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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask-wearing to concentrate on COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and newly reported infections, leaving some parts of the state still encouraged to continue masking up indoors.
With the state's seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate hovering between 10 percent and 15 percent, and 41 virus-related deaths in the past week, some counties in Maryland are being encouraged to continue wearing facial coverings as a precaution.
More than 81 percent of the population in Maryland over the age of 5 years old are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC, and the state is averaging nearly 62 new hospital admissions in the past week.
The CDC offers a color-coded map - with counties designated as orange, yellow, or green — to help guide local officials and residents.
In green counties, local officials can drop any indoor masking rules. Yellow means people at high risk for severe disease should be cautious and consider masking up based on personal risk, and orange designates places where the CDC suggests masking should be universal indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
As of Friday, June 24, in Maryland, only Kent County in the "orange zone."
These Maryland counties were in the "yellow zone," and are being advised to wear masks in certain settings:
- Worcester;
- Somerset;
- Wicomico;
- Charles;
- Accomack;
- Montgomery;
- Washington.
Every other county in Maryland is in the "green" zone and has been given the goahead to ditch facial coverings if they choose to do so.
Nationally, approximately 12 percent of counties are at high risk, 31 percent are at medium risk, and nearly 57 percent are at low risk, down slightly from the previous week.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky previously cited protection from immunity rising both from vaccination and infection as reasons for altering the guidance on masks.
"Over 55 percent of the U.S. population is in an area with a medium or high community level," Walensky said. "New areas have shifted to medium and high COVID-19 community levels.
"Know your community level and precautions needed.," she added. "It is important to know what prevention steps you should take based on your COVID-19 community level."
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