Judge Blocks New Restaurant Regulations, Indoor Dining Continues

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Hours before indoor dining was set to close Wednesday in Anne Arundel County, a judge halted the restriction. County Executive Steuart Pittman's mandate will not yet take effect, and limited indoor dining may continue until the case is settled.

Pittman's order would have closed indoor service at bars and restaurants until Jan. 13. The county executive said he wanted to temporarily close these businesses because patrons can't wear masks when they are eating and drinking. This means eateries put customers at a higher risk for catching the coronavirus, Pittman explained.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge William Mulford disagreed. Mulford ruled that the regulation put an unfair burden on restaurants compared to other industries.

Although eating in a restaurant could expose a customer to the coronavirus, Mulford argued that other businesses have similar risks. He added that Pittman's mandates "were applied in an inconsistent manner" and "relied on a selective interpretation of the data" that hurts the restaurant industry.

"We believe the science from public health experts is clear," Pittman said in a press release. "It shows that taking actions to limit situations where people gather without masks will prevent the spread of this virus and ultimately save lives."

Statewide contact tracing data shed some light on where residents may transmit the virus. Tracers ask coronavirus patients where they went in the 14 days before testing positive.

The data cannot pinpoint where a person caught the disease, but they suggest common trends among Marylanders who get sick. These were the five most-reported activities among positive individuals since data tracking began on July 10:

• 21,314 worked outside their home
• 13,714 shopped indoors
• 12,475 went to a social gathering of 10 or more people
• 8,656 dined inside a restaurant or bar
• 6,149 ate outside one of those businesses

The webpage says the Maryland Department of Health updates these data every Wednesday, but the counts haven't changed since Nov. 14. All other sections of the contact tracing website are up-to-date.

Mulford's temporary restraining order lasts until Dec. 28 at 9 a.m. when the case has its final hearing. Until then, restaurants and bars must follow Pittman's previous coronavirus mandate.

That means eateries may operate at 25 percent capacity indoors. Outdoor dining may also continue. Businesses must limit this open-air service to 75 percent of the establishment's normal indoor capacity. Tables must be spaced, and the establishments have to close by 10 p.m. every night.

"We look forward to a full hearing on the merits of the case and in the meantime are discussing other options to protect the health of our residents by limiting community spread and flattening the ongoing COVID surge in our county," Pittman said.

To catch up on the latest coronavirus trends in Anne Arundel County, read Patch's latest update.

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