By Elizabeth Shwe. Harford never did reimpose public indoor mask mandates. Nonpartisan. Coronavirus infection rates in Maryland are declining, in line with national trends. Meanwhile, flu and other seasonal illnesses also are bringing people into hospitals, Delbridge said. Feb 22,2022 by Charlene Sharpe decision to lift the statewide school mask mandate. The 3,057 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Tuesday occupy 37% of the staffed acute care hospital beds and 45% of the staffed intensive care beds statewide. Harford County votes to end mask mandate, effective March 1. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. The legislative presiding officers said they support the State Board of Educations current masking regulation, during a press conference on Thursday. Since lawmakers approved this regulation last month, local school systems can lift masking rules under any of three conditions set by the emergency regulation: if 80% of staff and students are fully vaccinated, if 80% of the full county population is fully vaccinated or if a countys COVID-19 transmission rates are low or moderate for 14 consecutive days, as reported by the CDC. She is a 2020 graduate of Princeton University with a degree in political science. Hong Kong has largely followed mainland China's lead in efforts to tackle the virus, including attempts to eliminate it with a "zero-Covid" strategy. In order to give people a very clear message that Hong Kong is resuming normalcy, I think this is the right time to make the decision, he said. Several Maryland counties are lifting their indoor public mask mandates, as COVID-19 cases continue trending downward statewide. "Even if you've been exposed to COVID or you got vaccinated, you still need that ongoing protection.". Dr. Kalyanaraman says COVID cases are likely underreported based on so many at-home test results. Currently, people nationwide must wear masks in public transportation hubs like airports and bus stations as well as while passengers in taxis, airplanes, ride-share vehicles, ships, ferries, trains and subways. The city will continue to require masks until transmission reaches the CDC's accepted level of low to moderate. Both orders were in effect since December 27 of last year. Several Maryland counties are lifting their indoor public mask mandates, as COVID-19 cases continue trending downward statewide. We should all support and encourage efforts that protect those at high risk," Walensky said in a statement. Hogans new initiatives, announced at a news conference in Annapolis, give state Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader broad powers to assist hospitals with soaring bed occupancy numbers and staff shortages; expand the emergency medical services workforce; mobilize 1,000 members of the Maryland National Guard to assist with COVID-19 testing sites and some patient transport operations; open 20 new coronavirus testing sites adjacent to hospitals, which have reported high numbers of emergency department walk-ins seeking testing; and begin providing booster shots for 12- to 15-year-old kids in the state. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas They didn't accept it the first time," Glenn Saltzman said Wednesday. Gov. BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Marylanders will start to see significant changes with mask policies across the state this week. Hong Kong had largely followed mainland Chinas zero COVID strategy over the last three years and had some of the worlds strictest anti-virus rules. For now, mask requirements will remain inside all Baltimore County government offices and facilities, including all county library locations. Be informed of breaking news as it happens and notified about other don't-miss content with our free news alerts. Baltimore County will lift its indoor mask mandate for government buildings on Feb. 28, 2022. Hes going to punt to us and when it goes wrong, hell blame us. Given the dramatic declines in our health metrics, we are now able to take another step toward normalcy in state operations, Hogan said. Hogan directed the states employers to incentivize masks in workplaces, as well as encourage vaccinations and boosters among employees. Maryland school districts were already allowed to end mask requirements if they met certain criteria, and Anne Arundel and Howard counties met those and lifted mask orders accordingly. The states 7-day positivity rate is 5.12% with 986 people First published on May 11, 2022 / 4:22 PM. Tim Swift and Margaret Chadbourn 3/1/2022. 20th, CDC Data Tracker vaccine tabs will refresh weekly on Thursdays by 8:00PM EST ( Vaccinations in the United States, Vaccinations Larry Hogan implemented Tuesday a temporary state of emergency and other executive orders designed to fight the current COVID surge. Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. In Maryland, officials say about 4.48 million people are considered fully vaccinated. Glenn Youngkin (R) of Virginia Hogan said he does not. However, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study (2022) found that consistently wearing a N95 or KN95 mask in indoor public settings reduced the odds of getting COVID-19 by 83 percent. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 ec Estudio Integral. Maryland lifts its statewide mask mandate for schools, effective immediately. Please enter valid email address to continue. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that the citys indoor mask mandate will expire Feb. 28. The State Board of Education has consistently said their goal is to keep as many students learning in-person as possible. Therefore, our requirement to wear a mask on UMB public transportation remains in effect. Elsewhere in Maryland, policymakers have already lifted restrictions. Instead, the decision about masking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will rest with each local jurisdiction and its respective school board. The states 7-day positivity rate is 5.12% with 986 people hospitalized due to the coronavirus. Gov. Some people were hospitalized who were partially vaccinated, he said, which makes getting booster doses all the more important. We are strongly encouraged by the progress weve seen in recent days and remain cautiously optimistic that we will continue to emerge from this omicron wave, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewskisaid in a news release. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. However, over the past few weeks, the numbers have been falling sharply. The Maryland State Board of Education is watching with optimism as Covid-19 metrics improve in the State because our goal has been and continues to be to provide safe in person instruction for our children and staff with minimal disruptions, she wrote in an email. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. The board has vowed to make a decision about masks in schools based on the metrics that health officials deem acceptable with regards to removing school mask mandates. 3,057 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Tuesday, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Lees announcement at a news briefing Tuesday came a day after neighboring Macao eased its mask rule and brings the financial hub closer to life in pre-pandemic days. The Frederick County Board of Health has dropped its mask regulations as of Saturday in response to a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases. In a statement earlier this week, Rakowski said the board will continue its practice of reviewing current COVID-19 metrics to assess the need for continuing the regulation. State During its March 8 business meeting, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to make masks optional in all MCPS schools and facilities. