OCEAN CITY — There were mixed messages from Gov. Larry Hogan this week on the state’s COVID-19 recovery plans, which are on a “pause” as some key metrics continue to increase, but the biggest takeaway is an expansion of mandatory masking requirements.
Hogan on Wednesday held yet another press conference on the ongoing pandemic and the messages were all at once filled with cautious optimism and grave concern. Perhaps the biggest takeaway on Wednesday was an expansion of mask and face-covering requirements that have been in place since April.
Back in April, Hogan implemented an executive order requiring the wearing of masks in all indoor spaces such as retail stores, grocery stores and the like. On Wednesday, he amended that executive order to include the inside of all buildings with public access and outdoors in all public places where it is not possible to achieve social distancing.
Locally, the most obvious place affected by the change is the Boardwalk, where most have been wearing masks inside stores and amusements, for example, but the majority are not wearing masks while walking outdoors along the famed promenade. Hogan’s amended executive order on the surface appears to include the Boardwalk because social distancing is not often possible in the height of the summer season.
In response, the Mayor and Council are expected to meet on Friday to discuss the new declaration requiring mask-wearing in outdoor public areas and are expected to enact an emergency ordinance making a violation of the governor’s new order a municipal infraction.
The Boardwalk is just example of an outdoor public area where the wearing of a mask will now be required. Presumably, the same rules will apply next week at the White Marlin Open’s new public outdoor venue at the park along the bay at 3rd Street, and likely in open public areas during the OC Air Show the following weekend. It’s also safe to say masks will be required at some of the town’s outdoor public special events such as the concerts at Sunset Park or Sundaes in the Park, for example, among others.
The governor on Wednesday also issued a public health advisory urging Marylanders not to travel to nine states where COVID-19 cases continue to spike. In Maryland, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has been increasing steadily each day over the last couple of weeks, but that was expected with an increase in testing. However, the state’s numbers in certain key metrics such as the number of hospitalizations and the number of patients in ICU or acute care continue to nudge upward. Hogan said on Wednesday some of that data is cause for alarm, putting Maryland at a critical turning point in its recovery plan.
“We find ourselves at a fork in the road, a critical turning point where we can either continue making progress and continue heading in the right direction, or we could ignore the warnings and spike back up like much of the rest of the country,” he said. “We are doing much better on our health metrics than most of the rest of the country and we want to do what it takes to keep it that way. We have come too far together to lose the progress that we have made on the road to health and economic recovery here in Maryland.”
Hogan said his coronavirus task force and recovery team continues closely monitor the number of new hospitalizations.
“We’re concerned and are closely monitoring hospitalizations,” he said. “We’ve seen a 28% increase in the last two weeks. It’s far lower than it was back in the spring, but it’s still concerning that we’re seeing this rise. The uptick in acute care beds is largely in young people, which is concerning. They are sick enough to go in the hospital, but not suffering the same severe symptoms as those older, more vulnerable patients we were seeing in the spring. It’s troubling nonetheless.”
The increase in the number of hospitalizations is significant enough for the governor to pump the brakes on the state’s steady recovery plan.
“This level of hospitalization is enough, however, to a trigger a stop sign calling for a pause in further reopening plans,” he said. “We have been fully open in all phase two activities since June 19. We will remain paused at this point and not move into phase three openings until it is safe and prudent and thoroughly backed by the data to move forward.”
While Maryland will remain right where it is in the long-term phased recovery and there are no immediate plans to take a step backward, Hogan did say he would take the appropriate action if the key numbers continue to trend in the wrong direction.
“I have always said I would not hesitate to take action as we’ve done through this pandemic if and when we deem them to be necessary,” he said. We’re trying to do everything we can to keep Maryland open for business in a safe way, but we will take the appropriate action if it becomes necessary.”
If it becomes necessary to address concerning increases in the numbers, Hogan suggested any changes in the directives would not likely be a blanketed, one-size-fits-all approach.
“Instead of shutting down a county or even one type of business, we can often take a targeted action to stop the spread,” he said. “It’s the difference between using a scalpel and a sledgehammer.”
As far as expanding mask requirements, Hogan said it has proven to be the single most effective tool in the COVID fighting tool box.
“While it can be an inconvenience, especially in the heat, wearing a mask is the single best mitigation strategy we have,” he said. “If you do nothing else, wearing a mask alone will help us significantly slow the spread of this virus and help us continue on the road to health and economic recovery.”
Perhaps the most important metric monitored by state officials is the testing positivity rate. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) target is 5% and almost every county in Maryland remains under that threshold. Interestingly, Worcester County led the way with the highest positivity rate a little over a week ago, but the county’s number is now safely back under the threshold. The number of new cases in Worcester continues to increase almost daily, but again, that is likely due to increased testing.
“Nine days ago, Worcester County had the highest positivity rate in the state at 7.26%,” said Hogan. “It’s now down to 4.55%. That’s a 37% drop.”
Hogan said advanced contact tracing has allowed the state’s COVID recovery team to better identify trends in the types of situations that are generating the most new cases. The presumption, fairly or not, has been new cases are being generated from people congregating in restaurants and bars and other areas where unrelated people tend to gather.
Surprisingly, however, the highest-risk situation identified through contract tracing is family gatherings at 44%. Hogan said that trend is somewhat alarming because the presumption has been it is safer to stay at home surrounded by people one knows rather than out among the public.
“For most of us, there is a false sense of security when your spending time with family and friends, especially at home at a backyard barbeque,” he said. “I’m guilty of this. Just because you haven’t gone out or participated in a high-risk activity doesn’t mean you’re safe. Some people are saying they’re not going out, but they rent a beach house with 20 family members and stay home and they’re still spreading the virus.”
