Hospitalizations are an "important barometer," Walensky said in a White House briefing last week. Glenn Youngkin (R) of Virginia Hogan said he does not. 2022 at 11:31 am ET | Updated Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 1:10 pm ET. Allegany County is the only jurisdiction in Maryland that has "high" COVID-19 community levels, based on the guidance issued Friday. A backlog of bills. Tim Swift and Margaret Chadbourn 3/1/2022. Anna Gawel | agawel@wtop.com. We have to be thinking about this in lieu of the governor, Scott said. Therefore, our requirement to wear a mask on UMB public transportation remains in effect. Updated February 28, 2023 at 9:36 AM ET. Updated February 28, 2023 at 9:36 AM ET. "They will continue wearing the masks," Surya Ve of Howard County said. Citing improved COVID-19 health metrics and high vaccination rates, Gov. In a letter to the board last week, Hogan said a growing number of medical professionals, parents and bipartisan state officials throughout the nation are calling for an end to school mask requirements, and that experts who previously advocated for mandated masking in schools now call for eliminating these temporary measures.. Visit the SUBSCRIBE page to sign up for our morning newsletter. 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. At Princeton she was a producer for WPRB 103.3 FM News & Culture section, the stations only long form podcast-type program. Gov. The Maryland State Board of Education voted Feb. 22 to lift the mandate to require masks in schools. Nonpartisan. In The case rate Thursday was 10.35 per 100,000, which is down from 235.17 on Jan. 8, according to state health data. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. "Particularly, those who are at higher risk of severe disease, those with chronic conditions, those who are older should be masking indoors and in public settings. The focus of what hes trying to do is reduce hospitalizations and deaths, and clearly hes doing so without stepping in the politically divisive issue of mandates.. People stand in line for over two hours to get a COVID test at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air on Tuesday. Our hospitals are struggling to deal with the number of sick people coming to them, Delbridge said. However many locals could be seen still wearing masks on Wednesday, local media reported. Starting next week, employees and visitors in state buildings in Maryland will no longer have to wear face masks as COVID-19 rates continue to drop, Maryland Gov. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. And, those who are in contact with them as well," Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said. 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. That is down from the peak around Jan. 11, when the state had 3,400 coronavirus patients in its hospitals. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. February 15, 2022 / 8:10 PM / CBS Baltimore BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Masks will no longer be required inside Maryland's state buildings starting on Feb. 22. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Hogans letter comes after he said at a press conference earlier this week that his office planned to ask the State Board of Education to consider changes to their masking regulations at their next meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 22. The state board is made up of 13 regular members and one student member who are appointed by the governor. BALTIMORE (WBFF) Masking policies are changing across Maryland as the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic wanes. For now, mask requirements will remain inside all Baltimore County government offices and facilities, including all county library locations. Over the weekend, Frederick County officials dropped their mask MARYLAND The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention loosened federal COVID-19 mask guidance Friday as infection rates return to pre-omicron variant levels around the country. The AELRs vote to end the mask mandate comes roughly two weeks after Governor Larry Hogan wrote a letter to the Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) asked the State Board of Education on Thursday Counties around Maryland have their own mask mandates, many of which are lifting as well. The city will continue to require masks until transmission reaches the CDC's accepted level of low to moderate. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). May 11, 2022 / 4:22 PM Leaders in Maryland have been lifting mask mandates in recent weeks by jurisdiction as infections decline. "Even if you've been exposed to COVID or you got vaccinated, you still need that ongoing protection.". Baltimore City is lifting its indoor mask mandate effective March 1. Hopkins Beyrer said such steps should provide some relief to hospitals. Hogans letter also comes after Republican members of the House of Delegates urged State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury and the State Board of Education earlier this week to immediately rescind the mask mandate in public schools. The new guidance issued Friday comes as the virus becomes endemic and officials are focused on preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19 rather than all instances of infection. The Department of Justice is appealing the decision. The statewide mask mandate has Violators could be fined 5,000 Hong Kong dollars ($637). Hes going to punt to us and when it goes wrong, hell blame us. TOWSON, Md. Updated: 11:27 PM EST February 21, 2022. Baltimore County will lift its indoor mask mandate for government buildings on Feb. 28, 2022. