Gov. Moore announces $164 million to address flu, other respiratory illness surge in Maryland

LARGO, Md. — Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday announced a $164.6 million investment to combat an epidemic of respiratory illness in Maryland. Since September, 41 adults have died from influenza, and over 4,200 individuals have been hospitalized, according to data from the Maryland Department of Health.

The number of individuals receiving COVID-19 vaccines has steadily declined in the same period. The same is the case with flu vaccines, but the number of individuals getting their flu shots increased in January. Additionally, Somerset, Wicomico, Washington and Baltimore counties have been some of the hardest hit by respiratory illness hospitalizations.

“As cases of respiratory illnesses surge across Maryland, we must step up to ensure health care professionals have the resources they need to treat patients and that our people can receive the care they need,” Moore said Thursday in a news release. “At the same time, our administration will continue to protect access to lifesaving vaccines and make clear that public health decisions in Maryland are made by medical professionals and guided by proven evidence — not political decisions.”

The announcement comes after Moore made roughly $1.8 billion in cuts and fund transfers in his budget proposal to address a $1.4 billion budget shortfall.

Flu season occurs in the fall and winter, often peaking between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During the news conference, Moore touted his recently introduced Vax Act of 2026, which aims to decouple Maryland from federal policies on vaccine schedules and insurance coverage. It will also establish independent authority for Maryland’s health secretary to issue immunization recommendations based on guidance from reputable medical organizations.

Moore also criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for limiting access to vaccines and said his administration’s investment is “a clear statement” that Maryland won’t “flinch” in protecting its people.

“Maryland families should be able to trust that public health recommendations are being made by doctors and medical professionals, not by politicians, not by conspiracy theorists, and not by internet personas,” Moore said to applause.

The White House didn’t respond to requests for comment.

This multimillion-dollar investment will be administered by the Health Services Cost Review Commission, an independent state agency that approves funding to assist hospitals strained by an influx of patients. The funds will help cover increased operational costs, such as staffing, and provide greater budget flexibility to manage the high volume of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and COVID-19 cases. The funding will also range from $49,000 to $32.8 million and is set to support 25 Maryland hospitals in fiscal year 2026.

According to the Maryland Health Department’s data, influenza cases are measured by tracking hospital visits and testing for the virus’ presence in wastewater. The department’s data show that influenza cases recorded by testing wastewater overwhelmingly exceeded those recorded during hospital visits.

The Baltimore Sun asked Moore how his administration will mitigate influenza cases recorded through wastewater testing and whether it’ll pump more funds into decreasing them. Maryland Health Secretary Meena Seshamani said the health department is prioritizing educating Marylanders on how to protect themselves from contracting respiratory illnesses.

“This is where it comes back to getting vaccinated, hand washing and making sure that people have access to care that they need so that they don’t get so sick that they end up in the hospital,” Seshamani said.

Since last year, the department has also issued a COVID-19 vaccine standing order, published clinical vaccine guidance for health care providers, published frequently asked questions about vaccines for the public, and updated respiratory virus immunization recommendations.

The Moore administration also operates a $2.8 million Maryland Vaccine Program, which provides free vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults at local health departments. The program’s funds were allocated by the administration in partnership with the Maryland General Assembly. Maryland last September also joined the bipartisan Northeast Public Health Collaborative and the GovAct Public Health Alliance, a public health coalition of states in the Northeast region of the U.S. with the power to make its own vaccine recommendations.

Health advocates welcomed Moore’s investment and praised his administration for meeting the mark in combating the spread of respiratory illnesses. Michael Seilback, vice president of national advocacy at the American Lung Association, told The Baltimore Sun that Maryland has one of the highest cases of acute respiratory illness in the country, but the state has been “leading the way” to protect its residents through “real public health guidance” and vigorous educational campaigns.

Seilback argued that more money could be invested to assist hospitals in meeting health care demands, but Moore’s investment is still “important … at a time where we know budgets are tight.”

“Maryland is sort of in line with what is the right approach to combating these record-breaking levels of influenza,” Seilback said. “We’re still trying to figure out the things that were the most effective and the things that we might want to do differently in the case of a different novel respiratory virus.”