New coronavirus cases in Maryland — which had been on a sharp decline in June — are ticking upward, fueled by stagnant vaccination rates and the rise of the highly contagious delta variant.
How many people in Maryland have been vaccinated so far?
You can find county-level data on how many people have gotten vaccinated here.
I haven’t gotten vaccinated yet — do I still need an appointment?
Many places in Maryland are offering walk-up appointments that do not need to be pre-scheduled. However, because vaccine supply is still somewhat limited, officials encourage residents to make appointments ahead of time. You can see the list of available slots here. Maryland has begun closing some of its mass vaccination sites, although a few, including sites at the Baltimore Convention Center and Montgomery College, do not yet have closing dates.
Are children and teens able to get vaccinated yet?
Yes. Children ages 5 and older can get vaccinated at mass vaccination sites, county-run sites and pharmacies in Maryland.
Are there any pandemic restrictions in Maryland?
All capacity restrictions were lifted on businesses in the state on May 15. Restaurants and all other businesses returned to full capacity and do not have to abide by a six-foot social-distancing requirement. Indoor and outdoor venues — which include conventions and all outdoor entertainment, arts and sports venues, including ticketed events — also are free of capacity restrictions.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R) ended the state of emergency in the state on July 1, meaning all emergency mandates and restrictions put in place over the past 16 months are terminated, with no statewide mask order in effect in any setting, including schools, camps and child-care facilities. While cases have been going up, the state has no plans to reimpose masking requirements or other restrictions.
However, Hogan has left the decision whether to reimpose masking mandates up to localities. Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City have reinstated indoor mask mandates in their jurisdictions.
Is the state offering incentives for me to get the vaccine?
Hogan launched a $2 million lottery that handed out dozens of $40,000 cash prizes to state residents who have received coronavirus vaccinations — along with a grand prize of $400,000 on the contest’s last day, July 4. All state residents 18 and older who received a vaccination in Maryland were automatically eligible, regardless of when the shots were administered.
The state also launched a vaccine lottery for teens, offering $50,000 scholarships that will cover full tuition and fees at a public in-state university. Under the VaxU Scholarship promotion, two winners aged 12 to 17 are being randomly selected weekly until Labor Day, when four students will be selected.
The state also is offering $100 to state government employees who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Workers must provide proof of their vaccination to their human resource departments and agree to receive booster shots recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the next 18 months.
Are there any vaccination mandates in Maryland?
Hogan announced that all state employees who work in congregate settings, such as prisons and hospitals, must get vaccinated, or wear face coverings and get tested weekly for the coronavirus. He also said all nursing home and hospital employees in the state will be required to get vaccinated or undergo regular testing. Both orders go into effect Sept. 1.
Montgomery County schools are requiring all their employees to get vaccinated. Those with medical waivers must submit to regular testing. Prince George’s County schools will require employees to get the vaccine or undergo weekly testing. Montgomery County also is requiring its workers to get vaccinated by Sept. 18 or get regular tests.
Will I need a booster shot — and if so, how can I get one?
The Biden administration began offering coronavirus booster shots the week of Sept. 20after concluding that a third shot is needed to fight off waning immunity.
Officials said the decision was driven by data showing a decline over time in the vaccines’ ability to protect against less-serious disease; evidence that boosters work and that more protection may be needed against the dominant delta variant; and a desire to stave off any potential decrease in the shots’ effectiveness against severe illness.
The federal government also will direct all nursing homes to require vaccination for staffers or face loss of Medicare and Medicaid funds — an escalation by the Biden administration as it tries to get more Americans vaccinated amid the delta variant surge.
People who are immunocompromised — such as those undergoing cancer treatment or those who have received organ transplants — are able to get third doses 28 days after their second dose.
Read about the latest scientific updates from The Washington Post’s health section.
Do I still need to wear a mask?
There is no statewide mandate to wear a mask in Maryland. However, the CDC has issued recommendations that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks indoors in areas with high or substantial coronavirus transmission. Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City have reinstated indoor mask mandates in their jurisdictions.
Prince George’s and Montgomery school systems also are requiring masks indoors for all students, faculty and staff when classes begin in the fall, but there is no statewide mandate for masking in schools.
Rachel Chason, Jenna Portnoy and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report.
