Delta Variant Sparks State Of Emergency In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — With the case rate soaring in Baltimore County as coronavirus cases increase, the county executive has declared a state of emergency.

"While we’ve made undeniable progress in our fight against this deadly virus, the rapid emergence of the Delta variant has made it clear that we need access to every tool in our toolbox to be able to respond to it,” County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said in a statement Tuesday, Aug. 24.

The delta variant is more than two times as contagious as previous variants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which reports it is the predominant strain of the virus as of Aug. 19.

The seven-day case rate for the virus in Baltimore County has increased 367 percent since July 30, according to a statement from the county, which reported Tuesday this pushed Baltimore County into the "substantial" zone for transmission of the virus, meaning it has 50 to 99 cases per 100,000 residents, based on the CDC definition.

Declaring a state of emergency allows the county to do the following in an expedited manner:

• Adopt emergency public health measures
• Get support from state and federal governments for response and recovery efforts
• Procure supplies needed to protect public health

Fully vaccinated people can still get sick from the delta variant, but appear to be less sick and are less infectious than unvaccinated individuals.

About 74 percent of residents age 12 and up in Baltimore County have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, officials reported Aug. 24.

Due to the delta variant spreading the coronavirus around the country, the CDC began recommending people wear masks in areas where coronavirus transmission is classified as "substantial," regardless of vaccination status.

Baltimore County began requiring masks in county government buildings Aug. 10, while Baltimore County Public Schools required face coverings indoors as of Aug. 13.

“We remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to keep our residents as safe as possible and to ensure that when our children go back to school next week they can remain where they belong: inside the classroom,” Olszewski said. "Government has an obligation to do all we can to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our residents."

Olszewski previously declared a local state of emergency on March 13, 2020, which expired July 9, 2021.

The county council must decide whether to continue the state of emergency beyond Aug. 31.

"I am certain my colleagues will agree that we must take every step to protect our residents by ensuring our government has all the tools to protect the public’s health, and I will convene an emergency council meeting to extend the local state of emergency within the next week," Council Chair Julian Jones said. "Despite our best efforts to combat COVID-19 and vaccinate our residents, the continued spread of the Delta variant is deeply concerning, and I applaud the County Executive’s leadership in declaring this local state of emergency."

People are advised to visit baltimorecountymd.gov/vaccine to find a vaccine provider.

See Also:

• Masks Required In Baltimore County Government Buildings
• Confirmed Coronavirus Case Total In Baltimore County At 68,889
• Masks Required In Baltimore County Public Schools As Of Aug. 10