The Holidays During COVID with Dr. Dianna Abney

Inside Your County Government

We talk with Dr. Dianna E. Abney, Health Officer for the Charles County Department of Health about how to enjoy the holidays during the COVID pandemic.
On Tuesday, November 17, the Board of Commissioners adopted Governor Hogan’s recent executive orders, which returns the state of Maryland to Stage Two of the Roadmap to Recovery and limits capacity to 50% at all retail stores, religious institutions, fitness centers and other public places. Dine-in service at bars, restaurants and other establishments must close at 10 p.m. and cannot reopen until 6AM. Additionally, hospital visitation is prohibited with limited exceptions and indoor nursing home visitors must have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours in advance of a scheduled visit. The restrictions will become effective on Friday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. COVID-19 cases are rapidly rising, both locally and statewide. Residents are encouraged to stay home during the holiday season to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Those who have recently participated in large gatherings or traveled outside the region should consider getting tested for COVID-19. Charles County offers many convenient ways to get tested, including a drive-thru testing site on Tuesdays at Regency Furniture Stadium, and testing at several local pharmacies. For more information about testing location, visit COVIDtest.maryland.gov.
Now let’s take a closer look at what our Charles County Public Health Officer, Dr. Diana E. Abney, is sharing about the latest developments regarding COVID-19and provides us with insights on how to make our holiday traditions work around COVID and what best practices are to minimize our risk for exposure. Remember, it's all about us and what we do that will keep exposures down: use a mask, maintain your distance, and wash your hands.