Frederick County health board publishes support for masking

Nov. 24—In coordination with the Frederick County Health Department, the local Board of Health published a recommendation Wednesday that people 2 and older wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

The recommendation reflects guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is for areas of either "substantial" or "high" community transmission, which Frederick County has been since early August.

Areas with a "substantial" level of transmission have recorded 50 or more COVID cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period, according to CDC measures. Frederick County's transmission rate, which has long been considered "high," was 139.5 per 100,000 as of Wednesday, the last day for which CDC data was available.

Guidance from the health board — which comprises county health officer Dr. Barbara Brookmyer, County Executive Jan Gardner (D) and the seven members of the County Council — was the result of a meeting the body convened on Tuesday after transmission in the county passed a specified threshold Nov. 15.

The recommendation will remain in effect until community transmission drops below "substantial" for seven straight days.

Follow Jack Hogan on Twitter: @jckhogan

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