MENU

Sections

More

November 23, 2024

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

News COVID-19

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update May 7

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 9 to 3,027.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 5.69%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 452,035, an increase of 768 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 11 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,642.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.53% (-0.13 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 47.04% of Marylanders and 34.61% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 33.98% and 27.91% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for 14 days and below 4% for 10 days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 42 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 859 people hospitalized — 640 in acute care and 219 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Avalon’s Multi-Cultural Vaccination Day Sees 87 Receive First Shot

by
Leave a Comment

Easton’s Multi-Cultural Vaccination and Wellness Day featured National and Regional musicians, both financial and physical wellness exhibitors and some very creative crafts and activities for children. Hosted and organized by The Avalon Foundation, this year’s main draw to the festival was the administering of vaccines to the underserved communities on Delmarva. Between 10am and 2pm there were a total of 87 vaccines administered to community residents, 66 of which were Hispanic, 21 non-Hispanic. There were 83 residents from Talbot County who received vaccine, 3 from Dorchester and 1 from Caroline.

Beyond the vaccines there was another unforeseen benefit of the festival, people came together again for the first time in a long time. “We heard it from both exhibitors and patrons over and overall day that they felt this was the first time the community had been together in over a year. It really took me by surprise. They also commented they felt safe and that it was wonderful to be able to gather again, even in this limited way,” said Suzy Moore who organized the event for the Avalon.

Jessica Bellis, COO at The Avalon added, “A large part of our mission is to bring people together to create a stronger community. We have not been able to do that inside of our theatre walls for over a year now so our staff has figured out other ways to do that under very tough conditions. Having vaccines administered to underserved communities in a festival like setting felt like a wonderful thing to do this year”

Vaccines were given by the professionals at Choptank Community Health throughout the day, while music from Easton Middle and Easton High School bands rang in the air. “Choptank Health is grateful to have been a part of such a successful event with so many of our community partners,” said CEO Sara Rich. “The Avalon’s leadership and outreach with this event complements our work of healthcare for all. It was an honor for us to be a part of this amazing day. We’re also looking forward to vaccinating more of our diverse populations at our upcoming vaccine clinics throughout the Mid-Shore.”

The emcees for the day were Tori Pack and HeenaParacha from The Race Thing and interviews featured Maryland candidate for Governor, John King among others. “We were also able to speak with Sara Rich to address some of the skepticism about vaccinations, which is as important as the vaccination itself,” said Pack. “It was great to see the community come together to promote equity in vaccinations by providing access to BIPOC that have been affected disproportionately both in outcomes and in finding access to vaccinations. We are so grateful for all the entertainers especially Kofi Denis from Ghana, for keeping the crowd entertained and having high energy throughout. And we don’t want to forget the translators who were a big proponent of accessibility, especially when it comes to non-English speaking out-reach.”

Even with their expertise in building and hosting large community events for Talbot County over the last 25 years, a vaccination day, most likely, will not be a repeat show for the Avalon Foundation but they are unlikely to forget this festival anytime soon. Nancy Andrew, Executive Director of Talbot Family Network added, “What a great day. And also a reminder why we’re working together to promote access to the vaccine.It was so nice being at an event, among friends, listening to music, and enjoying the weekend. The vaccine will help us get back to the fun we’ve been missing.”

Those who received vaccines at the festival will receive their second doses on Tuesday June 2nd at Idlewild Park.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update May 6

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 6 to 3,018.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 6.73%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 451,267, an increase of 578 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 9 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,631.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.66% (-0.05 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 46.78% of Marylanders and 34.52% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 33.47% and 27.64% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for 13 days and below 4% for nine days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 33 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 901 people hospitalized — 663 in acute care and 238 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update May 5

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 4 to 3,012.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 7.35%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 450,689, an increase of 679 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 10 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,622.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.71% (-0.11 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 46.48% of Marylanders and 34.38% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 32.95% and 27.29% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for 12 days and below 4% for eight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 10 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 934 people hospitalized — 688 in acute care and 246 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update May 4

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 16 to 3,008.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 6.93%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 450,010, an increase of 501 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 7 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,612.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.82% (+0.13 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 46.16% of Marylanders and 34.3% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 32.36% and 26.97% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for 11 days and below 4% for seven days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 9 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 944 people hospitalized — 698 in acute care and 246 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mirroring National Trend, Maryland’s “Trump Counties” Are Slower to Get Vaccinated

by
Leave a Comment

In a recently produced video circulating on social media, Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R-Md.) urges people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Joined by nine other Republican physician-legislators, Harris tells viewers that the development of safe and effective vaccines provides the country “a clear path to the eradication of the pandemic.”

“The FDA did not skip any steps,” he adds.

Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) said getting vaccinated will bring an end to “the government’s restrictions on our freedoms.”

Harris — a Trump loyalist and an anesthesiologist — has drawn praise for appearing in the video and for posting photos of himself administering vaccines at clinics in his district.

The video’s message comes at a crucial time. With polls consistently showing that as many as 40% of Republicans don’t intend to get a shot, public health experts across the country are worried that herd immunity is at risk.

