Council Meets as the Board of Health on Jan 4. at 9 a.m. for Public Health Updates and to Introduce, Hold a Public Hearing and Vote on Amended Board of Health Regulation on Indoor Masking Requirements
MARYLAND, December 30 - For Immediate Release: Thursday, December 30, 2021
Council to receive a public health update and introduce, hold a public hearing and vote on an amended Board of Health regulation
The Montgomery County Council will meet virtually as the Board of Health on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 9 a.m. to receive an update on the County’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and receive information from Montgomery County Public Schools about their ongoing COVID-19 safety measures. At 10 a.m. the Council will introduce, hold a public hearing and vote on an amended Board of Health regulation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Montgomery County.
Updates from County Government and Montgomery County Public Schools - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Health Planning
Briefing: Sitting as the Board of Health, the Council will receive an update on the County’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery and vaccination efforts. The update will include information from Montgomery County Public Schools about their ongoing COVID safety measures.
Those expected to provide information include Dr. Raymond Crowel, director, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); Dr. James Bridgers, acting health officer, DHHS; Dr. Earl Stoddard, assistant chief administrative officer, Montgomery County Government; James D’Andrea, chief of staff, Office of the Superintendent, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS); and Heather Dublinske, coordinator, Student Welfare and Compliance, MCPS.
The staff report will be available on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
Introduction, public hearing and vote: The Council will meet virtually via Zoom as the Board of Health to introduce, hold a public hearing and vote on a First Amended Board of Health Regulation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to update indoor masking guidance in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County's current Board of Health regulation, which was issued on Nov. 2, 2021, required face coverings to be worn indoors in public areas of the County, with some exceptions, during periods of substantial or high COVID-19 transmission. The Nov. 2 Board of Health Regulation terminates without further action when 85 percent of the total Montgomery County population is fully vaccinated.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 omicron variant has pushed the County and other areas of the country into an extended period of high COVID-19 transmission. Consequently, Acting Health Officer Dr. James Bridgers requested that the Board of Health rescind the automatic termination of the indoor mask mandate at its meeting on Jan. 4, 2022.
The First Amended Board of Health Regulation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 would continue the indoor masking requirements at any location accessible to the public in Montgomery County by doing the following:
- rescinding the automatic termination of the indoor mask mandate upon reaching 85 percent of the population being fully vaccinated;
- removing the requirement to end the indoor mask mandate when the County moves into moderate transmission;
- continuing the indoor mask mandate until the Board of Health rescinds it in a formal order;
- requiring the Board of Health to meet every two weeks to review data on community transmission and consider whether the indoor mask mandate should continue; and
- eliminating the outdated language requiring the County Executive to provide status updates on the County's employee vaccination mandate.
If adopted by the Board of Health, the amended regulation would become effective on Jan. 5, 2022 at 12 a.m.
Students are still required to wear face coverings in schools based on requirements from the Maryland State Department of Education. Moreover, face coverings are still required on public transportation as required by the Transportation Security Administration.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Council and committees are meeting via Zoom because of ongoing construction and technology upgrades in the Council's Hearing Room and the inability to conduct meetings in a socially distant way in other areas of the Council Office Building with television broadcast capacity. Councilmembers continue to hold meetings in their offices by appointment.
The virtual Council and committee meetings will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 21-515 Media Contact: Sonya Healy, 240-777-7926 , Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884