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April 10, 2021

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

News COVID-19

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 9

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 3 to 1,251.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.26%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 423,663, an increase of 1,840 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 14 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,238.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.59% (+0.03 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 33.17% of Marylanders and 38.52% of Kent County residents; second dose rates are 18.87% and 23.31% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate has been above 5 percent for 11 straight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland increased by 33 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,249 people hospitalized — 963 in acute care and 286 in intensive care.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 8

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 2 to 1,248.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.35%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 421,823, an increase of 1,297 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 21 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,224.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.56% (-0.15 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 32.52% of Marylanders and 38.32% of Kent County residents; second dose rates are 18.35% and 23.09% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate has been above 5 percent for 11 straight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland increased by 16 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,216 people hospitalized — 935 in acute care and 281 in intensive care.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 7

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County’s COVID-19 cases remain at 1,246.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.39%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 420,526, an increase of 1,471 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 11 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,203.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.71% (-0.09 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 31.93% of Marylanders and 36.81% of Kent County residents; second dose rates are 17.85% and 22.88% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate has been above 5 percent for 10 straight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 4 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,200 people hospitalized — 923 in acute care and 277 in intensive care.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 6

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 2 to 1,246.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 4.15%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 419,055, an increase of 867 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 15 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,192.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.8% (+0.01 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 31.29% of Marylanders and 36.65% of Kent County residents; second dose rates are 17.39% and 22.64% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate has been above 5 percent for nine straight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland increased by 39 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1204 people hospitalized — 939 in acute care and 265 in intensive care.

Hogan Moves to Open the Vaccine ‘Floodgates,’ Expands Access to Everyone 16 and Older

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Amid a stubborn rise in COVID-19 infections, the Hogan administration moved on Monday to expand vaccine eligibility at the state’s mass vaccination sites.

The decision means that all Marylanders age 16 and over will be eligible to sign-up for a shot at the state’s mass-vaccination sites effective on Tuesday.

People age 16 and older will be eligible to schedule appointments through all providers starting on April 12.

The actions, announced by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) at a State House news conference, advance the registration process by two weeks.

“We are literally in a race between the vaccines and these new highly transmissible variants that are driving an increase in new infections and hospitalizations, particularly among younger people in the state across the country,” Hogan said. “Getting more people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can is our absolute best defense against these variants, and it’s the best way to win this long war against this deadly virus.”

The decision to move the registration timeline forward reflects the significant increase in supply that the state expects to receive — and it underscores what officials said is an urgent need to address a rise in infections that is being driven by people under 40.

Michael Powell, a legislative analyst who tracks the pandemic, told the state Senate’s Vaccine Work Group on Monday that the rise in new cases is centered in Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Harford County.

“The data tells us that we’ve got to get young people vaccinated faster, so that we can break the back of this pandemic,” Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader told the panel.

He said older adults “understand their risks and they’re being more careful,” while younger adults “feel like they’re indestructible often-times.”

“It’s clear that younger people are more mobile,” Schrader added. “They’re out and about.”

The newly confirmed health secretary said his agency is working with Maryland universities to get students vaccinated before they return home to their families at semester’s end.

Hogan also announced an expansion of the state’s no-appointment option.

Maryland’s first walk-up line opened Friday at the high-volume site located at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury. Approximately 500 people got a shot on the first day, officials said.

On Tuesday, a line at the Hagerstown Premium Outlets site will open for people who lack an appointment. The state expects to add others throughout the month.

Hogan said the state’s first experiment with the walk-up lines in Salisbury went smoothly.

“We’re expecting the same thing to happen in Hagerstown and all our other sites moving forward,” he said. “It’s still best if you register: they have all your information, you know there’s a vaccine for you, it’s very smooth.”

Those walking up to a site risk being turned away if vaccine supplies run out, Hogan said. Asked if he was worried about a crush of vaccine-seekers at the walk-up sites, Hogan said: “We’re hoping for that, actually.”

He said an initial surge in vaccine interest is expected to level off as more people are vaccinated and the state will adjust after “this opening up of the floodgates.”

This week the state expects to receive 372,000 doses from the federal government. That number does not include the approximately 100,000 additional doses that go directly to private pharmacies.

