Prince George's Keeps Mask Mandate, Lifts Remaining Capacity Caps

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Prince George's County will keep its mask mandate but lift its remaining capacity caps. The changes took effect Monday at 5:01 p.m. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced the decisions Friday, hours before Gov. Larry Hogan revoked the statewide face covering requirement.

Masks Still Required

As always, counties can be more restrictive. They may not be more lenient than the governor, however. Prince George's chose to oppose Hogan's indoor face covering guidance.

Alsobrooks lifted her outdoor mask mandate on April 30. That move followed Hogan's advice. The county executive was more selective this time.

Prince George's still requires face coverings for:

• All indoor public places
• Public transportation
• Large ticketed venues like stadiums, even if they are outside

"We will consider future changes to mask requirements based on COVID-19 metrics and vaccinations among residents," Alsobrooks said in a press release.

Capacities Expand

With Alsbrooks' announcement, all Prince George's County business can return to full capacity. Most establishments were scheduled to make the switch Monday, but some were slated to remain at partial occupancy. Those included:

• Banquet halls, reception and meeting rooms in hotels, conference centers and similar establishments
• Day camps
• Residential camps
• Concert venues
• Outdoor recreational activities
• Professional and collegiate sporting events
• Social and fraternal clubs
• Youth and amateur sports

Prince George's County pivoted slightly before that order took hold. All facilities, including those listed above, can now expand to full capacity. There are no more distancing requirements either.

"Due to a rapid decline in key COVID-19 metrics, as well as increasing vaccination rates in the County, I am excited to announce that we will be able to further lift restrictions on our business community," Alsobrooks added. "The way we will continue to trend in the right direction is by getting more residents vaccinated."

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Health Metrics

Around 33 percent of Prince George's County residents are fully immunized. About 42 percent have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

The county executive also pointed to the improving percent positivity, case rate and hospitalization total as reasons for hope.

"In just five days, the positivity rate dropped from 4% to 3%," Alsobrooks wrote in a Friday newsletter. "Previously it would take about 10 days to see a one-point decrease in that metric. In addition, the average daily case rate per 100,000 residents dropped from 14.2 to 8.7 in just five days. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 cases have also dropped significantly, from a high of 172 on April 15 to 80 as of May 11."

Updated CDC Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its recommendation last week that immunized people wear masks and distance themselves indoors.

Health officials still suggest masking and distancing for unvaccinated residents. They also support masking and distancing in health care settings and crowded spaces. This includes prisons, buses, planes and homeless shelters.

The CDC noted that Americans still must follow local laws and workplace rules before changing their behavior. Though the CDC only changed its guidelines for inoculated residents, Hogan said it would be a "logistical nightmare" to determine everybody's immunization status.

"It was much easier just to lift it all and to continue to give people good advice," the governor added.

Patch editors Elizabeth Janney, Rich Kirby and Sarah Salvadore contributed reporting to this story.

Coronavirus Vaccine Resources

Anybody 16 or older can now get the coronavirus vaccine at providers across the state. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot.

Catch up on the infection and inoculation metrics in Prince George's County with our most recent numbers update. Head to Patch's immunization page to keep up with Maryland's latest vaccine news.

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RELATED:

• New Vaccine Record, Best Positivity Rate Ever Posted In County
• How To Get COVID-19 Vaccine In Prince George's County
• Local Celebrities Join Vaccine-A-Thon In Prince George's
• Capacity Limits Lifted On Most Prince George's Businesses
• Bowie Baysox Start Season, Welcome Fans At Limited Capacity

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.