Anne Arundel Mask Mandate Ends Soon In County Government Buildings

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The mask mandate in Anne Arundel County government buildings will end next week.

County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the news on Tuesday. The update came the day after Gov. Larry Hogan said state government offices will also stop requiring face coverings next week.

Masks will no longer be necessary in county- or state-operated facilities starting Tuesday, Feb. 22.

This will end a county order that took effect on Aug. 5, 2021 while the delta variant surged in Anne Arundel. Hogan had implemented the state government face covering requirement on Jan. 3 when the omicron variant of coronavirus first struck.

“With case counts, hospitalizations, positivity rate falling, and with one of the most vaccinated populations in the state, now is the right time to lift this requirement,” Pittman said in a press release. “Being on the same schedule with Governor Hogan and the State will help ease confusion about where masks are required.”

RELATED: Anne Arundel COVID Vigil To Remember County's 1,000 Virus Deaths

Face coverings are still needed in public schools, but Hogan expects the Maryland State Board of Education to lift its mask mandate "in the next week or so."

Pittman previously reinstated an indoor face covering requirement for county businesses on New Year's Eve. The Anne Arundel County Council voted to let that temporary emergency order expire on Jan. 7.

Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman stepped in and issued his own mask mandate hours later. After an unsuccessful court challenge, that public safety order ran its course and ended as planned on Jan. 31.

Stores are now free to decide whether they will require masks.

Pittman and Kalyanaraman instituted their business face covering requirements during the omicron spike.

Health metrics have since improved, and local leaders think it's time to end the mask mandate in county government spaces.

“Making this adjustment is a reflection of how far we have come, and will allow us to continue providing service while keeping our staff and residents safe and healthy,” Chief Administrative Officer Matt Power said.

Improving Metrics

Maryland's case rate has fallen to 12.07 new infections per day per 100,000 residents. That's down from the all-time high of 221.17 on Jan. 8. The case rate is still above its recent minimum of 11.16 reported on Nov. 5, 2021, and its overall low of 0.9 recorded on June 25, 2021.

The state's positivity rate has dropped to 3.78 percent, down from the high of 29.98 percent on Jan. 5. The percent positivity was as low as 2.91 percent on Nov. 4, 2021. The all-time low of 0.54 percent was recorded on June 28, 2021.

Maryland now has 715 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That's an improvement from the peak of 3,462 patients on Jan. 11. Hospitalizations are still up from the recent low of 490 registered on Nov. 14, 2021, and the record minimum of 97 posted on July 1, 2021.

The state has reported 13,679 COVID-19 deaths.

Marylanders can get tested by visiting COVIDtest.maryland.gov.

Vaccine Update

A total of 4,440,532 Marylanders are fully vaccinated out of a population of 6,177,224. About 98.05 percent of seniors, 95 percent of adults and 89.7 percent of residents 5 or older have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Maryland has also made some headway on the newest group eligible for the shot. About 43.7 percent of kids aged 5 to 11 have gotten their first injection since they were cleared for immunization in late October 2021.

The state has given 2,115,835 booster shots.

Maryland's infection and vaccine metrics are updated daily at coronavirus.maryland.gov.

Who's Eligible For First Doses

The Pfizer immunization is the only one with full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That clearance is good for residents 16 and up. Pfizer also has emergency use authorization for anybody aged 5 to 15 for their first two doses

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson inoculations have emergency use authorization for locals 18 and up.

Emergency use authorization requires less FDA review than full approval, which is the golden stamp of support from regulators.

Who's Eligible For Boosters

Residents 18 and up who got the Pfizer inoculation can get a booster shot of any kind five months after their initial two doses. Locals 12 to 17 who got the Pfizer must also wait five months, but they are only eligible for the Pfizer booster.

Locals 18 and up must wait six months after their Moderna injections or two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccines to get a booster shot. Once that time passes, they can get any booster they want.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended getting the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna booster, not the Johnson & Johnson. Experts still urged locals to get Johnson & Johnson's extra dose if Pfizer and Moderna are not available.

Maryland's booster shot guidance is posted here. The graphic below clarifies who is eligible for a booster.

RELATED:

• Anne Arundel COVID Vigil To Remember County's 1,000 Virus Deaths
• MD Mask Mandate In State Government Buildings Ends Next Week
• Face Masks In MD Schools Likely To Be Optional Soon: Gov. Hogan
• Masks In MD Schools: Hogan Urges State Board To Lift Mandate
• MD COVID: Hogan Announces $2M In Booster Shot Lottery Prizes

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