Maryland’s governor issued a stay-at-home order, and violators could be arrested. In Prince George’s County, the county executive said this is the help local officials need to control the coronavirus. Prince George’s County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins stopped by the county’s new screening site at FedEx Field.
A coronavirus testing site opened at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, on Monday.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Sunday the COVID-19 screening site would open at 10 a.m.
The Maryland National Guard has helped the Prince George's County Department of Health set up the testing site.
A member of the National Guard stationed at the stadium tested positive for COVID-19, Alsobrooks' office confirmed Sunday.
Officials say the site was cleaned over the weekend using industrial cleaning solutions.
“When we were made aware a member of the Maryland National Guard tested positive for COVID-19, officials from the County, State, National Guard and the Redskins worked through the necessary steps to ensure we could open the screening site as scheduled,” Alsobrooks said.
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All patients, including those with prescriptions from a doctor, must make an appointment through the Prince George’s Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline. The number is 301-883-6627.
Testing requires the following steps:
- Call the Prince George's County Health Department Coronavirus hotline at (301) 883-6627 to schedule an initial telehealth screening.
- The telehealth medical professional will speak to the caller to obtain information to determine if the patient meets the CDC testing requirements.
- If the caller meets CDC testing guidelines, they will receive an appointment time and an appointment number (from 1 to 100 **MUST KEEP ASSIGNED APPOINTMENT NUMBER) to go to the FedExField site on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Patients must show up at their appointment time, with their appointment number, and be able to answer questions based on their telehealth screening.
- Upon arriving at the testing site, patients will receive instruction from law enforcement as to where to park and when to exit their vehicle.
- The individual will walk to the checkpoint and give their appointment number, then they will be escorted to a tent based on their symptoms.
- If a patient meets testing requirements outlined by the CDC, they will be escorted to the testing tent. Following the testing, the individual will be given instructions on home self-care, and social distancing.
- Those who do not meet CDC guidelines will not be tested. Those individuals who do not meet criteria but are symptomatic will receive instructions on home self-care and self-isolation, as needed. Those individuals who are asymptomatic will receive instructions on home self-care and social distancing. The individual will then be escorted to the exit.
The screening site is designed to alleviate the pressure on primary care physicians, hospitals, and health care facilities that will likely increase in the coming weeks due to COVID-19.
