Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan does not think his state needs to reimpose tighter coronavirus restrictions, despite recent upticks in case numbers.
The governor’s comment came on Tuesday after health officers from Maryland’s six most populous jurisdictions sent a letter urging his administration to consider scaling back reopening. On Wednesday, Baltimore’s mayor announced that the city would once again prohibit indoor dining at restaurants.
The state is currently in Phase 2 of reopening. Restaurants can seat patrons indoors and gyms, casinos and other businesses can open. After declining in June, the number of statewide coronavirus infections increased this month, particularly in the Baltimore region. Maryland recorded 925 new cases on Sunday, the highest number in a single day since late May.
The health officials who wrote the letter, addressed to deputy health secretary Fran Phillips, represent the hardest-hit jurisdictions in the state: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties, as well as Baltimore City. They warned that if state government did not respond to the increases, local governments were “prepared to act quickly to address these concerns.”
Besides Baltimore, no other jurisdictions have yet taken steps to roll back reopening.
In an interview Tuesday, the governor did not address the letter, but reiterated that he has given local leaders the authority to make decisions based on their unique situations.
“We set a floor and a set of standards,” Hogan said during a C-SPAN interview with former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “But if a local jurisdiction had a higher positivity [rate] … they could go slower.”
“Our goal would be to try to keep business open … unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said, adding later “My goal is to try to keep the economy safely open because the economic crisis is nearly as bad as—or just as bad as the health crisis.” Hogan said Maryland has been “aggressive” when it comes to mask-wearing, social distancing and testing. And said that if trends in the state’s data worsen, he will “take whatever actions are necessary” to respond.
Hogan acknowledged that while the number of cases in Maryland is climbing, “our positivity [rate] is not.” However, he did mention an “alarming” trend of infections among young people. The positive test rate for Maryland residents under 35 is roughly double that among people over 35.
Hogan has urged local health officials to crack down on restaurants that are not following health guidance. Prince George’s County also created a new ambassador program to seek out businesses that flout social distancing and other safety protocols.
In their letter, the health officials suggested the governor bar indoor service at restaurants, limit gatherings to 10 or 50 people and place restrictions on travel from coronavirus hot spots.
“We are writing to share our concerns regarding the recent increase in daily cases across the state and impact of the virus over the past week,” the letter states, “This has been evidenced throughout many of our jurisdictions by increased daily case totals, increased rates of transmission and increasing Covid related hospitalizations and critical care usage.”
Prince George’s County health officer, Dr. Ernest Carter, said in an emailed statement yesterday that, “While we are monitoring the situation very closely, Prince George’s County is not yet in a position to start rolling back current reopening measures.”
At a Wednesday press briefing, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said “the good news” about the data is that key metrics have largely plateaued. “But it continues to be an issue as long as we can’t bring the cases down.” Officials emphasize the need for individuals and businesses to comply with safety guidance.
“No one wants to have to do what Baltimore city has to do,” said Dr. Earl Stoddard, director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, “We’re trying to avoid that.”
