Maryland hits COVID-19 goal of 70% partially vaccinated

Seventy percent of Maryland adults have received at least one vaccine dose against COVID-19, a key goal that state officials had set for Memorial Day weekend.

Gov. Larry Hogan announced the milestone Monday. Maryland came in more than a month ahead of the national goal, set by President Joe Biden, to give 70% of American adults at least one vaccine dose by the Fourth of July.

Nearly 3 million Marylanders are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Two of the available vaccines require two doses given several weeks apart.

Still, vaccination rates in some parts of the state remain stubbornly low.

In Washington County, only 35% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine. In Somerset County, the number is only 33%. The proportion of adults who got a second dose hasn't yet reached 30% in either county.

Maryland hit the 70% vaccination goal statewide as COVID-19 metrics continued to drop across the state. The number of daily reported cases has fallen significantly as more vaccines have been administered.

On Tuesday, the state reported 101 new cases of COVID-19. Maryland's positivity rate fell to 1.42% during the weekend, the lowest reported since the onset of the pandemic last March.

The state reported two new deaths Tuesday. State health officials last week added more than 500 new deaths attributed to COVID-19 that had not been properly classified over the past year.

The reclassified deaths added by the state health department included: 

• 45 in Washington County.
• 18 in Wicomico County.
• 7 in Worcester County.
• 2 in Somerset County.

The reclassified cases pushed Maryland's total above 9,000 deaths for the entire pandemic.

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More:Maryland reports lowest new COVID-19 case numbers since March 2020

As health metrics have improved and more vaccines have become available, state officials have also eased COVID-19 restrictions.

Hogan lifted Maryland's mask mandate last month, mirroring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All other restrictions, including capacity limits on businesses, restaurants and other venues, also ended last month. Businesses and local jurisdictions can still set their own health rules and require masks.

People who are not fully vaccinated are still encouraged to wear masks, and face coverings are still required on public transportation, in health care settings and in schools.

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Madeleine O'Neill covers the Maryland State House and state issues for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at moneill@gannett.com or on Twitter at @maddioneill