Baltimore Mayor To Lift State Of Emergency July 1

BALTIMORE, MD — Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa gave an update on Baltimore’s response to COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon.

Their news conference came the day after Gov. Larry Hogan announced the state of emergency in Maryland would be lifted as of July 1, and all mask mandates would end.

Baltimore will follow suit, the city's mayor reported Wednesday at a news conference.

"Given the positive trends we're seeing in our data, we will lift our state of emergency and all mandates related to COVID-19" on July 1, Scott said.

"Workplaces and businesses do retain the right to set their own policies, and I encourage residents to respect those policies," Scott said. He asked people to be "courteous to each other, whether [they] choose to wear a mask or not" after the city no longer requires it July 1.

Baltimore has retained its mask mandate, while the governor and other jurisdictions have lifted such orders.

The governor lifted Maryland's mask mandates effective at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 15.

Previously, city officials said the mask mandate would remain in effect until 65 percent of adults had gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Wednesday, state health officials say 56.77 percent of Baltimore adults have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Despite not hitting the goal of 65 percent of Baltimore's adult residents being vaccinated, the health commissioner said the rate of new cases had declined as vaccinations against COVID-19 had increased, driving the decision to do away with the requirements.

The city's daily new case rate is 15 coronavirus cases on a seven-day average, a decrease of 82 percent since four weeks ago, Dzirasa reported Wednesday.

It is an "extremely low" rate, she added.

In addition, the coronavirus positivity rate in Baltimore is also low, at 0.7 percent, and hospital capacity is 80 and 85 percent in the ICU and acute care, respectively, according to Dzirasa.

Both the mayor and health commissioner emphasized the threat posed by the virus remains, particularly for those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I want to be clear," Scott said. "The pandemic is not over."

Baltimore has had 53,043 confirmed cases of the virus and 1,217 deaths from COVID-19, the Maryland Department of Health reported Wednesday, June 16.

The city's health commissioner thanked those who have been vaccinated for paving the way for mandates to be lifted. She also encouraged people who are not fully vaccinated to get their vaccines.

"It's critical that if you've only received one dose of a two-dose vaccine, you get your second dose as soon as you're eligible," Dzirasa said.

To those who have not yet received their free coronavirus vaccine — which she said requires no identification — she urged: "Please get vaccinated as soon as possible."

Information about where to get the vaccine is available on Baltimore's COVID-19 website. Those who need help with transportation may call 410-372-3444.

Watch the mayor's news conference on lifting the state of emergency.

Related:

• MD State Of Emergency To End July 1, Gov. Larry Hogan Announces
• Baltimore Keeps Mask Mandate Intact Despite State Lifting It
• Masks In Maryland: 'No More Restrictions,' Governor Says