Governor Hogan Orders Tighter Restrictions On State Employees, Calls For More Residents To Get Vaccinated

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — With the Delta variant of COVID-19 causing cases and hospitalizations to increase, Gov. Larry Hogan connected Thursday ordered that authorities employees moving successful congregate surviving facilities indispensable amusement impervious of vaccination by Sept. 1.

The bid applies to workers astatine the Department of Health, Department of Juvenile Services, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and Department of Veterans Affairs.

“If they are incapable to bash so, they volition beryllium required to adhere to strict face-covering requirements and volition beryllium required to taxable to regular ongoing COVID testing,” Hogan said, adding that immoderate mendacious documents would pb to punishment.

The governor besides called connected the backstage operators of 227 nursing homes successful Maryland to instrumentality akin steps.

While Hogan’s bid came minutes aft Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott instated an indoor disguise mandate successful the city, the politician did not marque immoderate akin requirements for the full state, though helium did enactment businesses, section schoolhouse systems, childcare centers, and younker camps tin acceptable their ain guidelines.

Instead, helium urged Marylanders who person not been vaccinated to get the shot, dismissing “misinformation oregon conspiracy theories” astir the effectiveness of the vaccine against COVID-19.

“There is thing much effectual astatine redeeming lives and keeping radical retired of the infirmary than the vaccines, which are doing precisely what they were designed to do, which is preventing superior illness, hospitalizations and death,” helium said.

About 78 percent of the state’s big colonisation is vaccinated, helium said. Of the 337 residents presently hospitalized with COVID-19, lone 0.01% of patients are vaccinated, helium said.

Since January, 3,836 radical who person received the changeable person tested affirmative for COVID-19, oregon little than 0.12% of the 3.2 cardinal Marylanders who are afloat vaccinated, said Dr. Jinlene Chan, lawman caput of the Maryland Department of Health.

Of those, 454 radical person been hospitalized, oregon astir 3.6% of each hospitalizations since January.

Dr. Ted Delbridge, enforcement manager of Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, said authorities aesculapian centers were stretched bladed successful January, erstwhile determination were arsenic galore arsenic 1,900 radical hospitalized with COVID.

Noting that the adjacent mates weeks volition beryllium crucial, Delbridge said the vaccine is the champion instrumentality to forestall much accent trial of the healthcare system, noting that doctors and nurses request to recuperate.

“We whitethorn beryllium bushed from wearing masks. They’re worn retired from giving overmuch much than 100 percent for truthful agelong and request a break,” helium said. “Nevertheless, we are assured successful the ingenuity and resilience of our healthcare strategy to conscionable the challenges we face.”

Hogan pointed to nationalist quality stories of sick patients who person pleaded for the vaccine aft being hospitalized. By that point, it’s excessively late.

“So, please, conscionable get the damn vaccine,” helium said.

Anyone wishing to publication an assignment tin telephone 1-855-MD-GOVAX oregon visit covidvax.maryland.gov.