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June 22, 2025

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News Maryland News

Mirroring National Trend, Maryland’s “Trump Counties” Are Slower to Get Vaccinated

May 4, 2021 by Maryland Matters

In a recently produced video circulating on social media, Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R-Md.) urges people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Joined by nine other Republican physician-legislators, Harris tells viewers that the development of safe and effective vaccines provides the country “a clear path to the eradication of the pandemic.”

“The FDA did not skip any steps,” he adds.

Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) said getting vaccinated will bring an end to “the government’s restrictions on our freedoms.”

Harris — a Trump loyalist and an anesthesiologist — has drawn praise for appearing in the video and for posting photos of himself administering vaccines at clinics in his district.

The video’s message comes at a crucial time. With polls consistently showing that as many as 40% of Republicans don’t intend to get a shot, public health experts across the country are worried that herd immunity is at risk.

A Maryland Matters analysis found vaccination patterns in the state that mirror the nation’s.

The six least-vaccinated jurisdictions in Maryland — and nine of the bottom 12 — were won by Donald Trump in 2020.

Of the three jurisdictions carried by Democrat Joe Biden that have below-average vaccination rates — Baltimore City and Prince George’s and Charles counties — all are majority-Black.

At the top end of the spectrum, six of the eight most-vaccinated counties in Maryland were won by Biden.

For purposes of this analysis, Maryland Matters counted every resident who has had at least one dose of any of the vaccines being offered.

There are many factors that determine who gets vaccinated who doesn’t, health experts caution. For months, access to the vaccine has been limited, though appointments now are plentiful.

Many vaccine-seekers lacked the ability to spend hours online, prowling the Web for an appointment, nor did they have the flexible schedules needed to get to a vaccination site. Access to transportation has been another challenge.

The Maryland Department of Health and the state’s Vaccine Equity Task Force have spent many weeks trying to overcome these and other barriers, expanding distribution sites, bringing vaccines into under-served communities, working with faith and community groups, tailoring messages, enlisting family physicians and “trusted voices,” and more.

While those efforts have boosted the state’s vaccination rate overall and closed some of the gaps that set off alarm bells during the early months of the rollout, data confirm that African-Americans and Republicans are less likely to be vaccinated than non-Black Democrats and members of other racial groups.

“A lot of it has to do with your political ideology and who you’re listening to, where you get your facts from, and who you trust,” said Ed Singer, Carroll County’s chief health officer and head of the Maryland Association of County Health Officers. “Let’s be honest about it.”

Singer said vaccination rates in minority communities have risen as people observe friends and family members getting vaccinated without complication.

“When they saw that it was fine [and] nobody was having issues with it, it really helped,” he said.

Rep. Harris’s press secretary did not respond to a request for comment submitted last week. But Joshua M. Sharfstein, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, praised him for appearing in a pro-vaccination video.

“We shouldn’t overdo the politics of it in Maryland,” he said, “because we have a Republican governor and we have Republican legislators who are very supportive of vaccines.”

Vaccination advocates are fighting a daily battle against high-profile media personalities — Tucker Carlson of Fox and others — who have offered messaging that contradicts public-health guidance.

A focus group empaneled by pollster Frank Luntz found that GOP resistance to the vaccine remains entrenched, particularly among men.

Jerome Adams, a former U.S. surgeon general writing in his private capacity as a University of Virginia scholar, urged Trump to put his influence with the Republican base to good use.

“A lot of people who are reluctant to get the shot trust the former president,” Adams wrote last week in a Washington Post op-ed. “So I’m calling on him to loudly and proudly tell his supporters that he got vaccinated and they should too.”

True to form, the former president’s recent public statements have been about himself. Nonetheless, he could help drown out the noise from right-wing media if he chose to, analysts say.

“The effort to try to mark not getting vaccinated as a badge of honor is unwise and dangerous,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “But it’s still going on.”

“People don’t like being told what to do,” he acknowledged. “But modern collective life does not give a person the opportunity to be completely an island.”

The red-blue gap starts to widen

At the beginning of the vaccination campaign, Maryland counties that have more Republican voters outpaced Democratic-leaning counties narrowly, but the trend reversed in March.

(Editor’s Note: If viewing on mobile, turn phone 90 degrees to better view graphic.)

The Maryland Matters analysis also found that the gap between Democratic counties and Republican counties is growing.

For the seven-day period that ended April 30, the five counties with the highest percentage of registered Republicans saw their vaccination rate grow by an average of 0.27% per day.

By contrast, the five counties with the highest percentage of registered Democrats increased at a more robust rate of 0.44% per day.

If that trend persists, the red-blue divide will continue to widen.

It’s unclear why such strong pockets of resistance to the vaccine exist. Health experts who have studied the data on the vaccines’ effectiveness and relative lack of serious side effects don’t yet have firm answers.

“I think that there’s been a polarization around trust in government,” said Sharfstein, “so when they hear that this is something that can save their lives, they don’t necessarily believe that.”

