Montgomery County advised residents to wear masks indoors in public places as COVID-19 cases surge.
In a message Tuesday, county officials warned residents to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
“I encourage everyone to wear masks indoors in public spaces when possible, as well as continue to use our ample testing and vaccination resources we have in the County,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “I know we are all tired of this virus, but the virus is not tired of us. If we keep doing our individual parts, as a community, we can tamp down this increase in the case rate and avoid going back to days of more restrictive measures.”
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Montgomery County reported a steady rise in the known COVID case rate in the past month, and more than triple the cases reported as of March 15.
To protect vulnerable people and keep hospitalizations down, residents are advised to wear masks in indoor public places, get tested and stay up to date on vaccinations and booster shots.
Since the start of the pandemic, more than 180,000 people in the county have contracted COVID and 1,992 have died, according to state data.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorizes the county as of Wednesday as having a medium community level. People at high-risk for severe illness are advised to talk to their doctors about masks and other precautions.
Prince George’s County also recently advised residents to wear masks in public places. The recommendation last week came as the county tracks an increase in COVID cases.
