BALTIMORE, MD (WEAA) — Maryland’s COVID-19 positivity rate has been under 1% for nine consecutive days.
As of Thursday morning the state’s positivity rate is 0.76%.
On Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan announced the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency. On Thursday, July 1, all emergency restrictions and mandates will end.
The governor said businesses will be able to set their own policies but there will not be a legal mandate from the state requiring people to wear masks.
VIDEO: Maryland to lift COVID-19 state of emergency on July 1, end mask order
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott says he will follow the governor’s decision and lift the citywide mask mandate on July 1 as well.
Citing data, the mayor said Baltimore health officials are seeing “significant” declines in new coronavirus cases and virus-related hospitalizations.
“ Giving the positive trends we are seeing in our data, we will lift our state of emergency and all mandates related to COVID-19 on July 1, 2021 in accordance with the governor’s announcement…” Mayor Scott said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The mayor says workplaces and business can enforce their own policies and he expects residents to respect those guidelines.
Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa says 50% of adults in Baltimore are fully vaccinated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S46HwOB9ko
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 72.7% of Marylanders 18 and over have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
Statewide, 79 new coronavirus cases have been added within 24 hours.
Three virus-related deaths have also been added since Wednesday morning.
The state’s coronavirus dashboard shows COVID-related hospitalizations have decreased to 157 patients.
