The Maryland Hospital Association is calling on Governor Larry Hogan to reinstate a public health emergency as COVID cases continue to spike. The group’s President and CEO Bob Atlas says Maryland hospitals are nearly full, emergency departments are stretched thin and critical staffing shortages are making matters worse. Atlas says the limited public health emergency would provide more protections and flexibility for hospitals and healthcare workers. Maryland’s previous public health emergency was in place for a year-and-a-half before expiring in August.