Hogan Eases Restaurant Regulations As Coronavirus Metrics Improve

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland's bars and restaurants no longer face a 10 p.m. curfew, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Thursday. The new rules will take effect Monday. Indoor dining will still be capped at half capacity.

Individual counties are allowed to have stricter orders, however. They may keep the curfew and limit capacity further. They're just not allowed to be more lenient than the governor.

Hogan eased regulations as coronavirus metrics continue to improve across the state. The positivity rate, case rate and hospitalizations have all fallen since setting records earlier this month.

"With our data trends showing continued improvement, the holiday surges behind us, and the increasing speed of vaccinations, we are now able to take this step," the governor said in a press release.

Maryland's positivity rate climbed to 9.47 percent by Jan. 3. That was the highest mark since June 2, 2020. The positivity rate has receded to 6.15 percent, which is the lowest it's been since Nov. 11, 2020.

The state's case rate, or the weekly average number of new infections-per-day per 100,000 residents, reached a record high of 53.39 on Jan. 12. That meant infections were rolling in three times faster than they were last spring.

The case rate has plunged since then. By Wednesday, it fell to 33.62, which is the lowest clip since Nov. 18, 2020.

Coronavirus-related hospitalizations are also starting to fall. They hit a record high of 1,952 on Jan. 12. Since peaking, hospitalizations have dipped to 1,636, which is their lowest level since Dec. 19, 2020.

"Marylanders must continue to remain cautious and vigilant in order to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities safe and healthy," Hogan said.

The full list of the current regulations are laid out in Hogan's latest executive order. To catch up on the latest vaccination trends in Maryland, read Patch's latest update.

Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Annapolis newsletters and real-time email alerts.

RELATED:

• MD Pharmacies Will Give Vaccine; Hogan Touts Network During Visit
• Mass Vaccination Sites Ahead For MD, Vaccine Eligibility Expands
• Hogan Gets Coronavirus Vaccine On Camera, Hopes To Show It's Safe
• Maryland Accelerates COVID-19 Vaccination Plan: Gov. Larry Hogan
• Marylanders Try To Cut Line For Coronavirus Vaccine: Hogan

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.