COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland

Sources: [3] In late January 2020, Maryland hospitals began travel screening for coronavirus when taking in new patients entering the emergency room.

Maryland medical facilities, educational institutions, and businesses disseminated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[5] On March 5, Governor Larry Hogan confirmed the first three cases of coronavirus in Montgomery County: one married couple in their 70s and an unrelated woman in her 50s.

Attendees of the event were told to monitor their temperature and call their physician or the Maryland Emergency Management Agency if they began to exhibit symptoms.

Importantly, Maryland confirmed the state's first known case of community transmission in a Prince George's County resident with no known exposure to coronavirus through travel or an infected individual.

[16] Hogan delegated routine state government operations to Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford so he could allocate more time to combating the virus.

[17] In addition, Hogan also warned in a statement that bars and restaurants are to follow the ban of gatherings of over 250 people in advance of St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

He stated that if any bar or restaurant failed to comply with the restrictions set, they would be charged with a misdemeanor carrying a penalty of one year in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

[19][20] Hogan held a press conference in the late morning of March 16, where he announced an executive order that would require all bars, restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters in the state to close at 5:00 pm.

[25][26] For the first time since the Civil War, the Maryland General Assembly's annual session ended early, due to coronavirus concerns.

In the time before the session was hurriedly ended, many coronavirus legislation measures were passed, including the authorization to draw up to $100 million from the "rainy day" fund and extending temporary unemployment benefits for workers who are either quarantined or whose jobs are closed temporarily.

[28] On the morning of March 19, Hogan announced that all shopping centers and entertainment venues were to close as of 5:00 pm that day, stating "This is a race against time" and he's doing everything he can to "avoid shutting down society".

[38] On April 2, Maryland confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 to at least 2,331, 346 new from the previous day; five more people had died, bringing the state's death toll to 36.

[39] In a request to the federal government, Maryland state asked for more than a million masks, gloves and face shields, and 15,000 body bags.

[43] On April 24, Hogan announced his "Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery" to slowly lift restrictions and open businesses.

The roadmap is a three-stage plan using federal guidelines, National Governors Association guidance, and AEI and Johns Hopkins reports.

Effective July 31 at 5:00 pm everyone older than 5 years old must wear face coverings inside all buildings where the public has access, on any public transportation, outside when unable to socially distance, obtaining healthcare services, engaged in work in any area where interaction with others is likely (including commercial office space), and where food is prepared and/or packaged.

[61] On December 1, Governor Hogan made numerous medical staffing announcements, including the launch of MarylandMedNow, a portal to recruit medical job seekers, urging colleges and universities to award credit to those with hand-on work experience in healthcare during the pandemic and allowing early graduation for those who have met all graduation requirements and are in their final semester.

[68] While the data reporting was unavailable, Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said, "It's kind of like our vision is a little fuzzy, right?

[70] On April 24, 2020, Governor Larry Hogan announced his "Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recover"[71] plan that illustrates three stages in re-opening the state.

[80] Under this executive order large and small retail shops, specialty vendors, wholesalers, warehouses, banks, real estate offices, travel agencies, auto dealers, tattoo parlors and showrooms are all able to resume operations.

Effective Friday June 19, at 5:00 pm, arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, casinos, indoor gyms, malls, roller rinks, social clubs, and studio fitness were permitted to reopen.

"I am announcing that as a result of our improved health metrics, every single county school system in the state of Maryland is now fully authorized to begin safely reopening," Hogan said.

[102] Many school districts in Maryland opened in a virtual mode, shifting some or all grade levels to hybrid in late September to mid-October, 2020.

After the holiday break, some school systems, such as Worcester County, originally planned to return to hybrid instruction despite health metrics exceeding state recommendations.

[143] Universal face coverings was discontinued, on February 25, 2022, by the Maryland State Department of Education, after approval by the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review.

[147] The University of Maryland, College Park began the fall semester on August 31, 2020, remotely, and started in-person classes on September 14.

[154][155] Peninsula Regional Medical Center, in Salisbury, expanded capacity through converting a conference space into a fully equipped 43-bed intensive care unit.

Democrat Kweisi Mfume won the special election, it's a seat he held for 10 years prior to serving as President of the NAACP.

[165] On June 30, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 Minor League Baseball season would not be played, affecting teams like the Delmarva Shorebirds, who now plan to transition the stadium into a community entertainment center for the remainder of the year.