COVID Update: 12/1/202
- Omicron variant, latest strain of COVID-1
- WHO issued warning Monday 11/30 that this was a strain of issue
- Omicron has spread rapidly across South Africa in the past weeks, leading to many new cases
- Identified in 2 dozen countries, including in the US (CA)
- Could be more transmissible than other strains
- WHO advises from international travel
- Does it cause more severe illness, and is the vaccine effective against it? Will be weeks before we know
- Hogan wants to reassure Marylanders that the entire team is working tirelessly on this and is prepared to mobilize resources as we have before
- Using genomic sequencing to track virus and variants
- Doubled variant surveillance efforts and MD has one of the strongest surveillance programs in the country
- Approved emergency procurement to get more supplies to continue to track variants
- Encouraging lab partners to ramp up surveillance efforts
- GET TESTED
- One of the most effective ways to protect yourself
- PCR testing widely available across the state
- COVIDTEST.MARYLAND.GOV to find a test
- At-home Rapid Tests:
- State previously announced 500,000 at-home rapid tests available through local health departments
- Rapid test kits to be available at the international terminal of BWI Airport
- 9.4 million COVID vaccines administered!
- 99.9% of seniors
- 88.9% of adults
- Nearly 118,000 5-to-11-year-olds
- Get your Booster!
- Administered over 1 million boosters
- All Marylanders 18 and older are eligible to get their booster
- Vaccines proven to be increasingly effective
- If it’s been 6+ months since your last vaccine, get your booster!
- Get a booster in the next 10 days to be fully protected by Christmas
