Montgomery County recommends mask-wearing as COVID cases rise

A rise in COVID cases in Montgomery County, Maryland, has led the county government to recommend indoor masking and to require it in its own facilities.

The county is the first Washington, D.C.-area locality to make such a recommendation since cases dropped dramatically over the course of 2022. According to a county statement, cases have risen steadily over the past month to 121 cases per 100,000 residents.

The areas surrounding Montgomery County have also seen increases in reported cases. Maryland’s Prince George’s County reported an 82% increase in cases from the week before, and the District of Columbia saw a 46% increase since last week.

Despite those percentages, the raw number of cases in both jurisdictions is not large — 181 in Prince George’s and 70 in the District.

The increases come as flu season peaks in the District area, with hospitals taking in more patients with respiratory illnesses.

Montgomery County’s 121-per-100,000 rate is still considered “low” on the COVID-19 Community Level Status, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Rankings are calculated by three factors: new COVID cases, new hospitalizations, and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.

To be categorized as “low,” a region must have less than 200 new cases, less than 10 new hospital admissions, and less than 10% of inpatient beds with COVID patients.

The CDC only recommends mask-wearing in areas that are considered “high” on the ranking. D.C. has followed CDC guidelines and made masks optional in most indoor spaces.

Despite this, according to the Montgomery County COVID-19 information portal, face masks can be mandated by “any business or organization” and are required “in Montgomery County Government facilities providing health care, and congregate sites (like shelters and correctional facilities), by all persons.”