The adhering to is a records of a meeting with Maryland Guv Larry Hogan that broadcast Sunday, January 16, 2022, on "Face the Country."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go currently to Maryland Guv Larry Hogan, that joins us from Annapolis. Greetings to you, guv.
MARYLAND GOV. LARRY HOGAN: Greetings.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Eighty percent of health center beds are inhabited in your state, Omicron is actually striking hard. There are contrasts today to where we remained in 2020. Have you seen an actual modification in the capacity of the federal government to react to states like your own?
GOV. HOGAN: Well, so we have actually been affected actually hard over the previous number of weeks, and also we got to a greater factor than we ever before did throughout the remainder of the virtually 2 years of this dilemma. We have actually obtained a little of favorable information and also- because it's not fairly a pattern, however over the previous 4 or 5 days, we have actually seen rather significant declines in both hospital stays, positivity price and also situation price. Therefore it's enthusiastic, and also we're- we're mosting likely to watch on that particular over the following 10 days to see if we proceed. Yet we're still in a quite challenging place, which's why I stated a state of emergency situation. We- we did a great deal of points to attempt to aid raise the capability of our health center systems. Sent in a thousand participants of the National Guard. As well as you recognize, we're taking a great deal of activities straight and also we're- we're attempting to obtain as much assistance as we can from the federal government. Yet, you recognize, fairly honestly, they're dropped brief in a number of methods.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Exactly How- what do you require?
GOV. LARRY HOGAN: Well, we have actually been promoting fairly a long time, you recognize, the head of state introduced virtually a month earlier prior to Xmas that he was mosting likely to disperse these half a billion quick examination out throughout the nation. Therefore much we have not seen any type of. We were getting our very own, you recognize, the states have actually gotten on the cutting edge throughout this dilemma. As well as currently it looks like if, instead of creating even more of these quick examinations, the federal government is simply buying the ones that we had actually currently gotten for. You recognize, so currently we're kind of pirating the examinations that we currently had prepare for, and also we're currently obtaining a few of those companies to inform us they no more have the mat-Masks- the quick examinations. On masks, you recognize, I introduced recently that we were- we were supplying absolutely free 20 million N95 and also can KN95 masks throughout the state. As well as I believe the federal government is adhering to behind attempting to do the very same point in various other areas.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. The head of state is anticipated to introduce something carefully today on that particular front.
GOV. HOGAN: I wish so.
MARGARET BRENNAN: As well as I comprehend- I comprehend the CDC simply transformed their advice or adjusted their advice on Friday concerning masks. Yet various other states were around, like Connecticut dispersing and also N95s previously. Why did you wait up until this factor?
GOV. HOGAN: Well, we have actually been dispersing them throughout the dilemma. I imply, from the get go, however the 20 million is a quite substantial number. So we have actually had limitless mass for the colleges, for, you recognize, greater than a year currently. We have actually obtained them out of health and wellness divisions and also health centers. And now we're- we're having also larger reach due to the fact that we recognize that these masks are a lot more safety which we have actually obtained a a lot more transmittable version that's spreading out not just throughout our state however throughout the nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah. In neighboring West Virginia, their guv, likewise Republican Jim Justice, has actually asked the CDC to accredit a 4th booster for the most at risk in his state. Are you mosting likely to do the very same? Are you curious about that?
GOV. HOGAN: Well, 5 or 6 months earlier, we did move on on the 3rd booster in advance of the federal government due to the fact that we- we had actually done our very own antibody research study in our retirement home, which were a few of our most at risk people that we were extremely worried regarding. The CDC was taking their time, therefore we were currently doing an additional extremely comparable antibody research study in our retirement home to see if we need to move on with a 4 4th dosage, at the very least for our most at risk people that go to danger.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you're dealing with that. When it concerns--
GOV. HOGAN: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What's taking place in colleges today, and also I comprehend that this is area by area and also the choices are various, however Royal prince George's Region, as you recognize an Area of Columbia suburban area, went digital appropriate around Xmas. They're returning to college face to face this coming week. You will certainly position that. You desired youngsters face to face.
GOV. HOGAN: I do not oppose them returning to college.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No, however you oppose them going digital and also in various other- various other components of the state where they did return face to face, you had some reduced participation prices due to the fact that individuals were unwell. So why not permit a little of adaptability there? Exists a time when digital remote college in fact is the very best selection?
GOV. HOGAN: Well, there is adaptability with regional college systems, however what we should do and also what the state plan in fact is, if there's an episode in a specific class or a specific college, after that they have specific methods that they, you recognize, they need to take, however closing down whole college systems to penalize a million youngsters. Look, we have- we presently have 34 individuals in the health center--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well they went remote--
GOV. HOGAN: 30 of them are kids, 30 of them are kids, and also fifty percent of them remain in for an additional factor in the health center. We're currently loading our pediatric vacant pediatric beds with grownups due to the fact that kids have actually not been that huge of a trouble. Our college systems have actually not been overwhelmed. As well as you recognize, we began immunizing educators greater than a year ago as a top priority. That was what they requested. We offered the masks. We offered thousands of countless bucks for filtering systems to attempt to maintain our youngsters secure. As well as you recognize, I comprehend individuals being worried regarding youngsters. All of us are. Yet we missed out on a year of discovering in many cases, and also it's not the means to head to maintain the whole college system closed down.
MARGARET BRENNAN: recognized, however remote is someplace in between. Yet I intend to ask you regarding some national politics right here due to the fact that as you recognize, there's been a great deal of talk amongst some high degree Republican politicians, consisting of Mitch McConnell, the Us senate Republican politician leader that's attempting to hire you to compete Us senate. You stated you do not have a burning wish to offer in the Us senate. You obtained a February 22nd declaring due date. If you do not intend to inform me you're running or otherwise today, can you at the very least inform me if a Republican politician can win a statewide government political election in Maryland?
GOV. HOGAN: Well, most Republicans could not, however both The Washington Message and also the Us senate management did 2 surveys revealing me defeating Chris Van Hollen by 12 factors, so I believe it is feasible it coincides- very same- very same number that I was reelected by in 2018 versus Ben Jealous as guv. Yet look what I stated, I have actually been claiming the whole time. It's not something I desire, however I likewise have actually stated that I-I treatment significantly regarding the-the nation and also where we are and also the dissentious unsupported claims that the divisiveness and also disorder in Washington. Therefore, you recognize, individuals are contacting my type of even more patriotic task to claim, also if it's not the task that you desire, possibly we require you to run anyhow. Therefore that's where we are. I have actually never ever shared a rate of interest in it, and also I still have not taken any type of action in that instructions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: February 22nd Are you mosting likely to run or are you mosting likely to submit?
GOV. HOGAN: February 22nd resembles a month away, and also today we're simply concentrated on the day task as guv and also concentrated on this Omicron dilemma and also our legal session, which's where my emphasis is mosting likely to remain.
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK, well, we will certainly remain on top of you and afterwards we'll begin asking you if you're mosting likely to run in 2024, which you have actually been asked and also stated, you will not talk about either. Guv, thanks significantly for your time today and also all the best with the hospital stays. We'll be right back with the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.