Office of Health Strongly Advises Organizations and Public to Wear Face Masks Indoors

ANNAPOLIS, MD, December 20, 2021 — Because of to a sustained increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and outbreaks, the Anne Arundel County Department of Well being strongly advises that all persons 2 decades and more mature should really have on a mask in indoor general public areas and outdoor in crowded regions the place distancing is not possible. All firms must have to have that personnel and clients have on masks in indoor and out of doors options with the exception of things to do that can not get position although masked. Masks ought to be well fitting and address the nose and mouth. 

Over the earlier 3 months, COVID-19 hospitalizations at the two county hospitals, Anne Arundel Health-related Center and Baltimore Washington Health-related Heart, have far more than doubled to around 95 individuals and the amount carries on to rise. This has put excessive stress on our hospital techniques and health and fitness treatment industry experts and will direct to variations in support as outlined by the Governor’s order final week.

More than the past two weeks, outbreaks throughout all options in the county have greater by about two-thirds to about 80. Outbreaks are recorded in settings like schools, nursing homes, little one care facilities, assisted dwelling and other very similar configurations.

While situation rate info is unavailable over the previous two months owing to the point out IT troubles, all readily available indicators exhibit increasing spread of COVID-19 and an maximize in the severity of COVID-19.

We are moving into the coldest months when transmission of COVID-19 is best. The wintertime holiday seasons have been a source of greater distribute of COVID-19 previous calendar year and with no limits in put this year, is predicted to fuel distribute again. Better quantities of the Omicron variant are getting detected.

In addition to the masking advisory, the Office of Well being strongly suggests that everyone suitable get their COVID-19 vaccine or booster. For every the Centers for Disease Regulate and Avoidance knowledge, individuals who are unvaccinated are 14 moments additional possible to die of COVID-19 than these who are fully vaccinated and 20 occasions extra possible to die than all those who are entirely vaccinated and boosted.