22K Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Howard County Reported, 95% Ages 12+ Vaccinated

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — As of Monday, Howard County has a total of 22,953 positive new COVID-19 cases; 11,398 active cases; and 267 deaths, according to the Howard County Health Department. The state has 561,718 confirmed cases and 10,677 deaths total, reports the Maryland Department of Health.

The county also has reached another milestone with 95 percent of residents 12 years and older receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to the Maryland Department of Health, and 88.5 percent of eligible residents are now fully vaccinated.

“Our message has been clear: to stay COVID safe, get vaccinated,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “This milestone is not by accident; our team of community partners and organizations are having the important conversations with our residents and emphasizing how critical getting vaccinated is to protect yourself and loved ones. As we head into winter, and more folks are gathering indoors, it’s vital to have a highly vaccinated community. We are determined to reach every eligible resident and encourage vaccination as other COVID-19 variants continue to be a concern.”

Howard County currently leads the state with the lowest case rate per 100,000 residents of 6.5. Its positivity rate is also one of the lowest in the state at 1.91%. To date, 99.9% of residents 65+ have at least one dose, with 94.1% fully vaccinated. Additionally, 90.8% of residents ages 12-17 have at least one dose, with 83.5% fully vaccinated.

The following zip codes have the highest confirmed case counts in Howard County as of Nov. 1:

• 21043 - 3,155 confirmed cases
• 21044 - 3,045 confirmed cases
• 21045 - 2,952 confirmed cases
• 21075 - 2,862 confirmed cases
• 20723 - 2,829 confirmed cases

The county health department has its own website created to monitor the situation, broken down by new cases per day and other data.

The CDC advises taking several measures to help stop the spread of the virus, including the following:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
• Stay 6 feet away from others.
• Clean and disinfect.
• Monitor your health daily.