August 12, 2020

Media Contact:

Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536

Charlie Gischlar, Deputy Director, Media Relations, 443-463-7234 

Maryland Department of Health to distribute masks at Pimlico Race Course COVID-19 testing site for #MasksOnMaryland campaign

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced that it has partnered with the Baltimore City Health Department and the Baltimore City branch of the NAACP to distribute free masks at the Pimlico Race Course COVID-19 testing site on Thursday, August 13. The event begins at 8 a.m. and lasts until supplies run out. Members of the media are welcome to attend this event to take photos and b-roll footage.

MDH and local partners will distribute masks at state-run COVID-19 test sites throughout the summer to encourage the use of face coverings and promote testing during the pandemic. On July 29, MDH and the Baltimore City branch of the NAACP distributed 3,000 masks at the first #MasksOnMaryland campaign event at the Baltimore Convention Center testing site.

“There is increasing evidence that masks help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others,” said MDH Secretary Robert R. Neall. “Marylanders can protect themselves and the people around them by wearing a mask in public places.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear face coverings in public and follow other preventive measures, such as social distancing, frequent hand washing, and cleaning high-touch areas to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

For a comprehensive list of testing sites in Maryland, visit covidtest.maryland.gov. COVID-19 information and resources are available at https://coronavirus.maryland.gov.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.

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