Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, chairman of the National Governors Association, is seen during a news conference about the coronavirus earlier this year. Hogan on Thursday warned of a major surge in coronavirus cases and urged residents of his state to wear masks to prevent the virus’s spread.
                                 AP file photo

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, chairman of the National Governors Association, is seen during a news conference about the coronavirus earlier this year. Hogan on Thursday warned of a major surge in coronavirus cases and urged residents of his state to wear masks to prevent the virus’s spread.

AP file photo

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan warned of a major surge in coronavirus cases and urged residents Thursday to wear masks to prevent the virus’s spread.

Maryland’s statewide mask mandate remains in full effect, the Republican governor said during a news conference. Under this order, all Marylanders over the age of 5 are required to wear face coverings in the public spaces of all businesses across the state.

“It is the best way to keep you and your family members safe, keep people out of the hospital, save lives and to keep Maryland open for business,” Hogan said.

Hogan also said he didn’t believe new restrictions were needed on businesses, but he warned against complacency toward current rules now in place.

“I think right now, enforcing the existing laws that people aren’t following is more important than adding new ones,” he said.

While the governor said Maryland is in a much better position than in the spring and that the state is better prepared than most states, “the warning lights are starting to flash on the dashboard.”

Dr. David Marcozzi, the COVID-19 incident commander for the University of Maryland Medical System, said the state is “entering a period of high risk” in the next few months, because the virus spreads more easily when people gather indoors together.