ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As hospitals across the country and in the region struggle with an increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus cases, Governor Larry Hogan announced Friday a series of mitigation efforts, along with preparedness efforts for potential fall and winter COVID-19 and flu surges in Maryland.
“After meeting with our multi-agency public health task force yesterday and reviewing all of the data, I am announcing these steps to give our hospitals more tools to expand bed capacity for pediatric patients,” said Governor Hogan. “We also continue to encourage Marylanders to be COVIDReady, so that we remain one of the most vaccinated and boosted states, and stay ahead of the virus.”
In his statement Friday, Hogan directed hospitals to use the $25 million in additional state funding to prioritize pediatric ICU staffing.
Other measures Maryland has taken to protect residents' health:
- On October 14, the Maryland Department of Health announced $80 million in additional funding for healthcare providers across the state. Officials say hospitals will receive $25 million and have been directed in award letters issued Friday to utilize these resources to increase the hiring and recruitment of staff. For facilities with pediatric ICU and/or inpatient beds, officials say awards should prioritize staffing those units appropriately before considering other non-pediatric units.
- To help mitigate an increase in hospitalizations, particularly among children, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) will expand its Critical Care Coordination Center capability to include pediatric surge operations. Officials say this will optimize existing capacity, increase statewide capacity of pediatric ICU beds, and facilitate the transfer of pediatric patients to available beds in Maryland hospitals and Children’s National Medical Center in D.C.
- State officials further expanded COVIDReady Maryland, the state's long-term preparedness plan, by adding the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster shot for residents five years old and older. Also, adults now have the option of receiving a Novavax monovalent booster if they have not previously received a booster and if they cannot or will not receive mRNA vaccines.
Currently, more than 710,000 Maryland residents have gotten their COVID-19 bivalent booster shot, further protecting them from severe illness, hospitalizations and death.
As the state continues to see flu-related hospitalizations increase, health officials encourage residents to get their COVID-19 and flu shots simultaneously.
Beginning next week, state health officials will launch a new "Flooster" campaign on social media, television and radio to amplify this message.
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