The “Doc Caucus” video in which Rep. Harris appears doesn’t explicitly reference herd immunity, but lawmakers hint at it.

“I look forward to the freedom that I, along with my loved ones, will regain once the vast majority of Americans are vaccinated,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) says.

According to JHU’s Dr. Sharfstein, it’s too early to know whether the country’s ability to reach herd immunity status is being threatened by those who are refusing to get a shot.

Singer — the health chief in Carroll — remains optimistic, however, saying, “It just may take us longer to get there than what I would like.”

“The vaccine is available now and we can get there quickly — within a month or two, I think. But it may take three or four months because it’s going to take longer for some people to make the decision to get vaccinated.”

By Bruce DePuyt and Brenda Wintrode

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Maryland News Tagged With: coronvirus, Covid-19, Maryland, vaccination, vaccine

Hogan Lifts Order Requiring Masks Outside; Limits on Outdoor Dining to End

April 29, 2021 by Maryland Matters

Citing progress in the state’s vaccination campaign and a new set of federal guidelines, Marylanders will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) announced on Wednesday.

Restrictions on outdoor dining and bar service are also being lifted.

Hogan said he made the decision to lift the outdoor mask order, which he imposed last spring, after weighing COVID-19 guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.

He also consulted with state and federal health experts, “all of whom agree that the risk of transmission outdoors is very low, especially for those who’ve been vaccinated.”

The governor said the state’s vaccine supply is now “even” with demand, meaning that everyone who wants a shot can get one.

“We have plenty,” he told reporters at a news conference outside Government House.

Residents who are “on the fence” should heed the advice of public health professionals, who have consistently called the vaccines safe and effective, the governor said.

“If you’re an individual who does not intend to get vaccinated, we want to make sure that you understand that you are still in danger of hospitalization and death,” Hogan said. “Unvaccinated people — including younger people — are continuing to be hospitalized.”

The lifting of Maryland’s outdoor mask mandate took effect immediately.

Restrictions on outdoor dining and bar service end on May 1.

Counties that wish to keep an outdoor mask order in place or retain limits on restaurants and bars can do so, the governor acknowledged. But he said the time has come to move to “the next phase” in the fight against the virus.

“Everybody whose been vaccinated can no longer continue to be held back because of the few who are refusing to,” he said.

Face coverings will continue to be required for “large ticketed venues,” when visiting any business, and on public transportation.

The state will open its 13th mass vaccination site on Friday at the Mall in Columbia, Hogan said. But with supplies increasing and demand leveling off, he said the state will eventually begin to phase out the high-volume locations.

“We’re probably not going to have every day of the week. We’re probably not going to have the same hours. We’ll gradually wind them down until they’re no longer needed,” he said.

Maryland continues to grow the list of pharmacies and doctors’ offices offering the vaccine, as well as no-appointment-necessary opportunities.

Ed Singer, the health officer in Carroll County, called Hogan’s move “a pretty reasonable step” given the data.

“We’ve known since the beginning of this pandemic that anything that we do outdoors is safer than things that we’re doing indoors,” he said. “Most of the outbreaks that we’ve seen… have mostly had to do with close contacts inside.”

Singer, head of the Maryland Association of County Health Officers, was speaking only in his capacity as the health chief in Carroll County.

“The whole issue with transmission outside is, I think, relatively low risk,” he said.

Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) called Hogan’s move premature. He noted that few counties in Maryland have crossed the 50% vaccination threshold.

“The CDC says if you’re outdoors and cannot socially distance, you need to wear a mask if you haven’t been vaccinated,” he said. “There’s no reason not to be cautious on that.”

Elrich said his team will “probably” recommend to the County Council, which serves as the Board of Health, to keep current restrictions in place, despite Hogan’s order.

“You should wear a mask if you’re outdoor dining and you’re talking to people and you’re walking around,” he said. “[Going mask-less] is not a safe thing to do.”

Montgomery’s case count stands at 8 for every 100,000 people. Elrich said he built a large-county spreadsheet using New York Times data and found that Montgomery is the only jurisdiction with more than 750,000 residents that has a case-count that low.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny A. Olszewski Jr. (D) announced Wednesday evening that his jurisdiction will align with the state.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) said in a statement that he and his health team are reviewing the governor’s order.

“We would like to reiterate that the CDC’s guidance for not wearing a mask when outdoors under certain conditions specifically refers to fully vaccinated individuals, or those interacting with fully vaccinated individuals,” he wrote.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball (D) said in a statement that he too is “reviewing” the governor’s actions.

Hogan said he will greet vice president Kamala Harris when she visits the state’s mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday. Her visit, on the day following the president’s address to Congress, is expected to highlight the administration’s efforts to fight the pandemic and provide relief to families and businesses.

“I think it was picked because it’s a perfect example of a very well-run vaccination center,” Hogan said. “It’s part of our equity effort in Baltimore City and we’re cranking out a lot of vaccinations there. … We’re going to be proud to show it off to her.”

