NEWSLETTER: Help Us Defeat COVID-19 By Getting Vaccinated Today

A MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSMAN HOYER

Last Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated their COVID-19 guidance. Fully vaccinated Marylanders, meaning individuals who are two weeks past their final COVID-19 vaccine dose, can resume activities that they did prior to the pandemic and do not need to wear masks in most situations. You must continue to follow specific COVID-19 safety guidelines provided by your workplace and local businesses. You are still required to wear masks when traveling on planes, busses, trains, and other transit services within or out of the United States and while in airports and stations. This long-awaited step forward comes as even more vaccines have been administered into the arms of Fifth District residents. I share in the excitement of so many families throughout our state who are finally able to hug and get together with their loved ones.

This new guidance is a welcome step forward as we work to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is still much work to be done. If you haven't already received your COVID-19 vaccine, I strongly encourage you to get it as soon as possible. The vaccine is free and available without an appointment. Vaccines are provided through hospitals, local health departments, pharmacies and mass vaccination sites throughout the state of Maryland. Click here to find a vaccination location in your community.

The CDC recently announced that it has authorized the Pfizer vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15. Most of Maryland's mass vaccination sites are now offering the Pfizer vaccine. Click here to find a location near you.

Though COVID-19 restrictions in Maryland have been lifted significantly, only roughly 42 percent of Maryland has been vaccinated. Vaccine distribution must reach all communities and populations equitably around our state. We are closer to returning to a sense of normalcy, and the single most important tool to get back to normal is to get vaccinated. I hope you will do so today.

The American Rescue Plan has been instrumental in boosting vaccine access across Maryland, but the law has also helped in other important ways. If you are one of countless Americans who have benefited from this law, I would like to hear your story today. You can now share how the American Rescue Plan has helped you by filling out this form on my website.

As always, I encourage all Fifth District residents to continue to share their concerns and insights with me by contacting my office or connecting with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If you are experiencing a personal difficulty such as issues accessing veterans benefits or another problem regarding a federal agency and you wish for my office to place an inquiry on your behalf, please complete the casework request form by clicking here.

Sincerely Yours,

Steny H. Hoyer