“The next four to six weeks will be the most challenging time of the entire pandemic,” Hogan said and added that Maryland hospitals could house more than 5,000 COVID-19 patients, which would be at least 250% higher than the peak last year.
New orders include power for the state’s health secretary to regulate hospital personnel, bed space and supplies.
“It includes the ability to direct and expedite the transfer of patients between hospital facilities as necessary,” he said.
The Maryland Department of Health will have authority to establish additional alternate care facilities to assist hospitals and nursing homes with staffing shortages, regulate elective medical procedures as necessary and issue directives to control and monitor COVID-19 in nursing homes and similar congregate care facilities.
The executive order also allows interstate reciprocity for health care licenses.
Inactive medical practitioners will be permitted to practice without needing to reinstate expired licenses.
Graduate nurses will be authorized to work at any health care facility and provide full nursing services.
“And the order allows for health care practitioners to practice outside the scope of their licenses,” Hogan said.
The state’s emergency medical services workforce, “which is on the frontlines and also being overwhelmed with COVID patients,” can also be further augmented, he said.
Additionally, 1,000 Maryland National Guard members will assist state and local health officials with needs including patient transport, and the opening of 20 new COVID-19 test sites outside hospitals across the state.
The vast majority of Maryland’s hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 2021 were not fully vaccinated against the virus, Hogan said.
“The vaccines are safe and effective and they’re keeping people out of the hospital and saving lives,” he said.
One of the best ways to keep Maryland schools open for in-person learning is to “get more of our school-aged children vaccinated as soon as possible,” Hogan said.
He also called on the federal government to increase distribution of monoclonal antibody drugs, antiviral pills and rapid COVID-19 tests.
‘Hospitals are struggling’
Dr. Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, said 3,006 adults and 51 children with COVID-19 were in Maryland hospitals.
“That represents a 100% increase since December 22,” he said and added that as of Monday afternoon, more than 600 people were waiting in emergency departments to be admitted to a hospital bed. “Our hospitals are struggling to deal with the numbers of sick people coming to them.”
Nearly all Maryland emergency departments were broadcasting a “yellow alert” to the EMS system to indicate patients should be taken to other facilities, Delbridge said.
State, local cases
The Maryland Department of Health on Tuesday reported 14,494 new COVID-19 cases, 48 more deaths and 311 additional hospitalizations across the state in the past 24 hours.
The statewide daily COVID-19 rate was 27.44%, with Allegany County at 18.26%, Garrett County at 12.74% and Washington County at 26.06%.
The seven-day moving average COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 people was 213.71 statewide, 147.46 in Allegany County, 62.95 in Garrett County and 177.78 in Washington County.
COVID-19 vaccinations, testing
The Allegany County Health Department on Monday reported that 49.1% of local residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to 70.6% of all Marylanders.
A COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be held Jan. 5 at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, 11400 Moss Ave., and include the Moderna booster for folks ages 18 and older by appointment only.
Registration is available at https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/0511621369.
Additionally, first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine will be available on a walk-in basis for people ages 18 and older, as well as first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine ages for folks ages 12 and older, and booster doses of Pfizer for people ages 16 and older.
Also on Jan. 5, ACHD at its Willowbrook Office Complex ground floor, 12501 Willowbrook Road, will offer a youth Pfizer Vaccine Clinic for children ages 5 to 11 by appointment only.
Register online at https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/1160824904.
For assistance registering for an appointment, county residents can call the COVID-19 call center at 240-650-3999.
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are also widely available in the community at local pharmacies, urgent care clinics, and some primary care providers.
Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing is available at the Allegany County Fairgrounds 2 to 7 p.m. Mondays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.
ACHD does not offer COVID-19 testing at its Willowbrook Office Complex.
On Saturday, Dr. Jennifer Corder, deputy health officer for Garrett and Allegany counties, said COVID-19 testing volumes were up over the past week.
“We do not ask if people have been vaccinated when they come for a test,” she said via email. “Sequencing for variants including omicron happens at the state level and takes about two weeks for final results.”
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