Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a 30-day state of emergency to take short-term actions to support overwhelmed hospitals and mobilized 1,000 National Guard members as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in the state.
Mr. Hogan signed an executive order Jan. 4 authorizing the secretary of the Maryland Department of Health to regulate hospital personnel, bed space and supplies. A second executive order signed by Mr. Hogan authorizes additional steps to further increase the state’s emergency medical services workforce.
Approximately 250 National Guard members will be deployed to testing sites across the state, with additional members being assigned to support two new state-run sites The National Guard will also assist in opening 20 testing sites outside of hospitals across the state.
Mr. Hogan also authorized COVID-19 booster shots for 12- to 15-year-olds and called on the Biden administration to increase the distribution of monoclonal antibodies.
State data updated Jan. 4 shows 3,057 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Maryland, an increase of more than 500 percent in the last seven weeks. Mr. Hogan said the latest projections show hospitalizations could reach more than 5,000, which is more than 250 percent higher than the previous peak.