As COVID-19 variants pick up the pace, here’s how to stay safe while you await vaccination

On March 5, 2020, just a year ago, Maryland had its first case of COVID-19. Since then, the pandemic has taken a grim toll on Maryland with over 7,600 confirmed deaths and tens of thousands of people needing to be hospitalized, many of whom will face unknown long-term consequences. While the pandemic has affected all of us, some groups have been hit harder with higher rates of infection and death, including racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly and the poor. We are losing whole generations of people while the virus causes further widening of gaps in life expectancy.