A Maryland Matters analysis found vaccination patterns in the state that mirror the nation’s.

The six least-vaccinated jurisdictions in Maryland — and nine of the bottom 12 — were won by Donald Trump in 2020.

Of the three jurisdictions carried by Democrat Joe Biden that have below-average vaccination rates — Baltimore City and Prince George’s and Charles counties — all are majority-Black.

At the top end of the spectrum, six of the eight most-vaccinated counties in Maryland were won by Biden.

For purposes of this analysis, Maryland Matters counted every resident who has had at least one dose of any of the vaccines being offered.

There are many factors that determine who gets vaccinated who doesn’t, health experts caution. For months, access to the vaccine has been limited, though appointments now are plentiful.

Many vaccine-seekers lacked the ability to spend hours online, prowling the Web for an appointment, nor did they have the flexible schedules needed to get to a vaccination site. Access to transportation has been another challenge.

The Maryland Department of Health and the state’s Vaccine Equity Task Force have spent many weeks trying to overcome these and other barriers, expanding distribution sites, bringing vaccines into under-served communities, working with faith and community groups, tailoring messages, enlisting family physicians and “trusted voices,” and more.

While those efforts have boosted the state’s vaccination rate overall and closed some of the gaps that set off alarm bells during the early months of the rollout, data confirm that African-Americans and Republicans are less likely to be vaccinated than non-Black Democrats and members of other racial groups.

“A lot of it has to do with your political ideology and who you’re listening to, where you get your facts from, and who you trust,” said Ed Singer, Carroll County’s chief health officer and head of the Maryland Association of County Health Officers. “Let’s be honest about it.”

Singer said vaccination rates in minority communities have risen as people observe friends and family members getting vaccinated without complication.

“When they saw that it was fine [and] nobody was having issues with it, it really helped,” he said.

Rep. Harris’s press secretary did not respond to a request for comment submitted last week. But Joshua M. Sharfstein, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, praised him for appearing in a pro-vaccination video.

“We shouldn’t overdo the politics of it in Maryland,” he said, “because we have a Republican governor and we have Republican legislators who are very supportive of vaccines.”

Vaccination advocates are fighting a daily battle against high-profile media personalities — Tucker Carlson of Fox and others — who have offered messaging that contradicts public-health guidance.

A focus group empaneled by pollster Frank Luntz found that GOP resistance to the vaccine remains entrenched, particularly among men.

Jerome Adams, a former U.S. surgeon general writing in his private capacity as a University of Virginia scholar, urged Trump to put his influence with the Republican base to good use.

“A lot of people who are reluctant to get the shot trust the former president,” Adams wrote last week in a Washington Post op-ed. “So I’m calling on him to loudly and proudly tell his supporters that he got vaccinated and they should too.”

True to form, the former president’s recent public statements have been about himself. Nonetheless, he could help drown out the noise from right-wing media if he chose to, analysts say.

“The effort to try to mark not getting vaccinated as a badge of honor is unwise and dangerous,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “But it’s still going on.”

“People don’t like being told what to do,” he acknowledged. “But modern collective life does not give a person the opportunity to be completely an island.”

The red-blue gap starts to widen

At the beginning of the vaccination campaign, Maryland counties that have more Republican voters outpaced Democratic-leaning counties narrowly, but the trend reversed in March.

(Editor’s Note: If viewing on mobile, turn phone 90 degrees to better view graphic.)

The Maryland Matters analysis also found that the gap between Democratic counties and Republican counties is growing.

For the seven-day period that ended April 30, the five counties with the highest percentage of registered Republicans saw their vaccination rate grow by an average of 0.27% per day.

By contrast, the five counties with the highest percentage of registered Democrats increased at a more robust rate of 0.44% per day.

If that trend persists, the red-blue divide will continue to widen.

It’s unclear why such strong pockets of resistance to the vaccine exist. Health experts who have studied the data on the vaccines’ effectiveness and relative lack of serious side effects don’t yet have firm answers.

“I think that there’s been a polarization around trust in government,” said Sharfstein, “so when they hear that this is something that can save their lives, they don’t necessarily believe that.”

The “Doc Caucus” video in which Rep. Harris appears doesn’t explicitly reference herd immunity, but lawmakers hint at it.

“I look forward to the freedom that I, along with my loved ones, will regain once the vast majority of Americans are vaccinated,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) says.

According to JHU’s Dr. Sharfstein, it’s too early to know whether the country’s ability to reach herd immunity status is being threatened by those who are refusing to get a shot.

Singer — the health chief in Carroll — remains optimistic, however, saying, “It just may take us longer to get there than what I would like.”

“The vaccine is available now and we can get there quickly — within a month or two, I think. But it may take three or four months because it’s going to take longer for some people to make the decision to get vaccinated.”

