Baltimore County is once again under a local state of emergency in response to increasing COVID-19 case rates, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. announced on Tuesday, citing the rise of the Delta variant.
Since July 30, Baltimore County’s seven-day average case rate has increased by 376%, county officials said.
“Government has an obligation to do all we can to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our residents, Olszewski said in a statement. “While we’ve made undeniable progress in our fight against this deadly virus, the rapid emergence of the Delta variant has made it clear that we need access to every tool in our toolbox to be able to respond to it.”
The new state of emergency will allow Baltimore County government to more quickly implement emergency public health measures, request support from state and federal governments, and procure materials for protecting public health, county officials said.
Baltimore County Public Schools is already requiring students, staff and visitors to wear face masks in school buildings this fall. The school system is also requiring employees to provide proof that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly for coronavirus.
“We remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to keep our residents as safe as possible and to ensure that when our children go back to school next week they can remain where they belong: inside the classroom,” Olszewski said.
As of Tuesday, 74% of Baltimore County residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. However, no COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized yet for children under 12.
Baltimore County is currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission of coronavirus, alongside six other local jurisdictions in Maryland. The remaining 17 Maryland jurisdictions are experiencing high transmission levels, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The CDC has recommended that all people, regardless of vaccination status, should wear a face mask while indoors in areas of the country with substantial or high levels of COVID-19 transmission.
Baltimore County is requiring masks inside county buildings and schools, but has not issued any wider mandates.
Gov. Larry Hogan last week said he did not have plans at that time to reinstate a statewide mask order.
Olszewski previously declared a state of emergency for Baltimore County on March 13, 2020, which ended July 9, 2021.
The Baltimore County Council will vote on whether to continue the county’s new state of emergency beyond Aug. 31.
Baltimore County Council Chairman Julian Jones said he will convene an emergency council meeting within the next week to extend the county’s state of emergency, and he is “certain” that his fellow council members will vote in favor of that extension.
“Despite our best efforts to combat COVID-19 and vaccinate our residents, the continued spread of the Delta variant is deeply concerning and I applaud the County Executive’s leadership in declaring this local state of emergency,” Jones said in a statement.
County officials are encouraging residents to “take the proper precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
Residents who have not yet been vaccinated can find a nearby COVID-19 vaccine clinic by visiting baltimorecountymd.gov/vaccine or by contacting their local urgent care facility, pharmacy, or primary care provider.