The supply is expected to increase to 457,000 doses next week — and by the beginning of May, the state is projected to receive 535,000 or more doses per week through the remainder of the summer.

The state is adding seven additional mass vaccination sites this month. Three open this week at the Greenbelt Metro Station, Montgomery College in Germantown, and the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Two sites are scheduled to open the week of April 12 at Frederick Community College and the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen is expected to open a vaccination clinic a week later, and the state is working to open The Mall in Columbia site the same week as well.

Schrader told lawmakers that plans are being formulated for a potential need to administer booster shots as protection from the virus begins to “decay” over time.

Hogan responds to critical audit

Asked about an audit released Friday critical of the Hogan administration’s purchase of 500,000 test kits from a South Korean firm at a cost of $11.9 million, the governor dismissed the report.

Hogan called the audit “complete nonsense” and said the purchase of the kits “was probably one of the biggest accomplishments throughout this pandemic.”

The test kits, which were purchased as an emergency procurement without a formal contract, required complete replacement after a first batch failed to meet FDA requirements. Auditors were unable to conclude who within government was ultimately responsible for making the purchase.

Hogan said Monday that all of the purchased test kits were used and the Board of Public Works ultimately approved the purchase after the fact.

“The report was partisan nonsense,” Hogan said. “…I wouldn’t change a single thing. I don’t really care what those legislators have to say.”

By Bruce DePuyt and Danielle E. Gaines

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 5

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County had one additional death from COVID-19, bringing the county’s total to 43. Since Friday, cases increased by 15 to 1,244.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 4.61%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 418,188, an increase of 859 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 12 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,177.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.79% (-0.11 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 30.94% of Marylanders and 36.5% of Kent County residents; second dose rates are 17.04% and 22.57% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate has been above 5 percent for seven straight days.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland increased by 34 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,165 people hospitalized — 905 in acute care and 260 in intensive care.

Spy COVID-19 Weekly Report

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Vaccinations

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

UM Shore Regional Health Offers COVID-19 Vaccines at Chesapeake College

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Through a partnership between University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) and Chesapeake College, COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered by appointment on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in the College’s Eastern Shore Higher Education Center on the Wye Mills campus, beginning Wednesday, April 7.

The vaccines are provided by UM SRH and administered by hospital personnel and volunteers, including nurses, former nurses and pharmacists. At this time, vaccine eligibility for Maryland residents has been expanded to include those in the 2B tier; for details, visit “Vaccine Phases” on this link: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine.

“This really opens the gates to a much broader range of people who can now get vaccinated and help protect themselves, their family members, co-workers and friends from COVID-19,” Kevin Chapple, UM SRH’s regional director of pharmacy services. “We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to get vaccinated quickly, safely and efficiently, close to home.”

To register for a vaccine appointment at Chesapeake College, visit www.umms.org/coronavirus/covid-vaccine/get-vaccine and follow the instructions to complete the registration form. Vaccine appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first served basis. No walk-ins will be allowed.

“We’re pleased that our partnership with University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is expanding to further care for our community,” said Chesapeake College President Clifford Coppersmith. “In addition to serving as a Covid-19 testing site, our centrally located Wye Mills campus will also be a convenient site for Shore residents to receive Covid-19 vaccinations. Providing a location and support for this vaccination site is another way Chesapeake College is helping the region recover from the pandemic.”

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update April 2

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The Spy obtains information for the above chart between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m., although some counties do not update on weekends. Johns Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

Key points for today

• Kent County’s COVID-19 cases increased by 6 to 1,229.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.11%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 414,385, an increase of 1,457 in the last 24 hours.

• In the last 24 hours, 16 people died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 8,134.

• The state’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.6% (+0.09 from yesterday).

Vaccinations

• The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 29.66% of Marylanders and 35.89% of Talbot County residents; second dose rates are 15.9% and 22.01% respectively.

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment (including for the mass vaccination clinic at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury), visit covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Positivity Rate

• The state’s 7-day average positivity rate remains above 5 percent.

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland increased by 32 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,045 people hospitalized — 794 in acute care and 251 in intensive care.

• With 7,190 total patients in staffed beds, hospitals yesterday were above 85% capacity, which was at 6,994 beds.