Maryland is rolling out a COVID education and enforcement task force to monitor nightlife hotspots around the state this Thanksgiving holiday.

Gov. Larry Hogan says he’s concerned that people may let their guard down as they gather with friends and family. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for young people to gather to catch up with old friends, he said.

Starting Wednesday night, State Police will work with local officials to monitor popular nightlife destinations to make sure everyone is following COVID safety protocols. These efforts will continue throughout the holiday season.

“We cannot afford to undo all of the progress that we have made together in this war against the virus,” Hogan said during a Monday press conference.

The compliance units will go to popular nighttime spots in Bel Air, Towson, Salisbury, Silver Spring, Baltimore City and to other places around the state.

“State troopers will support local authorities with compliance checks, with a focus on educating the public about existing orders, protocols and priorities to prevent super-spreading events and to insist on enforcement compliance when actions are necessary,” Hogan said.

Hogan said those who violate the public health orders are “not only willfully endangering themselves, but their family, friends, and neighbors as well.”

Most people are following restrictions and doing their part, but as COVID fatigue has set in, “some individuals and businesses have unfortunately started to become more lax at the very worst part of the pandemic,” he said.

Last week, the governor introduced a series of new restrictions amid the surging pandemic that includes bar and restaurant closures at 10 p.m. Inspectors found that compliance with public health protocols drops dramatically later in the evening.

The state has also set up a hotline and email address to report violations. The COVID Prevention Hotline can be reached by calling 833-979-2266 or by emailing Prevent.Covid@maryland.gov.

On Wednesday evening, Marylanders will also get a push notification to their cell phones reminding them of the coronavirus rules and urging them to stay home for the holiday.

Hogan says it’s only the second time his administration has used the emergency alert system.

The news comes as the state has seen a precipitous rise in cases. It recorded nearly 2,900 cases a day on Nov. 19 and Nov. 21 and has consistently been above 2,000 cases a day for the past week. The state had less than 1,000 cases daily in October.

Some hospitals in western Maryland are already at capacity and 29 other hospitals are at more than 90% capacity.

Maryland’s statewide seven-day positivity rate stands at 6.88%.