Baltimore County Council Votes To Extend State Of Emergency
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- The Baltimore County on Monday night voted 6-1 to extend its State of Emergency period to Feb. 7, unless County Executive Johnny Olszewski declares an end to the emergency first.
Olszewski declared a local state of emergency last week on Dec. 27 to shore up the county's COVID-19 response. At the time Olszewski also announced an indoor mask mandate that will be in place until Jan. 31.
The emergency declaration is intended to give Baltimore County more flexibility in the way it protects residents from COVID-19, while making it easier for the county to get whatever support it needs from the state and federal governments.
The measures come as Maryland has seen its COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in recent weeks. Hospitalizations surpassed 3,000 in Maryland on Tuesday, with at least 500 of those in intensive care.