness, insurance companies, child care, overcrowded apartments, the county’s preparation with Coronavirus tests, equipment and more. Click here for the full meeting.
At the core of the meeting’s revelations was the opening of the Coronavirus testing clinic in Lanham, the spread of the virus and the county’s preparedness for the spread.
In the larger view, Dr. Hancock noted that Maryland’s pace with the virus’ spread coincides with New York City’s.
When New York City peaks we should be close behind them in terms of peaking if we do all the right things,” Dr. Hancock said. “Right now, we are doing all the right things.”
As of March 31, there have been six deaths in Prince George’s due to COVID-19 but the county’s fatality rate is still at 1% - which is below the national average of Coronavirus fatalities.
Health leaders confirmed that 80% of the cases are people who are asymptomatic or who have minor symptoms. Dr. Carter encouraged residents to “check-in” with their physicians from home if they are having symptoms.”
