TOWSON, MD—County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Thursday announced that Baltimore County employees and the general public will be required to wear masks inside all local government offices and facilities, effective Friday, August 13th.

“This common sense step will help limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of our workforce and visitors to our buildings and facilities,” said Olszewski. “I thank our dedicated employees for helping us keep each other, our loved ones, and our community safe. We continue to closely monitor key metrics and the advice of scientific experts and remain committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to protect public health.”

This action aligns with recently updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends that individuals, regardless of vaccination status, should wear masks indoors in areas with “substantial” or “high” community transmission. Baltimore County’s COVID-19 case rate is now within the CDC’s substantial transmission zone (50-99 cases per 100,000 residents).

“We must use all the tools in our arsenal to defeat this deadly virus,” said Baltimore County Health Officer Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch. “We are working to get the vaccine into the arms of all of our eligible residents. Until that is accomplished, wearing masks inside County facilities will go a long way toward decreasing the spread.”

Baltimore County will continue to make efforts to provide vaccinations to the public a top priority in order to slow the spread of the virus and combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baltimore County has consistently been a leader in efficiently and effectively delivering vaccines to residents, with more than 72 percent of County residents aged 12 and older receiving at least one dose.

Individuals who wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccine can find information on available clinics at https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/vaccine.

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels