Masks are now required for employees and visitors inside Maryland state buildings, amid the latest coronavirus wave.
Face coverings will also be required, per the state, inside “leased space in all public or shared spaces.”
In a statement Monday, Gov. Larry Hogan’s office also announced that Maryland would be providing two hours of paid leave for any state employee who gets a COVID booster shot. The benefit applies retroactively too.
“All employers are encouraged to offer paid leave for vaccinations and booster shots,” the governor’s office said.
In addition, the state’s Budget and Health departments have issued updated guidance to state agencies and offices that follows the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on quarantine protocols. That guidance lets agency heads implement telework and hybrid work schedules for “applicable employees.”
The new restrictions were announced amid a massive spike in the state’s test-positivity rate: The latest data shows the seven-day rate is now at nearly 27%.
In the last 24 hours, Maryland marked over 14,000 new COVID cases.
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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.
