September 18, 2020

Media Contact:

Andy Owen, Public Information Officer, Testing Site Program, 443-381-9094

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

Photo Release: Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital reaches COVID-19 testing milestone, team sets daily record for walk-up testing

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital (BCCFH) COVID-19 testing site reached a notable milestone on Fri., Sept. 11, performing its 20,000th COVID-19 test. The BCCFH team spurred the achievement in part by performing 1,299 tests during a single clinical session earlier in the week, a record for walk-up COVID-19 testing sites in Maryland.

“The Maryland Department of Health is proud to support the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital’s testing operation — it’s a prime example of how important and effective community-based collaboration is in the fight against COVID-19,” said Robert R. Neall, Maryland Department of Health Secretary. “We commend our frontline workers for reaching this milestone and thank them for their countless other contributions to this effort.”

“Operating a COVID-19 testing site of this caliber requires incredible skill, dedication and commitment,” said Dennis Schrader, MDH Chief Operating Officer. “It’s difficult work, but it has been critical to the state’s ability to keep the pandemic at bay and remain open for business.”

Since June, the BCCFH team has administered more than 25,000 COVID-19 tests and has been responsible for testing operations at both the Calvert Street Annapolis testing site and the BCCFH. The team, which typically comprises between 70-80 individuals per shift, represents a diverse professional skillset, encompassing everything from clinical planning and patient care to information technology and onsite logistics.

“This has been an incredible effort,” said Dr. Charles Callahan of the University of Maryland Medical System, the testing team’s operations manager. “Our success is due entirely to the team of professionals who make it all happen.” 

“Although we risk our lives and our families’ lives with the possibility of being exposed, we vow to put individuals before ourselves to get this pandemic under control. The medical field leaves no room for selfishness,” said Robin Brown, a patient care technician who manages registration at the team’s sites. 

“I believe that it is imperative to have someone who looks like me and speaks my language to assist in my healthcare,” said Kimberly Brown, a community health worker on the BCCFH team. “I chose to train and become certified as a community health worker to be qualified to advocate for, educate and motivate my peers and community members.”

“I am proud to be a part of this diverse group of men and women, young and old, who give of themselves wholeheartedly. There are many parts in making this testing site run smoothly, and it takes everyone to make it work,” said Jane Appler, a registered nurse who has been working at the BCCFH testing site since it opened on June 17.