Some local entities, such as Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel counties, have reinstated indoor mask requirements within the past month. 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. When asked at the press conference if he plans to issue an executive order making mask-wearing optional in public schools an action taken by Gov. Shwe also wrote for The Daily Princetonian, and tutored with the Petey Greene Program, which offers free tutoring to incarcerated people. Anna Gawel | agawel@wtop.com. Maryland is now reporting the lowest COVID-19 case rate of any state, according to figures presented by Hogans office. The decision gives local school districts the power to decide whether to 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. Citing improved COVID-19 health metrics and high vaccination rates, Gov. In response, the school board said it was watching with optimism as Covid-19 metrics improve in the State, and pointed to previously adopted offramps to masking requirements, which include lifting the requirement based on high vaccination rates in school systems and their surrounding counties, or based on moderate or low transmission of the virus. Its important to say that he talked about the things he can do, and what the fed needs to be doing, and thats appropriate, he said. In schools, masking is now only recommended in counties with a high risk of infection, according to the CDC. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. For now, mask requirements will remain inside all Baltimore County government offices and facilities, including all county library locations. Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties in Maryland are lifting their mask mandates in the wake of improving COVID-19 metrics. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. "Even if you've been exposed to COVID or you got vaccinated, you still need that ongoing protection.". However, the governor reintroduced a measure specifically for state buildings in early January amid the early omicron surge. Hogan issues executive orders to fight COVID surge, stops short of mask, vaccine mandates By Hallie Miller and Bryn Stole Baltimore Sun Jan 04, Gov. "We tell the kids to wear the masks all the time. Balls decision came in consultation with local health and business leaders. That is down from the peak around Jan. 11, when the state had 3,400 coronavirus patients in its hospitals. In her Thursday night tweets, Walensky said community infection rates will determine when and where extra precautions such as mask wearing and testing should be targeted. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. If Hogan wont touch mandates, local executives and jurisdiction leaders can step in, Wen said, by implementing vaccination requirements to enter businesses, attend concerts and athletic events, eat in restaurants and work out in gyms. The Anne Arundel County Health Department announced that its indoor mask requirement expired Monday, Jan. 31, while Baltimore Countys government announced its mandate would end Tuesday, Feb. 1. 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. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas As of Feb. 22, 2022, the state of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Montgomery County will no longer require masks in government buildings. Leaders in Maryland have been lifting mask mandates in recent weeks by jurisdiction as infections decline. Hogans decision to not require masks statewide is a political calculation that assesses what damage a mandate could have on his standing with constituents, as well as what the public will reasonably tolerate, said Dr. Chris Beyrer, an epidemiologist and the Desmond M. Tutu professor of public health and human rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. On Monday, the federal mask mandate for public transportation was overturned by a federal judge. As of Feb. 22, 2022, the state of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Montgomery County will no longer require masks in government buildings. I think it was a thoughtful series of regulations that were put forward, and the General Assembly approved those [regulations] and I suspect they will remain in place until we see something else from the board, Ferguson said. Lees announcement at a news briefing Tuesday came a day after neighboring Macao eased its mask rule and brings the financial hub closer to life in pre-pandemic days. Our emergency departments cant be so overwhelmed that patients with emergent issues have to wait in line.. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. The governor, who recently recovered from COVID-19, said his case felt like a pretty bad cold., Thats because I was fully vaccinated and boosted, he said. In December, the State Board of Education approved a new emergency regulation that created off-ramps to the mask mandate that had been in place since the beginning of the school year. LOTE EN VA PARQUE SIQUIMAN A 2 CUADRAS DE LAGO SAN ROQUE. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Larry Hogan implemented a temporary state of emergency Tuesday as well as other executive orders designed to give the state government more powers and tools to combat the health crisis. Meanwhile, in Harford County masks are no longer required inside government buildings. That mandate expired in May. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. ET. The call to end mask mandates in schools comes after the decline of the coronavirus omicron variant. 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. The Republican governor, however, did not implement statewide indoor mask or vaccination mandates, steps that public health experts and medical professionals say would curb the spread of the coronavirus in a state where more than 1 out of every 25 Marylanders has been infected since the beginning of December. Baltimore County plans to lift the indoor mask mandate requirement and end required COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated employees, effective Feb. 28. This article was written by WTOPs news partners atMaryland Mattersand republished with permission. The Maryland Department of Health reported 416 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the most since May 22. 5425 Wisconsin Ave HONG KONG (AP) Hong Kong will lift its mask mandate on Wednesday, ending the citys last major restriction imposed. Looking for more information? She said the city is monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's transmission designation to determine whether to re-institute a local mask order. Larry Hogan announced Monday. "This framework moves beyond looking just at cases & test positivity to evaluate factors that reflect severity of disease, including hospitalizations & hospital capacity," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday. Ariana Kelly was back in Annapolis on Monday, but in a different seat in the State House. All rights reserved. Maryland Health Officials Recommend Masks Indoors Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases May 11, 2022 / 4:22 PM / CBS Baltimore BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Local health 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. All rights reserved. I tell folks, look, hes not going to do anything, so we should assume hes not going to do anything. Nonprofit. "Certainly, cases are increasing and we don't want to see that. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. This requirement should include booster shots, which are helping reduce transmission and severe illness, she said. All residents are encouraged to continue taking precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Previous to hiscurrent role,he covered federal government management and technology as the news editor at Nextgov.com, part of Government Executive Media Group. TGT earnings call for the period ending December 31, 2022. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Japanese government has said it will ease mask-wearing guidelines on 13 March, recommending masks only on trains and buses during rush hour, or where public transportation is particularly congested. The Maryland State Board of Education decided Tuesday to lift its mandate around face coverings in schools. "In this year and the coming year, we will go all out for the economy and development at full speed.". Larry Hogan is asking the State Board of Education to toss out its school masking policy. Asian markets gain as Hong Kong lifts mask mandate, One of the world's last cities with a mask mandate plans to drop it, Hong Kong lifts mandatory masking from March 1. But some remain - primary and secondary school students still need to test daily for Covid, although some reports say this measure could be lifted later this month. Visit the SUBSCRIBE page to sign up for our morning newsletter. House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore) said that she trusts the State Department of Education and local school systems to make decisions based on public health data to keep students and staff safe. Hopkins Beyrer said such steps should provide some relief to hospitals. ELLICOTT CITY Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today signed an executive order requiring masks be worn indoors in all businesses and facilities open to the public, as well as public transportation, in Howard County. In Baltimore County, indoor mask requirements ended February 1, with their State of Emergency set to expire on February 7. A A Maryland Gov. Hogan lifted the statewide indoor mask mandate in May 2021, which required masks in all businesses, stores and restaurants. He and Dr. Dzirasa each urged people to get vaccinated and boosted to provide ongoing protection against COVID-19. Citing a 243% increase in cases over the past month, strongly urging mask usage in indoor public places, Dr. Dzirasa urged residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces. The statewide mask mandate has The board has vowed to make a decision about masks in schools based on the metrics that health officials deem acceptable with regards to removing school mask mandates. The emergency regulation does provide research-based off-ramps for local school systems and schools based on vaccination and transmission rates.. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, watching with optimism as Covid-19 metrics improve in the State, lifted the statewide indoor mask mandate in May 2021, reintroduced a measure specifically for state buildings in early January, remains on track to lift its indoor mask mandate Feb. 21, Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Latest 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. Baltimore officials said that since Jan. 3, the countys positivity rate has decreased by nearly 80%, while COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen by nearly 50% since Jan. 11. ", First published on February 21, 2022 / 10:50 PM. Marylands mask mandate for workers and visitors in state buildings will be lifted next week, Gov. She is a 2020 graduate of Princeton University with a degree in political science. Advocates call for expanding social safety net, Md. In Maryland, 459 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 89 in the intensive care unit, the Maryland Department of Health reported Friday. Larry Hogan announced that effective Feb. 22, masks are no longer required for employees and visitors in state buildings. Hogan, a Republican, made his request on Thursday in a letter to Clarence Crawford, president of the Maryland State Board of Education. Before Wednesday, people living in Hong Kong had to wear a mask in any public area. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health said it will continue to recommend masking and encourage vaccination and testing, while we advance treatment efforts, namely the newly available oral medications for COVID.. Harford County votes to end mask mandate, effective March 1. The Maryland State Board of Education voted Feb. 22 to lift the mandate to require masks in schools. People stand in line for over two hours to get a COVID test at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air on Tuesday. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Counties around Maryland have their own mask mandates, many of which are lifting as well. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. Hes leaving it more to the counties to make decisions about other kinds of mandates, but this virus does not respect county boundaries or state boundaries, Beyrer said. 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. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Based on the latest guidance from the federal health officials, the use of masks and face coverings will be optional for all persons in Baltimore City Public Schools campuses beginning Monday, March 14, 2022. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend wearing masks on public transportation. Citing a 243% increase in cases over the past month, Dr. Dzirasa urged residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces. BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- By a vote of 12-2, the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday voted to rescind its mask mandate in schools, returning the decision to local districts. In a statement earlier this week, Rakowski said the board will continue its practice of reviewing current COVID-19 metrics to assess the need for continuing the regulation. Updated February 28, 2023 at 9:36 AM ET. The city's gross domestic product fell by 3.5% last year. 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. Coronavirus infection rates in Maryland are declining, in line with national trends. Hes going to punt to us and when it goes wrong, hell blame us. We are strongly encouraged by the progress weve seen in recent days and remain cautiously optimistic that we will continue to emerge from this omicron wave, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewskisaid in a news release. Harford and Carroll Counties have already dropped the mandates. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And, those who are in contact with them as well," Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said. 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. Meanwhile, the states hospitals are overwhelmed, said Dr. Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Systems, which transports and matches patients to the right providers during emergencies. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. Starting February 22, 2022, a new According to the CDC, as of Monday, Baltimore's transmission rate is still "substantial.". The new framework from the CDC categorizes communities by low, medium or high risk as far as COVID-19 levels. The Baltimore County Council will hold a vote to consider continuation of the Countys state of emergency beyond Monday, January 3, 2022 at the Council meeting scheduled for Monday, January 3. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). Vaccinated, you agree to our consultation with local health and business leaders tell! 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