By Bruce DePuyt and Brenda Wintrode

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update May 3

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Since Friday, Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 4 to 2,992.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 7.98%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 449,509, an increase of 520 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 20 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,605.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.69% (+0.05 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 45.96% of Marylanders and 34.23% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 31.97% and 26.61% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for 10 days and below 4% for six days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 7 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 953 people hospitalized — 688 in acute care and 265 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 30

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County had an additional death from COVID-19, bringing the county’s total to 54. The county’s COVID-19 cases increased by 11 to 2,988.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 7.54%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 447,401, an increase of 942 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 25 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,555.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.72% (-0.05 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 43.58% of Marylanders and 34.07% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 29.74% and 26.12% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for seven days and below 4% for three days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 38 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,042 people hospitalized — 773 in acute care and 269 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 29

by
Leave a Comment

The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Dorchester County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 6 to 2,977.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 7.24%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 446,459, an increase of 966 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 9 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,530.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 3.77% (-0.12 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 43.12% of Marylanders and 33.81% of Dorchester County residents; second dose rates are 29.08% and 25.86% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity has been below 5% for six days and below 4% for two days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 13 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,080 people hospitalized — 813 in acute care and 267 in intensive care.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Hogan Lifts Order Requiring Masks Outside; Limits on Outdoor Dining to End

by
Leave a Comment

Citing progress in the state’s vaccination campaign and a new set of federal guidelines, Marylanders will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) announced on Wednesday.

Restrictions on outdoor dining and bar service are also being lifted.

Hogan said he made the decision to lift the outdoor mask order, which he imposed last spring, after weighing COVID-19 guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.

He also consulted with state and federal health experts, “all of whom agree that the risk of transmission outdoors is very low, especially for those who’ve been vaccinated.”

The governor said the state’s vaccine supply is now “even” with demand, meaning that everyone who wants a shot can get one.

“We have plenty,” he told reporters at a news conference outside Government House.

Residents who are “on the fence” should heed the advice of public health professionals, who have consistently called the vaccines safe and effective, the governor said.

“If you’re an individual who does not intend to get vaccinated, we want to make sure that you understand that you are still in danger of hospitalization and death,” Hogan said. “Unvaccinated people — including younger people — are continuing to be hospitalized.”

The lifting of Maryland’s outdoor mask mandate took effect immediately.

Restrictions on outdoor dining and bar service end on May 1.

Counties that wish to keep an outdoor mask order in place or retain limits on restaurants and bars can do so, the governor acknowledged. But he said the time has come to move to “the next phase” in the fight against the virus.

“Everybody whose been vaccinated can no longer continue to be held back because of the few who are refusing to,” he said.

Face coverings will continue to be required for “large ticketed venues,” when visiting any business, and on public transportation.

The state will open its 13th mass vaccination site on Friday at the Mall in Columbia, Hogan said. But with supplies increasing and demand leveling off, he said the state will eventually begin to phase out the high-volume locations.

“We’re probably not going to have every day of the week. We’re probably not going to have the same hours. We’ll gradually wind them down until they’re no longer needed,” he said.

Maryland continues to grow the list of pharmacies and doctors’ offices offering the vaccine, as well as no-appointment-necessary opportunities.

Ed Singer, the health officer in Carroll County, called Hogan’s move “a pretty reasonable step” given the data.

“We’ve known since the beginning of this pandemic that anything that we do outdoors is safer than things that we’re doing indoors,” he said. “Most of the outbreaks that we’ve seen… have mostly had to do with close contacts inside.”

Singer, head of the Maryland Association of County Health Officers, was speaking only in his capacity as the health chief in Carroll County.

“The whole issue with transmission outside is, I think, relatively low risk,” he said.

Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) called Hogan’s move premature. He noted that few counties in Maryland have crossed the 50% vaccination threshold.

“The CDC says if you’re outdoors and cannot socially distance, you need to wear a mask if you haven’t been vaccinated,” he said. “There’s no reason not to be cautious on that.”

Elrich said his team will “probably” recommend to the County Council, which serves as the Board of Health, to keep current restrictions in place, despite Hogan’s order.

“You should wear a mask if you’re outdoor dining and you’re talking to people and you’re walking around,” he said. “[Going mask-less] is not a safe thing to do.”

Montgomery’s case count stands at 8 for every 100,000 people. Elrich said he built a large-county spreadsheet using New York Times data and found that Montgomery is the only jurisdiction with more than 750,000 residents that has a case-count that low.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny A. Olszewski Jr. (D) announced Wednesday evening that his jurisdiction will align with the state.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) said in a statement that he and his health team are reviewing the governor’s order.

“We would like to reiterate that the CDC’s guidance for not wearing a mask when outdoors under certain conditions specifically refers to fully vaccinated individuals, or those interacting with fully vaccinated individuals,” he wrote.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball (D) said in a statement that he too is “reviewing” the governor’s actions.

Hogan said he will greet vice president Kamala Harris when she visits the state’s mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday. Her visit, on the day following the president’s address to Congress, is expected to highlight the administration’s efforts to fight the pandemic and provide relief to families and businesses.

“I think it was picked because it’s a perfect example of a very well-run vaccination center,” Hogan said. “It’s part of our equity effort in Baltimore City and we’re cranking out a lot of vaccinations there. … We’re going to be proud to show it off to her.”

Scott (D) will also greet the vice president, according to an aide.

By Bruce DePuyt

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.