https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7AcDPzZmcQ
BALTIMORE, MD (WEAA) On Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan announced a series of updates regarding COVID-19 in Maryland.
The governor addressed a decline in COVID-19 cases and positivity rates, expanded surveillance of COVID-19 variants, a fourth mass vaccination site and a new executive order regarding the reopening of schools.
The governor started his annoucements off by saying, “We continue to see significant improvement in all of our key COVID-19 metrics”.
As of Tuesday morning, the Maryland Department of Health reports 662 new coronavirus cases have been added within 24 hours.
The statewide positivity rate is 3.9 % and COVID-related hospitalizations have dropped to 978.
According to the governor, the number of nursing homes with active COVID cases has dropped by 47%, its lowest level since mid- October.
Today, @MDHealthDept reports 377,628 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Maryland.
— Maryland Department of Health (@MDHealthDept) February 23, 2021
The statewide positivity rate is now 3.9%
Maryland has 7,580 deaths, 2,967,660 negative tests and 9,606 patients have been released from isolation.https://t.co/9LEHaSDimJ pic.twitter.com/UaSdG82dr1
Maryland oficials say, "states have been notified to expect allocations of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine—which is being made here in Maryland—as early as next week".
5. J&J. States have been notified to expect allocations of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine—which is being made here in Maryland—as early as next week. The states are awaiting further guidance from the federal government.
— Michael Ricci (@riccimike) February 23, 2021
I provided a series of COVID-19 updates this afternoon, including the opening of a new mass vaccination site in Southern Maryland and expanded surveillance of COVID-19 variants.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) February 23, 2021
Details: https://t.co/hmPHr1LRss pic.twitter.com/CuP3OIQfpy
The governor also announced Maryland has entered into agreements with University of Maryland, Baltimore and Johns Hopkins to more than double the state’s surveillance of coronavirus variants to more than 10% of cases.
2a. The State Public Health Laboratory is already testing for these variants at a much higher rate than other states by using genomic sequencing to track virus mutations, but this will give us even more capacity.
— Michael Ricci (@riccimike) February 23, 2021
This will provide the state with one of the strongest surveillance systems in the world.
In an effort to safely reopen schools, the governor issued an executive order requiring anyone over the age of 5 to wear a face covering in any area of a school setting.
To view the executive order, click here.
