200K Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits To Be Distributed By Anne Arundel As Omicron Surges

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel County announced Tuesday that it will distribute 200,000 rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits. The county will hand out these tests through the school system and equity-driven organizations.

“Getting tests to our students, teachers, and staff will help prevent the spread of COVID in our schools,” County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a press release. “I want to thank Dr. George Arlotto and his team for working to distribute these tests as quickly as possible.”

Anne Arundel County Public Schools will get 100,000 of these test kits and offer them to its students and staff. AACPS will then order 100,000 tests to give back to the county, reimbursing the government.

“This initiative provides an excellent way for us to enhance access to hard-to-get test kits for our families, our students, and our employees,” AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto said. “Once the kits arrive, we will distribute them to our schools and offices to be sent home with students and provided to employees so that families can use them as needed.”

The remaining 100,000 kits will go to community groups to help residents who have a harder time getting tested. These teams will notify their communities and hand out the tests through equitable channels. Some of the participants in this effort include:

• Libraries
• Faith-based organizations
• Department of Health Ambassador partners
• Senior centers
• Homeless shelters
• Food pantries

“For families and others who have barriers to getting tested, these at-home test kits will make it simple and quick to get tested,” Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said. “It’s a key part of keeping people safer and decreasing spread in our communities.”

The county bought these tests with its American Rescue Plan money. Pittman expects the shipment to arrive this week.

This is the second batch of at-home test kits from the Anne Arundel County Department of Health. The agency also released 100,000 kits on Dec. 21, hoping to minimize the spread at holiday gatherings.

Residents claimed all those tests over the holiday season. Ever since, residents have battled long lines and limited appointments at testing providers.

Gov. Larry Hogan on Friday opened a free testing site at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis to meet this rising demand. Hogan also declared a state of emergency Tuesday and announced plans for 20 new testing locations around the state.

At-home test kits are one prong in the fight against the omicron variant. This highly contagious, but milder, variant has driven another COVID-19 surge.

Overwhelmed hospitals responded by delaying some surgeries as coronavirus metrics reached record highs. Pittman also reinstated a temporary mask mandate to battle the spike.

The County Council will vote Friday on whether to extend the order or let it expire that day. Five of the seven County Council members must vote in favor of the mandate for it to continue. Pittman said he has support from at least four.

Leaders continue to urge immunizations and booster shots.

To get a coronavirus test, visit covidtest.maryland.gov. Head to covidvax.maryland.gov to book a COVID-19 vaccine. The state's health metrics are updated daily at coronavirus.maryland.gov.

Who's Eligible For First Doses

The Pfizer immunization is the only one with full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That clearance is good for residents 16 and up. Pfizer also has emergency-use authorization for anybody aged 5 to 15 for their first two doses

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson inoculations have emergency-use authorization for locals 18 and up.

Emergency-use authorization requires less FDA review than full approval, which is the golden stamp of support from regulators.

Who's Eligible For Boosters

Residents 18 and up who got the Pfizer inoculation can get a booster shot of any kind five months after their initial two doses. Locals 12 to 17 who got the Pfizer must also wait five months, but they are only eligible for the Pfizer booster.

Locals 18 and up must wait six months after their Moderna injections or two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccines to get a booster shot. Once that time passes, they can get any booster they want.

The latest booster shot guidance is posted here.

RELATED:

• COVID State Of Emergency Declared, National Guard Activated As Omicron Floods MD
• MD COVID: Mask Up In State Offices, Get Paid Leave For Booster
• Face Mask Mandate Reinstated By Anne Arundel, Annapolis Leaders
• Anne Arundel Schools Amend COVID Quarantine Rules As CDC Outlined
• Anne Arundel Medical Center To Open Free COVID-19 Testing Site
• COVID-19 Hospitalizations In MD Hit Record High, Along With Cases
• CDC Shortens Isolation, Quarantine Time: What It Means In MD
• Some Surgeries Delayed At Anne Arundel, Prince George's Hospitals

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County news.