Question: With some schools in Maryland already opened, have there been any school-associated outbreaks?

Answer: The Maryland Department of Health keeps a table of school-associated COVID outbreaks for public and non-public K-12 schools in the state.  As of writing, the table was most recently updated on 8/25.  In the state, there are currently 18 schools with at least 2 confirmed cases of COVID among teachers and/or students that are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts.  Of the 18 schools, 14 have only 2 confirmed epidemiologically linked cases, respectively.  A high school in Montgomery County has the largest outbreak with 24 students/teachers having testing positive.  These data are updated weekly around 10am on Wednesdays.  According to the website, “Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending.”  As a reminder, implementation of layered prevention strategies, including universal masking, helps keep kids and teachers safe.