'Our Numbers Are Up About 500%' Maryland Pushes To Vaccinate As Covid Delta Variant Spreads; Still No Plans For Another Mask Mandate

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The walk-in vaccination clinic at the Engineers Club in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood was not packed, but every shot counts with the more contagious Delta variant of COVID—19 on the rise in Maryland. The Ivy Hotel helped organize the clinic, which offered Moderna and targeted people in the hospitality industry.

"Fingers crossed! The more people we can get through these doors and get vaccinated, the happier we are," said The Ivy Hotel's general manager Rob Arthur.

Maryland reported 309 new infections Tuesday, 2 more deaths, 21 more hospitalized, and the positivity rate rose .16% to 2.31%

The CDC is now advising even fully vaccinated people to wear masks again indoors in areas with high transmission rates.

"For me, wearing the mask is just the right thing to do for my family and my community, and I think we'll probably need to return to that if we want to get this under control," Dr. Christopher Thompson, an immunologist at Loyola University Maryland, told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. He said the surge in cases could last until October.

Some have already been masking up.

"I'm concerned about Delta so I'm going to wear the mask inside," said Mark Johnson of Baltimore who told Hellgren he will not go inside the grocery store without one.

Governor Larry Hogan told WJZ again Tuesday there are no plans at this time for a new mask mandate in Maryland.

"We're not approaching any kind of threshold for a mask mandate, but we do have rising numbers with the Delta variant so we're just continuing to encourage people to get their vaccine," Hogan said.

The governor noted almost 77% of Marylanders 18 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine, one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation. But he said there is cause for concern. "Our numbers are up about 500% over the past few weeks," Governor Hogan said.

Baltimore's Comptroller Bill Henry called for city workers to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID—19 testing similar to regulations announced this week in New York City. Mayor Scott said yesterday no decision has been made on what will be required.

In parts of Baltimore City, fewer than 30% of people are vaccinated and at a much higher risk of hospitalization and death.

"For those who are on the fence, I don't know what more can be done to encourage [vaccinations]," Dr. Thompson said. "I think it's your right not to be vaccinated but then you need to wear your mask."

• Maryland
• COVID-19
• Baltimore City