ELLICOTT CITY – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced major milestones in Howard County’s effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The County’s 7-day average positivity rate is 1.14%, the lowest to date, 7-day average case per 100,000 of the population is at 3.07, the lowest since March 2020, and a COVID utilization rate of 4.7% at Howard County General Hospital, the lowest since October 2020.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team has worked tirelessly to alleviate the threat to keep each other safe. These metrics indicate what we all know – when times are tough, our community comes together to take care and support each other. However, we must not stop there. We must continue our work to ensure all residents, especially our youth between the ages of 12 and 17, get vaccinated. By getting shots into arms, we are returning to a sense of normalcy.
Howard County leads the state with 77.7% of residents 16+ receiving at least one dose of a vaccine, 64.3% of residents are fully vaccinated, and 85.5% of residents 65+ are fully vaccinated according to the Maryland Department of Health. Additionally, 94% of residents 75+ are fully vaccinated and 31.1% of residents 12-18 have received at least one dose.
“Our COVID metrics are the best in the state,” said Dr. Maura Rossman, Howard County Health Officer. “The Health Department and partners throughout the community have worked hard to provide opportunities to be vaccinated. Many of our residents have answered the call and received their vaccinations. We are now looking to the remainder of our friends and neighbors to ensure they make their appointments or walk up to one of our COVID clinics. It is through vaccinating the entire community we can eradicate this virus.”
Currently about 2.5%, about 5,000, of Howard County residents are overdue for their second vaccine dose. If residents need a second dose appointment, please email the Howard County Health Department at dose2@howardcountymd.gov. Walk-up vaccine also is available for those who previously missed their second dose appointment.
To make the vaccine accessible for all, the Howard County Health Department (HCHD) has multiple COVID-19 vaccine clinics around the county. To find a HCHD clinic, please visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov. Additionally, the State mass vaccination site at The Mall in Columbia is open Wednesday – Sunday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are available while supply lasts. Parents and guardians are encouraged and welcome to accompany their adolescents to clinics.