ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The day after announcing his own positive COVID test, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan held a virtual news conference from his home to discuss how the state is continuing to fight COVID-19 amid recent case surges. The governor announced that Maryland's key health metrics are all trending in the wrong direction, including a sharp increase in hospitalizations.
The state is reporting a double-digit positivity rate -- 11.6% -- for the first time in 2021 and hospitalization numbers are the highest reported since early February 2021, before vaccines were widely available.
"Most concerning, hospitalizations are now up to 1,392, which is an increase of more than 180% in the last month," Gov. Hogan said. "Our projections now show that we could reach levels of COVID hospitalizations in Maryland, possibly over 2,000."
Hogan noted that the peak is expected in mid-late January, and could coincide with the peak of flu season. In order to prepare, the state's key health agencies established a Surge Operation Center to manage bed capacity.
"If and when we surpass 1,500 COVID hospitalizations, hospitals will immediately implement their pandemic plans," Hogan said.
The state also committed an additional $100 million in emergency funding to address staffing needs at hospitals and nursing homes, as well as expanding the availability of COVID testing treatments and vaccines. School systems will also be given $30 million to purchase tests before students come back to class after the holidays.
"We also need the federal government to step up and do whatever it takes, including invoking the Defense Production Act to dramatically expand the availability of testing to the American people," Hogan said. "Every American who wants a test should be able to get a test."
In a speech on Tuesday regarding his winter COVID-19 plan, President Joe Biden announced the purchase of 500 million rapid tests that will be shipped for free to Americans in January, increased support for hospitals under strain and a redoubling of vaccination and boosting efforts.
The CDC reported Monday that omicron was officially the most dominant COVID variant in the U.S. In Maryland, health data shows the variant comprises nearly 40% of the sequence cases currently, with the numbers increasing very quickly.
"What we know of the Omicron variant so far is that it can be spread even more easily than the Delta variant, as shown by how quickly it has increased in both the United States and here in Maryland, over just the past two weeks," said Deputy Secretary Dr. Jinlene Chan. "These vaccines, especially with a booster dose appear to be effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalizations, which is our primary goal."
Notably, the governor did not institute any major changes to state-wide COVID policies, such as an indoor mask mandate, like neighboring D.C.
"This is not March of 2020," Hogan said. "We have the tools and resources in place to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. … Just as we have withstood these surges before, we will do so again by remaining Maryland Strong.”