As COVID-19 numbers drop in Md., officials boost continued mask-wearing

Maryland may look like it’s turning the corner of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Thursday that residents need to stay vigilant.

“This crisis is still not behind us,” even though safety restrictions are being lifted and key metrics of the pandemic continue to go down, Hogan said in the statement.

Toward that end, the Maryland Department of Health is launching a social media campaign designed to remind people of the importance of continuing to wear masks.

The #MasksOnMaryland campaign will feature posts and graphics with instructions on where to wear them and how to wear them correctly, as well as instructions on how to make your own.

“We’ve made great progress, but we need to remember we’re not out of the woods yet,” said Health Secretary Robert R. Neall in the department’s own statement. “All Marylanders must continue to exercise responsibility for themselves and each other by doing everything we can to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

The percentage of positive tests in Maryland reached a one-day low of 4.38%, while the rolling seven-day average is at 5.05%, Hogan said in his statement.

Currently, 511 Marylanders are in hospitals, the fewest in 83 days, he added.

Still, Hogan said, “Our health and economic recovery depends on all of us continuing to exercise personal responsibility in order to keep ourselves, our family members, our neighbors and our co-workers safe.”

“We encourage all Marylanders to get tested, wear a mask and practice physical distancing,” the governor added.

He pointed out that on Wednesday, the daily number of positive COVID-19 tests in the U.S. hit an all-time high.


More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.

Rick Massimo

Rick Massimo came to WTOP, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child. He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."

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