Elkridge, Md. – Maryland hospitals have served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for two solid years, treating the first COVID patients on March 4, 2020.
The state’s hospitals have been there for their communities throughout the crisis, saving nearly 58,000 lives. Now, as the state moves into the next phase in the fight against COVID-19, we reflect on the tenacity, dedication, and day-to-day heroism of our health care workforce.
“We continue to be inspired by the strength, perseverance, and compassion of our hospital workforce,” says Bob Atlas, President & CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association. “After 730 days battling COVID-19, they have cared for Maryland through every surge and still work 24/7 to keep everyone safe. They are true heroes.”
From day one, Maryland hospitals met the virus with full force to save lives and care for their communities. They created bed space for additional patients, shored up supplies of protective gear, gave life-saving treatment, and delivered COVID testing and vaccinations.
As challenging as the whole two years has been, the last three months saw demand reach new heights. In January, Maryland hospitals had more COVID-19 inpatients than at any other time during the pandemic—about 50% higher than the previous peak a year earlier. The situation led 15 Maryland hospitals—one-third of the state’s acute-care hospitals—to take the unprecedented step of moving to crisis standards of care.
“Since the start of the pandemic, more than 71,000 Marylanders have been hospitalized with the virus,” Atlas says. “And hospital workers have cared for countless others—with and without COVID—in emergency rooms, in outpatient settings, and in testing facilities.”
“We remain grateful for the dedication and skill of our hospital heroes for all they continue to do during this health care crisis,” Atlas says.