MD Tops 10M COVID Vaccinations, Hogan Urges Booster Shots To Prevent Winter Surge

MARYLAND — With the omicron variant of the coronavirus becoming more dominant, Maryland officials are urging all eligible residents to get booster shots as soon as possible.

Gov. Larry Hogan on Sunday said the state of Maryland has surpassed 10 million COVID-19 vaccinations administered.

“We have now administered our 10 millionth vaccine, which is an incredible milestone and a tribute to all the health care heroes working every day to get more people vaccinated and boosted,” Hogan said on Sunday. “Preliminary data shows that higher levels of immunity from booster shots provide critical protection against the omicron variant, making it vital for all eligible Marylanders to get a booster as soon as possible. It is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your fellow Marylanders against a winter surge.”

On Sunday, the Maryland Department of Health showed 1,257 patients hospitalized with COVID-19; up from 1,204 on Friday.

Fifteen COVID deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours; the state has seen a total of 11,022 deaths from the respiratory virus during the pandemic.

Maryland recorded its first three cases of the omicron variant Dec. 3.

To date, Maryland has reported 10,020,567 vaccinations, including 1,394,360 booster shots; 90.8 percent of Marylanders 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition, Maryland is reporting 151,496 vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds, which is 29.1 percent of the age group population.

State health officials strongly encourage all eligible Marylanders 16 and older to get a booster shot to maintain immunity and protect against severe illness.

As Maryland has surpassed 1,200 coronavirus patients in hospitals statewide, state health officials ordered health-care facilities to free up beds for those who are sick. Much of the influx is due to people who aren't vaccinated, the governor said Friday.

"Having surpassed 1,200 COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, we are triggering a new round of actions for Maryland hospitals, including making available all staffed bed capacity and reducing non-urgent medical surgeries," Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement.

"The vast majority of these hospitalizations are unvaccinated patients, who remain at grave risk of serious infection, severe illness and death," Hogan said.

A week ago, there were 1,027 Marylanders hospitalized with COVID-19, at which point Hogan announced hospitals had to submit emergency plans by Dec. 15.

Now that more than 1,200 patients are hospitalized with the virus, the state ordered Maryland hospitals as of Dec. 17 to make all bed capacity available. Hospitals are urged to postpone surgeries that would result in an overnight stay and/or use of a ventilator; to convert idle spaces for clinical care; and to use regional and alternate care sites to free up bed space.

Adventist HealthCare Takoma Park Hospital and University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center are open and operating as field hospitals, the Maryland Department of Health told Patch this week.

The state established a Surge Operation Center to handle the expected sustained surge in COVID-19 at hospitals as the omicron variant spreads in the state, Hogan said last week, due to a potential influx of unvaccinated patients.

A vaccine locator is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

See Also: Beds Scarce At MD Hospitals Amid COVID-19 Surge: Industry Leaders