Limits On MD Dining, Bars, Gyms End Soon; Camden Yards Can Open

MARYLAND — Restrictions on indoor and outdoor dining, bars, gyms, casinos, and large venues like Camden Yards, will relax on just in time for the weekend, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday. The statewide mandate for face masks, however, still remains.

Hogan's changes will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 12. They include:

• Lifting capacity limits on outdoor and indoor dining
  • Restaurants and bars will still have limited seating and distanced service
• Lifting capacity limits on other businesses and establishments
  • Includes retail businesses, religious facilities, fitness centers, casinos, personal services, and indoor recreational establishments (i.e., bowling alleys, skating rinks)
• Raising the capacity limit to 50 percent at larger outdoor and indoor venues
  • Includes concert and wedding venues, theaters, racing facilities, and other outdoor entertainment and sporting facilities (i.e., Camden Yards ballpark, Pimlico racetrack)
• Reopening medical adult day-care centers
  • Facilities will be able to set restrictions and safety measures

Hogan said Maryland is in a better position than many states and that "it's time to get people back to work."

The Orioles organization has not yet announced capacity plans or even started selling tickets for the coming season. Hogan told reporters the club has long been planning for reopening, and he is confident when the team announces what is in store this season it will be safe for fans.

Since the outbreak emerged in March 2020, Maryland has reported more than 388,500 COVID-19 infections and more than 7,800 deaths from the virus. More than 35,500 people have been hospitalized statewide.

On Tuesday, Hogan said Maryland's case rate per 100,000 has dropped by more than 76 percent, to 12.9 percent, which is better than 32 other states. Maryland's positivity rate — which measures the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive in a one-week span — has fallen by more than 64 percent, to 3.4 percent. According to Hogan, that's better than what 39 other states are reporting.

After seeing improvements in public health metrics, Hogan said the state is getting "closer to that light at the end of the tunnel."

"Over the last few weeks, as we marked one year of grappling with this deadly virus, many of us have been recalling our lasts. You know, the last time we ate inside of a restaurant. The last time we celebrated a big occasion with family and friends. The last time we went to a ball game. The last time we took a family vacation," he said.

"In the weeks and the months ahead, with continued vigilance, together we will instead begin to mark new firsts. Everything won't look exactly the same just yet and we do need to continue doing the things that keep us safe. But there can be no doubt that we are closer to that light at the end of the tunnel and a return to some sense of normalcy in our lives. Spring will soon be upon us and sunnier days are ahead."

With these changes, Hogan also announced that he would be lifting quarantine requirements on out-of-state-travel. Marylanders are still encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 once they return home.

What This Means For MD's Counties

Since the early months of the pandemic, Hogan has given all 24 jurisdictions in the state discretion in deciding when and how to reopen their respective economies.

But during Tuesday's news conference, Hogan encouraged jurisdictions to follow state guidelines to avoid a confusing patchwork of regulations.

"We've now got to the point where most counties in the state — 20, 21, or 22 of them — are all in alignment. One or two or three are not," he said. "I think it's better if they do, but a couple of them do have the power to take other actions."

Jurisdictions that have reopened at a slower rate than the rest of Maryland include Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

Montgomery County — which is home to roughly 1 million people — continues to have the highest number of deaths in the state. As of Tuesday, the jurisdiction has recorded 1,385 deaths from the virus.

It also has the second-highest number of confirmed cases, after Prince George's County, which has 74,571, according to the latest figures.

Montgomery County resumed indoor dining on Valentine's Day, ending a ban enacted in December due to the COVID-19 pandemic. County restaurants can now serve customers inside at 25 percent capacity, but must limit indoor dining to 90 minutes per table.

Prince George's County lifted its ban on indoor dining on Jan. 29. Like in Montgomery County, restaurant capacity in neighboring Prince George's is limited to 25 percent.

Harford County, which has recorded more than 12,700 cases and 240 fatalities to date, is praising the Republican governor's decision to ease restrictions.

In a statement, County Executive Barry Glassman (R) said he will "safely and quickly follow" Hogan's measures.

It is not yet clear how many other jurisdictions will follow the state's new guidelines.

What This Means For High School Graduations, Proms

High school graduation and prom seasons are fast approaching.

On Tuesday Hogan was asked if it would be possible to hold those this spring.

"As long as we follow all the health advice, and follow masking and distancing, we should be able to get back to those normal things," the governor said.

Due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, all schools in the state shut down in-person learning in March 2020.

Over the summer, the Maryland State Department of Education gave guidance for face-to-face instruction, but a few school districts decided not to reopen.

Hogan eventually called on all schools to adopt a hybrid learning approach, at the very least, by March 1, 2021.

Most school districts have now reopened in some fashion.

On Tuesday, former CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield — who is now an unpaid health adviser to Hogan — said the school systems prove that Maryland can safely reopen.

"The health consequences of prolonged isolation have been well-documented now, especially the impact on mental health," he said. "It's been shown that when things are done with vigilance ... we can safely reopen. I think the school systems are an excellent example."

Masks Are Still Required In MD

The state of emergency is still in effect for Maryland. And residents are still required to wear masks in public outdoor spaces, public indoor facilities — including retail establishments, fitness centers, grocery stores, and pharmacies — as well as private businesses.

"Over the past year, all of the data and all of the science have proven that the very simple step of wearing masks continues to be the single best mitigation strategy we have to stop the spread of COVID-19," Hogan said.

Kelly Schulz, secretary of the state's commerce department, praised Marylanders for doing their part to keep their communities safe, but said the battle against COVID-19 isn't over.

"Today's announcement does not mean it's time to start letting our guard down. It means staying safe works. Wearing masks works. Giving people more distance works. Washing your hands a lot works," she said. "That's how we got to this point, so we should feel good about that, but we still have some work to do."

MD Gained 65% of Jobs Lost During Pandemic: Schulz

Like elsewhere across the country, tens of thousands of Maryland workers have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

Despite that, Schulz said the state has fared particularly well over the last year.

"Last March and April, our state lost more than 388,000 jobs. But by the end of the year, we gained back 65 percent of those jobs, giving us the best jobs recovery in the Mid-Atlantic region," Schulz said.

The state's unemployment rate fell from 10.1 percent in April 2020 to 6.3 percent in December 2020, official data showed. For reference, the national rate was 6.7 percent at the end of last year.

Schulz said one of the reasons Maryland fared so well was because residents and business owners "made the right choices" to stay safe.

"Remember, it's not just about being safe. It's about making sure we feel safe and making sure that the people that come into our businesses and the general public feel safe to be in our businesses and within our places of employment," she said. "Building that confidence is the essential part of our ongoing economic recovery."

The press conference began at 3:30 p.m. You can watch it below, or on the governor's official YouTube page.

This article will be updated as more information is released.