Governor Larry Hogan:
- Pandemic surge plans start when the state reaches 1,500 COVID patients
- 100 million last month in increased funding for urgent staff needs in hospitals
- State health officials now requiring all nursing homes experiencing outbreaks to provide therapeutic treatments
- Proclamation declaring 30-day state of emergency to take short-term actions against COVID
- Two new executive orders:
- One gives Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Secretary the ability to regulate hospital personnel, bed space, and supplies
- Allows MDH to establish alternate care facilities to address issues and staff shortages
- Allows interstate reciprocity for healthcare licenses
- Allows inactive healthcare providers to practice without needing reinstatement
- Allows graduate nurses to work at any healthcare facility
- Allows for healthcare practitioners to practice outside scope of licenses
- Rescheduling elective procedures
- Second order authorizes further steps to augment workforces
- Mobilizing 1000 members of the Maryland National Guard
- 250 deployed to support COVID testing sites
- Opened two new testing sites last week, where National Guard will be deployed
- One gives Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Secretary the ability to regulate hospital personnel, bed space, and supplies
- 20 more sites opening this week outside hospitals to divert COVID testing patients from emergency rooms
- Get FULLY VACCINATED and GET A BOOSTER SHOT
- Facts by the numbers:
- In 2021, nearly 75% of people who tested positive for COVID were not fully vaccinated
- Nearly 84% of all COVID hospitalizations for the year were not fully vaccinated
- More than 84% of COVID deaths were not fully vaccinated
- Maryland is now able to provide boosters for Marylanders ages 12-15
- Urging federal officials to shorten time frame between initial vaccinations and booster shots
- 92% of Maryland adults are vaccinated
- 33% of 5-11 year-olds are vaccinated in MD
- We want to keep schools open – get your children vaccinated
- Face coverings now required in all state government buildings
- State providing 2 hours of paid leave for state employees to get boosted
- Strongly encouraging masks indoors – one of the best mitigation strategies we have
- New Omicron surge is making it important for Marylanders to use common sense
- “Wear the damn mask”
- Calling on Biden administration to expedite testing kits and COVID pills
Major General Tim Gowan:
- Operational update on deployment of National Guard across the State
- Activating 1000 soldiers and airmen
- COVID testing, hospital assistance, and non-life-threatening patient transport
- Vaccine Equity Taskforce will increase efforts into vaccinating Marylanders
Dr. Ted Delbridge, Executive Director at Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems
- 3006 adults and children in Maryland hospitals with COVID
- More than 600 patients waiting in ERs to get a bed
- Being asked for guidance and care that could come from other sites
- Yellow alert — requesting that EMTs and paramedics take patients elsewhere, but all ERs are requesting no new patients
- Less availability of EMS resources and longer response times for all emergency services
- Hospitals postponing elective and non-urgent procedures
- Redeploying staff and redesignating treatment rooms and areas for new patients
- Intensive care patients being moved to places that can take care of them more effectively
- Moving to engage all in the healthcare system — including students — to work as interns/externs in hospitals and care settings
- If you have been vaccinated and it’s been 5 months, get your booster
- Vaccinations are like wearing a seatbelt — it will prevent a fatality and is a common-sense safety measure
- More than 10x more likely to be hospitalized if you’re not vaccinated
- Seek non-urgent care at a clinic or primary care provider, not the ER
- Use telehealth resources to take care of yourself if you test positive
- If you’re sick, STAY HOME.
- GET VACCINATED.
