He says Md. State Police will work with local law enforcement to enforce COVID-19 restrictions during the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Annapolis, Md (KM) Governor Larry Hogan says the state is launching “a wide scale, all hands on deck, compliance and education operation” as the Thanksgiving Holiday gets closer. During a news conference on Monday, the Governor said this effort by the Maryland State Police will help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Maryland State Police is expanding its COVID-19 Compliance and Coordination, and deploying High Visibility Units across the state,” he said.
Hogan said the State Police will be working with local law enforcement to educate the public on the orders put in place by the Governor to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and take enforcement action if necessary. Additional troopers will be assigned to every county.
Along with that, “High Visibility Units” will be detailed to downtown areas around the state. In addition to bars and restaurants, the Governor says these units will focus on venues that host large gatherings such as nightclubs, and banquet halls. . “State troopers will support local authorities with compliance checks with a focus on educating the public about existing orders, protocols, and priorities to prevent supers-spreading events, and to insist in enforcement compliances when actions are necessary,” he said.
“The Maryland State Police is also ramping up their COVID Prevention Hot Line where members of the public to call and report unsafe facilities and activities, or violations of public health orders,” the Governor says. The number is 1-833-979-2266.
These stepped-up enforcement activities will begin on Wednesday and continue through the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.
Governor Hogan said there is a surge in COVID-19 cases in Maryland. As of Monday, he said the state has had 19 days where the number of new coronavirus cases averages at least 1,000 each day, and the positivity rate is 6.88%.
“We can’t let a few bad actors spoil if for the others who have doing such a great job,” he said. “We cannot afford to undo all of the progress we have made together in this war against the virus.”
By Kevin McManus