Annapolis, MD - Some people are saying that Governor Hogan acted too quickly when he removed capacity restrictions from restaurants, bars, and retail, and that I should have held restrictions in place longer here in our county. I’d have preferred for the state to wait a few more weeks myself, but despite the rising case rates, we’re in a much better place than we were in the fall.
Since the start of the pandemic I’ve watched closely the hospitalization projections and, as long as we continue to mask and distance, the projections today show declining covid hospitalizations - if we accelerate vaccinations.
Starting this week, that acceleration begins. The state increased doses to our Health Department from 3,400 to 4,400, and we expect that number to grow in the following weeks.
While we will continue to prioritize appointments for our most vulnerable residents, all of Maryland is opening vaccinations to Phase 2, starting this week with residents 60 and older, the following week to residents 16 and older with state-approved health conditions, on April 13 for residents 55 and older and essential workers in state-identified industries, and on April 27 to everyone 16 or older. I applaud Governor Hogan for setting these dates in advance so that providers and residents can plan their futures. Please, sign up for an appointment when it’s your turn.
Anne Arundel County and its private and nonprofit partners are ready. Bring us the vaccines, and we’ll get this done.
