By Sharif Hodges
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Gov. Larry Hogan has issued an order renewing the COVID-19 State of Emergency in Maryland.
“While Maryland’s positivity and case rates remain lower than most states in America, we are closely monitoring increases in some of our key health metrics as well as rising numbers in states across the country,” Hogan said.
Hogan also joined the nation’s governors in a teleconference with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The group discussed ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and vaccine development and distribution. This comes after last week when Hogan released Maryland’s COVID-19 mass vaccination plan.
Hogan additionally released a statement Friday stressing the importance of following public health guidance. Some of the main steps were avoiding direct contact with trick-or-treaters, washing hands before handling treats, wearing a mask, and keeping a distance of six feet.
Hogan’s announcement comes as the Maryland Department of Health extended hours at the state’s Six Flags America high-volume testing site.
Marylanders were encouraged by state officials to get tested for coronavirus at one of more than 220 testing sites across the state.
“I want to remind Marylanders that the only way to keep our state open for business is to avoid traveling to hotspots and continue following the public health guidelines. We cannot let our guard down, and we must remain vigilant,” Hogan said.