Scott (D) will also greet the vice president, according to an aide.

By Bruce DePuyt

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: COVID-19, Maryland News Tagged With: coronvirus, Covid-19, Gov. Larry Hogan, Maryland, masks, outdoor, pandemic, vaccination, vaccines

Health Officer Eyes Action on Restaurants as Talbot Council Drafts Emergency Bill on COVID-19

July 23, 2020 by John Griep

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Talbot County, the county’s health officer is warning local restaurants refusing to comply with state and county directives that their food service licenses are on the line.

In a July 14 letter and in a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Gov. Larry Hogan urged local officials to take action against non-compliant businesses.

The letter specifically noted reckless behavior at some of the state’s bars and restaurants and expressed concern that cases in the 20- to 40-year-old age group are rising even as Maryland’s COVID-19 metrics have stabilized.

“This tends to be the age of people who have to go to work every day,” Talbot County Health Officer Dr. Fredia Wadley said Wednesday in a statement. “They are often on the front lines, working in positions where they come into contact with the public, and they are more likely to be out socializing after hours and on weekends.”

Wadley met Tuesday with the Talbot County Council, which was sitting as the county’s Board of Health.

She asked elected officials to consider a local mandate to limit the size of gatherings, to require facial coverings for people inside public and retail facilities, and to impose civil penalties on those cited for violations.

Wadley told the board that at least one restaurant has been warned four times about violating the state restrictions.

“We have to recognize that we only have social distancing, facial coverings and hand hygiene to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Wadley said in the statement. “And to ignore these proven practices while this pandemic burns through our country with higher rates every day would be a sign of negligence on the part of any health officer.”

The council voted to have the county attorney draft emergency legislation to provide civil penalties against businesses that fail to comply with COVID-19 orders. That legislation is expected to be considered at the council’s July 28 meeting.

“We are not trying to hurt the business community, but we’re trying to keep people safe,” Council President Corey Pack said in the statement. “Many businesses are operating appropriately, and we want to continue to encourage and work with them. Unfortunately, there are some businesses that are not doing all they can, and we are going to have to address those businesses.”

Education has been the Talbot County Health Department’s first line of defense, according to the Wednesday statement. But as the summer heats up and people become weary of the measures used to curtail the spread of the virus, officials are beginning to consider more stringent measures.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased dramatically since the Independence Day holiday. For several days last week, Talbot County led the state with a positivity rate over 8%, a number that indicates the percentage of the total number of people who were tested and found to be positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Wadley, in the Wednesday statement, noted she has the authority to suspend food licenses of any business with conditions deemed an immediate health threat.

She said restaurants not complying with the governor’s executive order will get a compliance letter warning of a food license suspension.

The order says no one can be served at a bar, patrons must be seated to receive service, and six-foot distancing is required.

Restaurants that continue to violate the order would then have the license suspended.

“We have worked with a number of restaurant owners who are trying to do the right thing,” Wadley said in the statement.  “But we still see people standing shoulder to shoulder in bar areas, tables packed with customers, and people refusing, or simply forgetting, to wear masks.”

Wadley and a team of interagency partners have come together to examine the problem and consider what tools they currently have to address ongoing problems.

The Maryland Code authorizes the local health officers, with authority delegated by the Secretary of Health, to suspend the food license of a facility that has conditions that offer an immediate health threat.

The Maryland Department of Health has encouraged local health officers to have their restaurant inspectors use a COVID-19 checklist on their routine inspections and when they investigate restaurant complaints.

Restaurants that are not in compliance with the Governor’s Executive Order concerning restaurants and bars will receive a compliance letter notifying them that if they do not come into compliance that their food  license will be suspended.

The COVID-19 checklist provided by the state will be placed on the Talbot County Health Department website as well as the Talbot COVID 19 website.

Public events that require a temporary license agreement must also be approved by the county health officer.

While outdoor events are 18 times safer than those held indoors, Wadley said, allowing large crowds to gather where social distancing is impossible or unlikely will contribute to the spread of the virus.

The third option for action is that when complaints are received by the county liquor board and the liquor board inspector finds that bars are not following the governor’s executive order, the liquor board could consider suspending the facility’s liquor license.

Emergency Services Director Clay Stamp agrees that it is time to take action.

“Your Emergency Operations Center opened in response to this virus in March, and we have seen amazing things from this community in the face of this public health emergency,” he said in the statement. “But we also recognize that there is an economic component to this problem, and we needed to get our businesses open.

“We want our businesses to be successful. We need them to be successful,” Stamp said. “No one is interested in shutting businesses down, but the fact is we have some businesses that are not in compliance. We need to step forward in a unified way and make some adjustments to maintain a balance between public safety and economic stability.”

For more information about Talbot County’s COVID-19 response, visit talbotcovid19.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: COVID-19 Tagged With: clay stamp, Corey Pack, coronvirus, Covid-19, dr. fredia wadley, food license, restaurants, Talbot County

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