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. "With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy," Mr Lee said on Tuesday. WebMarylands first post-vaccination infection was identified on January 26, 2021. Larry Hogan announced on Thursday. As of Friday, the CDC no longer requires masks on school buses. Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) highlighted that the General Assemblys Joint Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) Committee, which is tasked with reviewing state agency regulations, voted to approve the State Board of Educations emergency regulation last month. ', Death toll keeps rising in Greece's deadliest train crash, Hong Kong Lifts Citywide Mask Mandate After Almost Three Years. The Maryland State Board of Education has received the governors letter and is in the process of responding, said Lora Rakowski, spokesperson for MSDE. For our health care heroes, it takes a toll.. Starting February 22, 2022, a new "We all have a responsibility to protect those among us most at risk.". BALTIMORE (WBFF) Masking policies are changing across Maryland as the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic wanes. In December, the State Board of Education approved a new emergency regulation that created off-ramps to the mask mandate that had been in place since the beginning of the school year. From a public health perspective, to let that be at the county level is easy for a governor, but not as effective.. Shwe is a Report for America corps member. The AELRs vote to end the mask mandate comes roughly two weeks after Governor Larry Hogan wrote a letter to the In the last six months, the government has taken bigger steps to open up in an attempt to revive the economy and catch up with rivals such as Singapore. ", Baltimore City is the exception. Baltimore County's indoor face mask order will expire Tuesday and it will not be extended, county officials told 11 News. Moores controversial nominee for the Public Service Commission withdraws, Grand jury indicts DC employee charged with killing 13-year-old boy, Virginia state superintendent Jillian Balow announces resignation, Predicted peak bloom date for DC's cherry blossoms announced, Maryland Matters free email subscription. "I'm strongly recommending masks be worn by all regardless of vaccination status," Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said Tuesday. Anne Arundel County health officials said their county, too, has seen a significant drop in cases. The city's seven-day average case rate was about 58 per 100,000 residents in August when the mandate was imposed, dropping to about 18 cases per 100,000 as of Thursday. Over the weekend, Frederick County officials dropped their mask Such changes give hospitals greater authority to delay some surgical procedures to conserve providers and bed space; allows them to cut back on certain responsibilities, such as documentation, for the time being; and enables them to shift workers more readily between departments based on needs. Without requirements on masking and vaccinations, though, the states hospitals will not be able to recover lost footing as quickly, said Dr. Eric Toner, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. While we are hoping for the best, we are actively preparing for the worst, said Hogan, adding that the latest projections show state COVID hospitalizations could reach more than 5,000, well above Tuesdays pandemic high of just over 3,000. HONG KONG (AP) Hong Kong will lift its mask mandate on Wednesday, ending the citys last major restriction imposed. Less than 10.38% of fully vaccinated Maryland residents later tested positive for COVID-19. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. WebAll these masks reduce the spread of the virus from the person wearing a mask. Kelly (D), who served more than 12, If youve been thinking the pace of the 2023 General Assembly session is slower than some years, youre not wrong. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, Sign up for WTOPs coronavirus email newsletter, Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Latest COVID-19 vaccination numbers in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Zombie drug challenging response to Maryland opioid crisis, Lawmakers pledge action amid reports TikTok is fueling increase in stolen cars, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday. The new mask guidance for state buildings and leased space in public or shared buildings goes into effect Feb. 22, according to a news release from Hogans office. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Hopkins Beyrer said such steps should provide some relief to hospitals. Hogans decision to not require masks statewide is a political calculation that assesses what damage a mandate could have on his standing with constituents, as well as what the public will reasonably tolerate, said Dr. Chris Beyrer, an epidemiologist and the Desmond M. Tutu professor of public health and human rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In response, the school board said it was watching with optimism as Covid-19 metrics improve in the State, and pointed to previously adopted offramps to masking requirements, which include lifting the requirement based on high vaccination rates in school systems and their surrounding counties, or based on moderate or low transmission of the virus. ELLICOTT CITY Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today signed an executive order requiring masks be worn indoors in all businesses and facilities open to the public, as well as public transportation, in Howard County. Updated: 11:27 PM EST February 21, 2022. Baltimore City is lifting its indoor mask mandate effective March 1. 5425 Wisconsin Ave Daily U.S. COVID-19 infection rates are down to about 82,000 cases nationwide, according to a database kept by The New York Times, and hospitalizations are down about 44 percent. Anna Gawel | agawel@wtop.com. An area with a high level means there is high potential for health care strain and high level of severe illness, according to the CDC. The bottom line: About 70 percent of Americans will be able to shed their masks while indoors. 2023 The Associated Press. Hogan also called on the federal government to increase its supplies of monoclonal antibody treatments, rapid tests and COVID-19 antiviral pills, all of which have been depleted during the latest wave of the virus. Maryland Gov. As of Feb. 22, 2022, the state of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Montgomery County will no longer require masks in government buildings. The Maryland State Board of Education decided Tuesday to lift its mandate around face coverings in schools. Meanwhile, in Harford County masks are no longer required inside government buildings. Copyright Based on the latest guidance from the federal health officials, the use of masks and face coverings will be optional for all persons in Baltimore City Public Schools campuses beginning Monday, March 14, 2022. Latest wave of the mandate, effective March 1, 2021 a rebound, numbers! With the removal of the worlds strictest anti-virus rules effect since December 27 of last.... 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