By Rachel Chason and Rebecca Tan,
The greater Washington region on Tuesday reported the highest number of confirmed coronavirus-related deaths in a single day since the start of the pandemic.
Maryland, Virginia and D.C. reported 126 new fatalities, breaking the previous single-day record of 124 deaths on Dec. 15. The District reported four new fatalities, Maryland reported 63 and Virginia reported 59 — that state’s second-highest daily total.
Virginia Department of Health spokeswoman Tammie Smith said the state’s count was partially due to an increase in data entry Monday after offices were closed for the holidays. Virginia’s single-day high of 96 fatalities on Sept. 15 also was the result of a reporting backlog.
The seven-day average number of new fatalities in the region stood Tuesday at 76. That’s down slightly from a week ago, but about four times higher than early November.
[Coronavirus cases and metrics in D.C., Maryland and Virginia]
Efforts continued across the region Tuesday to distribute vaccines to members of priority groups.
Montgomery County received 4,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine from Maryland that it will administer to health-care workers and first responders this week, officials said. The county is opening a vaccine clinic Wednesday at the White Oak Recreation Center, where officials hope to vaccinate 1,000 health-care workers, Health Officer Travis Gayles said.
He said there is no established date for when the county will begin vaccinating those in the second phase of the highest-priority groups, but Gayles urged residents to be patient.
“We’re moving as quickly as possible,” he said, adding that Montgomery expects to receive several thousand more doses from the state next week.
New daily infections in Montgomery have decreased slightly over the past two weeks, with the seven-day average dropping from a high of 472 in mid-December to less than 400 on Tuesday. But officials warned against complacency.
“It’s lower than it’s been, but not low,” said County Executive Marc Elrich (D). The county’s test positivity, he noted, is still above 7 percent, nearly double what it was over the summer.
Gayles said recent record air travel across the region and nationwide has been concerning. The “unknown factor,” he said, is how people are behaving during and after they travel. If they adhered strictly to mask-wearing and physical distancing, for example, they might not contribute to community transmission in January.
Maryland, Virginia and D.C. reported 6,193 new infections Tuesday. The seven-day average number of new cases has dipped slightly in recent days, but experts say caseloads could rise again after holiday social gatherings and travel.
Earl Stoddard, Montgomery County’s head of emergency management, added that officials hope recent restrictions on indoor dining and gathering sizes will blunt any potential surge.
[Holiday surge in D.C. area virus cases feared as vaccine plans move forward]
In Anne Arundel County, testimony continued Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by four restaurant owners hoping to roll back the county’s ban on indoor dining.
Judge William Mulford II said Tuesday he expected to issue a decision Wednesday, a move that would allow restaurants to continue indoor dining at least another day.
Testimony in the case from restaurant owners and health officials was echoed in similar cases in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, as well as Baltimore City, all of which saw their bans on indoor dining challenged this month. Judges in those jurisdictions upheld the bans, saying local officials were acting within their rights to protect public safety.
In D.C., the online reservation system for residents and workers to sign up for vaccinations went live Monday.
As of Tuesday, only health-care workers whose jobs qualify them for early vaccinations can sign up. Reservation slots eventually will open for senior citizens, teachers, grocery store workers and others.
Those who qualify can schedule appointments at a Giant or Safeway pharmacy, or at one of the District nonprofits administering the Moderna vaccine.
Among those who received the vaccine Tuesday was Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris, who got her dose of the Modern vaccine at United Medical Center in Southeast D.C.
“When you’re able to take the vaccine, get it,” Harris tweeted. “This is about saving lives.”
Julie Zauzmer and Teddy Amenabar contributed to this report.
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