ELKRIDGE, Md. – The leaders of all Maryland hospitals and health systems released a letter today to Marylanders, encouraging everyone to help save lives by getting the COVID-19 vaccine:

Dear Marylanders,

The dedicated caregivers at Maryland’s 60 hospitals and health systems have fought more than 500 straight days to protect all of us from the coronavirus. Having treated and released more than 45,500 COVID patients since the outset of this crisis, while also delivering world class care to everyone else, they are tired.

As leaders of the state’s hospitals and health systems, we urge all Marylanders to step up, to protect your children, yourselves, and your friends and neighbors.

Roll up your sleeves and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccination is our best hope to stay well and to enjoy a return to normal living. The evidence is clear: the vaccines now in use in the U.S. do shield people’s health.

More than seven in 10 Marylanders aged 12 and up already are fully vaccinated. That’s among the best in the U.S. Yet, more people are being hospitalized daily—almost all unvaccinated. Just 5.3% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland since January 2021 and 4.6% of COVID-related deaths have been among fully vaccinated individuals.

And we’re sadly seeing a rise in COVID cases among those not yet eligible for vaccination—children under 12.

In June, Maryland hospitals and health systems collectively issued a first-in-the-nation consensus statement calling for health care workers to be vaccinated. More and more hospitals insist that employees protect themselves, their co-workers, and importantly, their patients. This decision was rooted in science and in our mission to protect the health of our communities.

When everyone who’s eligible is vaccinated, we will prevent needless illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. We will end the pandemic. Go get vaccinated today.

Bob Atlas
President & CEO
Maryland Hospital Association

Shafeeq Ahmed
President
Howard County General Hospital

Victoria Bayless
President & CEO
Luminis Health

Richard G. Bennett
President
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

Daniel Blum
President & CEO
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore & Grace Medical Center

Mark Boucot
President & CEO
Garrett Regional Medical Center

Alison Brown
President
University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus

Craig Carmichael
President & COO
Northwest Hospital

Noel Cervino
President & CEO
University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center

Bradley S. Chambers
President
MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital & MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

John B. Chessare
President & CEO
Greater Baltimore Medical Center

Daniel Cochran
President
Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center

Norvell “Van” Coots
President & CEO
Holy Cross Health

Louis Damiano
President
Holy Cross Hospital

Jill Donaldson
President
MedStar Harbor Hospital

Terry Forde
President & CEO
Adventist HealthCare

Michael Franklin
President & CEO
Atlantic General Hospital

Garrett Hoover
President & COO
Carroll Hospital

Maulik Joshi
President & CEO
Meritus Health

Cynthia Kelleher
President & CEO
University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute

Thomas A. Kleinhanzl
President & CEO
Frederick Health

Kenneth D. Kozel
President & CEO
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

Sharon Kurfuerst
President
ChristianaCare, Union Hospital

Steven E. Leonard
President & CEO
TidalHealth

Stuart Levine
President
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

Edward Lovern
President & CEO
Ascension Saint Agnes

David Maine
President & CEO
Mercy Medical Center

Michele Martz
President
UPMC Western Maryland

Jessica Melton
President & COO
Suburban Hospital

Neil Meltzer
President & CEO
LifeBridge Health

Redonda Miller
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Kathleen McCollum
President & CEO
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center

Kurt Newman
President & CEO
Children’s National Hospital

Bert W. O’Malley
President & CEO
University of Maryland Medical Center

Sherry B. Perkins
President
Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center

Deneen Richmond
President
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center

Brent Reitz
President
Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation

Nathaniel Richardson Jr.
President & CEO
University of Maryland Capital Region Health

R. Lynn Rushing
CEO
Brook Lane

Doug Ryder
President
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital

Kenneth A. Samet
President & CEO
MedStar Health

Thomas J. Senker
President
MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Bradley Schlaggar
President & CEO
Kennedy Krieger Institute

Lyle Sheldon
President & CEO
University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health System

Eunmee Shim 
President
Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center

Thomas Smyth
President & CEO
University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center

Kevin W. Sowers
President
The Johns Hopkins Health System

Anthony Stahl
President
Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center

Sheldon J. Stein
President & CEO
Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital

Mohan Suntha
President & CEO
University of Maryland Medical System

Dean Teague
President & CEO
CalvertHealth Medical Center

Harsh Trivedi
President & CEO
Sheppard Pratt Health System

Steven Walas
CEO
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Salisbury

Christine Wray
President
MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital & MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center