Gov. Larry Hogan issues State of Emergency
Today Governor Larry Hogan held a press conference to address the COVID-19 surge.
Effective immediately, Maryland is in a State of Emergency. He declares this will last 30 days to take urgent short-term actions to combat the COVID-19 winter surge. Hogan says these next few weeks will be the most challenging of the pandemic.
Maryland hit a record high of 3,057 COVID hospitalizations, marking an increase of more than 500% in the last 7 weeks. Newest reports show that COVID hospitalizations could reach 5,000, which is more than 250% higher than the previous peak.
Governor Larry Hogan also announced
- Authorization of Maryland Secretary of Health to regulate hospital personnel, bed space, and supplies.
- Expansion of EMS Workforce
- Mobilization of 1,000 members of the Maryland National Guard
- Opening 20 new hospital-adjacent testing sites across the state,
- Authorization of booster shots for 12 to 15-year-olds
- Calls for federal action on monoclonal antibodies, rapid tests, COVID-19 antiviral pills,
- and Calling on Maryland employers to incentivize vaccinations and boosters, and encourage masks or face coverings.
You can read the executive order here.
