Md. health department urges masks, vaccination after respiratory illness-related hospitalizations

As people return home from holiday travel and spending time with loved ones over the past couple weeks, the Maryland Department of Health is urging clinicians to strengthen protective measures to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. The rate of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and other viruses increased during the last week of 2023, and the state Department of Health is urging clinicians to implement “broad facility-wide” prevention measures such as masking and vaccination efforts to bring the hospitalization rate back down.