Prince George’s County has achieved “high” status in Maryland’s ranking of counties for community transmission of the Covid-19 virus. This dubious distinction is defined as more than 100 new cases per 100K residents over the preceding week or a 10 percent or higher positivity rate. This is borne out in Greenbelt’s 20770 zip code by a continued rise in recent local cases, though it seems to have levelled out between August 4 and 10, averaging about four new cases daily, according to opendata.maryland.gov. This level is shared with 10 other Maryland jurisdictions including adjacent Charles County. Another 11 jurisdictions, including neighboring Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel and Calvert counties, are listed as “substantial,” defined as 50 to 100 new cases per 100K residents over the past week or 8 to 10 percent positivity rate. Only Carroll County is in the moderate range (15 to 50 cases, 5 to 8 percent positivity).
Tale of Two Counties
Prince George’s is also the Maryland county with more cumulative cases than any other at over 88,600, counting since Day One. Montgomery County, with its somewhat larger population of ~1 million compared to Prince George’s ~906,000, has had ~15,000 fewer total cases at ~73,600 diagnosed. About 9.8 percent of all Prince George’s County residents who have been tested, have tested positive for Covid-19 to date compared to about 7.4 percent of Montgomery County residents. The number of deaths in both counties is roughly the same at around 1,600 – meaning that those who do get sick in Montgomery County are somewhat less likely to die than their Prince George’s County neighbors, where 2.2 percent of those diagnosed have died, compared to 1.8 percent of Montgomery County residents.
Of the more populous Maryland counties, Montgomery County has over 65 percent of its total population fully vaccinated whereas Prince George’s trails at only 49 percent. Because it was almost a year before vaccines were available, the infection and death data still include a longer period during which there was no vaccine. As the time during which vaccines have been available lengthens, the protective effect of higher vaccination rates will only emphasize the difference among counties, with lower-vaccination-rate counties having increased infections and deaths compared to counties with higher rates of vaccinations.
CDC Recommendations
Advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public, wash hands after being in public and avoid large gatherings even if vaccinated to lower the risk of catching, transmitting, being hospitalized or dying from the far more virulent Delta variant. Those at special risk should be alert for announcements of a booster shot for which they may be eligible.