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Allegany COVID Case Rate Remains Highest in State

September 22nd, 2021 by WCBC Radio

Allegany County’s COVID-19 case rate has remained the highest in Maryland for six consecutive days and has been among the highest since mid-August.  Meanwhile, the Maryland jurisdictions that are experiencing lower case rates are those with a larger portion of their population fully vaccinated. 

“COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective,” stated Allegany County Health Department Public Information Coordinator Brenda Caldwell.  “We cannot stress enough how vitally important COVID vaccinations are to reduce your risk of hospitalization or death from COVID.”  

Free COVID-19 vaccines are available at local pharmacies, urgent care clinics, pediatric offices, and some primary care providers.

The Allegany County Health Department continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations on Wednesdays at 12501 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland.  Vaccinations are free and no appointment is needed.  From 9 a.m. to 12 noon, both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines are offered.  From 1 to 5:30 p.m., the Pfizer vaccine is offered for those age 12 and older.  Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. 

As of September 21, 44.1% of Allegany County residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to 63.8% of all Marylanders. 

Drive-thru testing is offered three days per week at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, 11400 Moss Avenue, Cumberland, MD.  Testing clinics are held Mondays from 2 to 7 p.m., and Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  No appointment is needed, but pre-registration is strongly encouraged to minimize wait times at the clinic.  You can pre-register for testing by going to health.maryland.gov/allegany and clicking on the pre-registration link under “COVID-19 Information” on the right side of the page.

Allegany County COVID-19 Case Statistics as of September 21:

  • New COVID Cases:  105 (cumulative total 8,634)
  • Additional Deaths:  3 (cumulative total 229)
  • Cases Per 100,000 Population:  71.01 (Maryland: 19.91)
  • Positivity Rate:  12.45% (Maryland: 4.37%)