St. Mary’s County Health Department Urges All Community Members Age 12+ to Get Vaccinated
The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) has been notified of the first identified Delta variant case of the COVID-19 virus in St. Mary’s County.
The Delta variant thus far appears to be highly transmissible and may be more likely to cause severe illness, including among unvaccinated youth. Elsewhere in the country and across the world, case rates and hospitalizations are increasing among unvaccinated populations and the Delta variant is predicted to become the dominant strain in the U.S.
“It is critical that anyone eligible in our community get vaccinated,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “As more people in our community are fully vaccinated, we reduce the likelihood that this new infectious Delta variant will spread in St. Mary’s. Prevention methods, such as wearing a mask, hand washing, and distancing are still important to reducing the spread of COVID-19, especially for those who have not yet been fully vaccinated.”
Anyone experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache,
new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea should be tested for COVID-19. More information on local COVID-19 testing is available at smchd.org/covid-19-testing.
