It's a morbid thought, but you might be wondering, "Does my neighbor have the coronavirus, COVID-19; does anyone in my neighborhood?" And it's a fair question right now, in this time of uncertainty. While we're hopeful that the virus' infection rate and caseload will plateau any day now, we still need to be cautious and informed in our effort to stay safe. Recently, the State of Maryland launched additional info-widgets, live updating, and virus mapping to better shape our understanding of where and how COVID-19 is spreading. Statistics now pinpoint the caseload by county and, even more specifically, by zip code.
If you curious about how many citizens have been infected in your zip code, you can search the "Maryland COVID-19 Data Dashboard" found at https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/
Here, you'll also find overall state statistics for total cases, 24-hour change in caseload, number of hospitalizations, how many citizens have been released from isolation, and information related to symptoms of the COVID-19, the virus' background intelligence, and additional links to State resources.
Among the most community-driven of these resources is Maryland's "COVIDConnect," which is described as:
"...A secure portal that is open to all Maryland residents who were confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 and who are now recovered from their disease. It will be a place to share information, promote action and find support."
We, like all affected by COVID-19, want more than anything to return to normalcy in our everyday lives. To achieve that, we must be well-informed and vigilantly cautious (has there ever been a more applicable oxymoron?) in how we approach our activities of daily living. The "Maryland COVID-19 Data Dashboard" is a tool to help this cause.