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. He kept a partial mask mandate in place until July, and reinstituted a face coverings requirement Monday for inside state buildings and offices. But early on in the pandemic, the governor issued a mask mandate for public transit, indoor businesses, stores, pharmacies and other retail establishments. The decision gives local school districts the power to decide whether to Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Other places such as New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia have implemented this step successfully, Wen said. Several Maryland counties are lifting their indoor public mask mandates, as COVID-19 cases continue trending downward statewide. Harford County votes to end mask mandate, effective March 1. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article was written by WTOPs news partners atMaryland Mattersand republished with permission.Sign up for Maryland Matters free email subscription today. Several Maryland counties are lifting their indoor public mask mandates, as COVID-19 cases continue trending downward statewide. Lawmakers in Montgomery County voted unanimously on Tuesday to extend the expiry date of its indoor mask mandate from Jan. 31 to Feb. 21. Sign up to get the Maryland Matters Memo in your inbox every morning. Moving forward, we will continue to closely monitor key metrics and remainprepared to take whatever steps are necessary to protect public health.. The bottom line: About 70 percent of Americans will be able to shed their masks while indoors. WebAll these masks reduce the spread of the virus from the person wearing a mask. Hong Kong is dropping its mask mandate making it one of the last international cities to stop requiring face coverings after the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Effective Feb. 22, masking would In addition to a mask mandate, Hogan should require state employees to be fully vaccinated, said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency medicine physician and former Baltimore health commissioner. 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. Face coverings are now required in all state government buildings in Maryland. This week, parents who don't want their kids to wear masks in schools could get an update from the Maryland State Board of Education, which meets on Tuesday. In schools, masking is now only recommended in counties with a high risk of infection, according to the CDC. All rights reserved. The omicron variant of the coronavirus is highly contagious, but generally causes less severe COVID-19 illnesses than other variants, data shows, especially among people who are fully vaccinated and boosted. 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. Its the unvaccinated who make up the majority of people being hospitalized, and every step needs to be taken to stop transmission in this population so as to reduce the strain on the health care system, Wen said. TOWSON, Md. Lawmakers in Annapolis ratified the decision Friday, leaving decisions about face coverings up to local school boards. Maryland is now reporting the lowest COVID-19 case rate of any state, according to figures presented by Hogans office. Gov. The citys chief executive, John Lee, said masks will no longer be required both outdoors and indoors, including on public transit, but some high-risk areas including hospitals and elderly homes can still require their use. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. This article was written by WTOPs news partners atMaryland Mattersand republished with permission. 5425 Wisconsin Ave 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. The state office mask mandate ends next week. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. The information below reflects cases tested from January 26, 2021 - February 17, 2023. We should all support and encourage efforts that protect those at high risk," Walensky said in a statement. This requirement should include booster shots, which are helping reduce transmission and severe illness, she said. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. 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. Hong Kong is dropping its mask mandate making it one of the last international cities to stop requiring face coverings after the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. A court decision last month struck down a federal mask mandate on public transportation. Advocates call for expanding social safety net, Md. A Maryland legislative committee approved the state board of educations decision to Meanwhile, flu and other seasonal illnesses also are bringing people into hospitals, Delbridge said. On Monday, the federal mask mandate for public transportation was overturned by a federal judge. "I think things are pretty much over but I'll probably continue just for my own preference. In Maryland, 459 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 89 in the intensive care unit, the Maryland Department of Health reported Friday. In addition, we continue to offer paid leave for state employees to get their booster shots, which provide critical protection against the virus and its variants. 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. Hong Kong, one of the last major international cities requiring Covid face masks, has announced it will end its controversial mandate more than three years into the pandemic. COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped to 751 down 78% from a peak last month. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) asked the State Board of Education on Thursday to rescind its mask requirements in public school buildings. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. The states 7-day positivity rate is 5.12% with 986 people hospitalized due to the coronavirus. 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