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DES Operational Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

August 29th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

An Allegany County Department of Emergency Services operational employee has tested positive for COVID-19 and results are pending on a second employee, according to emergency service officials. 

 

“We learned late Friday that one of our paramedics and emergency medical technicians had been exposed to the virus,” Lt. Todd Bowman, public information officer for the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services said. “One has tested positive and we are waiting results of the second clinician.” 

 

We want to emphasize that both clinicians remain in good condition, are only experiencing mild symptoms, self-monitoring at home and have not required hospitalization. 

 

“It is DES policy that clinicians that are high risk, either by exposure or testing positive for the infectious virus be quarantined at home and self monitored regularly for fever and other conditions,” Emergency Services Director James Pyles said. “These guidelines were established earlier this year to protect our clinicians, support staff, community members, patients and families.” 

 

Pyles said that first responders with Allegany County are required to abide by laws set forth by Governor Larry Hogan when in public.

 

“Our clinicians follow local and state medical direction provided from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems by wearing masks on all incidents and increasing protection on higher risk calls,” Bowman said. “DES clinicians follow these strict guidelines and we have no reason to believe that they have exposed the public. Our local medical directors do not believe any additional notifications need to be made.”

 

The two clinicians were assigned to our LaVale station, Bowman added. We are in communications with the department to offer any additional assistance.

 

Pyles added that the station and equipment have under went a deep cleaning to protect oncoming crews, volunteers and visitors. 

 

We will have updates as they become available. 

 

3 Responses to “DES Operational Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19”

  1. August 29, 2020 at 8:24 pm, kevin said:

    test

    Reply

  2. August 29, 2020 at 10:10 pm, jim said:

    Impossible. They are all required to wear masks that prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

    Reply

  3. August 30, 2020 at 8:56 am, Steve said:

    Assigned to Lavale ? Lavale is volunteers Co.52. maybe the county should keep there nose out of things it don’t belong and this wouldn’t have happened and quit trying to takeover every volunteer company. Any Co.52s test positive ? Nope!!

    Reply

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