ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Urging people to “just get the damn vaccine,” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced new vaccination requirements for state employees who work in congregant settings with the vulnerable on Thursday — or else face strict face-covering requirements and regular COVID-19 testing.
The Republican governor said the requirements, which will go into effect Sept. 1, will apply to state employees who work in 48 different state facilities. They include 11 state health care facilities and 12 facilities under the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. They also include six detention centers and 18 correctional facilities, as well as the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.
“The state employees who work in these congregant settings will be required to show proof of vaccination,” the governor said. “If they are unable to do so, they will be required to adhere to strict face-covering requirements and will be required to submit to regular ongoing COVID testing.”
Hogan said the actions were being taken to protect the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
“The state will lead by example with our own employees who are working in congregant facilities, but today we are also strongly urging the private operators of the state’s 227 nursing homes to institute similar vaccination requirements for their employees, just as the state’s major hospital systems have already done,” Hogan said.
While data does not show infections among nursing residents increasing, Hogan said Maryland is seeing “an uptick in unvaccinated staff member infections.”
The governor pointed that since May, when Maryland’s statewide mask mandate was lifted, the health department has strongly recommended unvaccinated people wear face coverings indoors and in situations where distancing can’t be maintained. He also noted that businesses and other workplaces across the state are able to set their own policies.
“The state is not imposing any new restrictions or mandates at this time,” Hogan said. “Mask mandates or shutdowns will not be able to eradicate the threat of the virus or this delta variant.”
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been rising, as nearly all of the state’s cases now are comprised of the delta variant. Maryland reported 729 new cases on Thursday and 12 more hospitalizations, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients to 337.
Hogan underscored that Maryland remains at very low levels of hospitalizations “and well within our capacities.”
However, the governor repeatedly emphasized the importance of people getting vaccinated to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death. He said less than 0.01% of fully vaccinated Maryland residents have been hospitalized, and less than 0.001% of the fully vaccinated have died.
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