Maryland Institutes Stricter Vaccine Protocols For Workers At Nursing Homes, Hospitals

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Gov. Larry Hogan connected Wednesday announced the Maryland Department of Health has instituted caller vaccination protocols astatine the state’s hospitals and nursing homes requiring that unit supply impervious of vaccination against COVID-19.

Workers astatine hospitals and nursing homes volition beryllium required to get their archetypal vaccine changeable by Sept. 1. Any idiosyncratic who doesn’t person impervious of vaccination volition beryllium submitted to regular investigating and screening.

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🚨 Maryland is present mandating vaccines oregon regular investigating for infirmary and nursing location staff. Here is the caller bid from Governor Hogan https://t.co/l5XA8IhvBs @wjz

— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) August 18, 2021

Facilities that don’t comply volition look higher penalties and fines and tougher enforcement actions, helium said.

While astatine slightest 18 nursing homes person unit vaccination rates astatine 95% oregon higher, determination were immoderate wherever less than fractional of workers and caretakers person received the shot, Hogan said, “which is unacceptable and which is endangering the lives of nursing location residents.”

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Hogan expressed interest that the much contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 could pb to much outbreaks astatine nursing homes successful the state.

While galore of the state’s largest aesculapian systems, specified arsenic Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland Medical System, MedStar and GBMC Healthcare, person already required employees to get the shot, not each hospitals successful the authorities person a vaccination policy, Hogan said.

“And immoderate proceed to person acold excessively galore unvaccinated healthcare workers needlessly exposing their susceptible patients and hospitals to COVID-19 and the Delta variant,” helium said. “Eight afloat months aft vaccines person been disposable to healthcare workers, this is simply not acceptable.”

Across Maryland, 94% of seniors person been vaccinated, compared with 79.5% of eligible adults overall, Hogan said.

Maryland reported 1,012 caller COVID-19 cases and 8 caller deaths connected Wednesday morning–the 3rd clip the authorities has surpassed 1,000 cases successful the period of August.

The state’s positivity complaint is present astatine 4.92%, according to wellness section data.

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More than 3.6 cardinal Maryland adults are afloat vaccinated.

CBS Baltimore Staff