Concerns over rising COVID numbers

WITH WMAR-2 NEWS ERMACPHERSON.

SHE JOINS US LIVEFROM THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS INTIMONIUM..

ERIN- BASED ON THERECENT CORONAVIRUS STATISTICS- THERE*ARE SOME CONCERTHAT THE STATE MAYRE-OPENING TOO SOON..THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTHDISCUSSION BETWEEN ONE OF THESENATORS AND THE ACTING HEALSECREATORY IN THE MEETINGABOUT THE RISE IN CASES AWHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT IT.FOR SIX DAYS STRAIGHT - MORTHAN ONE THOUSAND NEWCORONAVIRUS CASES WEREREPORTED BY THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.

THE POSITIVITYRATE IS NOW NEARLY FIVEPERCENT AND HOSPITALIZATIONSHAVE GONE UP TOO.

SENATORCLARENCE LAM QUOTED THEMONTGOMERY COUNTY HEALTHOFFICER SAYING THE RISE ISCASES ISN'T GETTING THEATTENTION NEEDED.

HE ALSREFERENCED THE CDC DIRECTORFEELING "IMPENDING DOOM."DENNIS SCHRADER - THE ACTINGSECRETARY OF HEALTH RESPONDEDSAYING THERE IS A GROWTH BUIT'S FAIRLY FLAT AND THE OLDERPOPULATION GETTING SICK ISONLY ABOUT 3-5 PERCENT.

.22:06-22:26 "so we dont wantto overeact.

We're monitoringvery carefully but itsgenerally been the youngerpopulation thats been gettingsick.

Thats true but theyounger population, we've seenalso, ends up infecting tholder population and that'swhere the deaths are occurringand im concerned werereopening faster than we canvaccina PEOPLE ARE STILL DYINFROM THIS VIRUS.

9 MORE DEATWERE REPORTED IN MARYLANDMONDAY..

AND MORE THAN 8,000PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN MARYLANDSINCE THE PANDEMIC.

EXPERTSSAY the death rate TYPICALLYLAGS AND INCREASES WEEKS AFTERA STEADY RISE IN COVID CASAND HOSPITALIZATIONS - SOSENATOR LAM IS CONCERNED TDEATH RATE WILL INCREASE.SCHRADER AGREED IT'S A RACE TOGET THE OLDER POPULATIOVACCINATED BUT STANDS BY THESTATE REOPENING - STRESSINTHERE ARE STILL MANDATES INPLACE KEEPING PEOPLE SAFLIVE -