Posted by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball on September 20th:
To date, Howard County has had 21,733 cases of COVID-19 and 262 deaths. As of 9:00am, our 7-day average positivity rate is 2.96% and our 7-day average case rate per 100,000 of our population is 12.9. There are currently 9 COVID-19 patients in both ICU and Acute Care units. Since September 2, there has been an average 15% reduction in new cases.
According to the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), 92.4% of Howard County residents 12+ have received at least one vaccine dose and 86.1% of our eligible population is fully vaccinated. Our higher percentages this week reflect an adjustment by MDH to now include data of residents who were vaccinated in other states. Overall, we’ve made great progress in vaccinating our eligible residents.
As the delta variant continues to spread and we head towards cooler weather, it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated. We have an abundant supply of vaccine available. Getting vaccinated is the single most effective way to prevent hospitalization or death from COVID-19. If you haven’t already received your shot - now’s the time.
Getting vaccinated also protects those around you who are not yet eligible for the vaccine. While today Pfizer shared encouraging data on their vaccine trial for 5-11-year-olds, administration can only begin after FDA authorization.
Encourage your family and friends to visit https://vaccine.howardcountymd.gov to find a clinic nearby. Let’s protect ourselves and our loved ones and put this pandemic behind us once and for all.
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Scott E
