Beginning this Friday, you can eat at a restaurant and jump in the pool!
Governor Larry Hogan has lifted more restrictions to allow outdoor dining and youth sports to resume in Maryland. Satisfied with a continuation of the downward trend in hospitalizations, Hogan said the state is almost ready to move into phase two and added more activities to the approved list. Beginning on Friday, May 29, at 5 p.m., restaurants and social clubs will be allowed to open for outdoor dining, youth sports and day camps can start, and community swimming pools are cleared to open for the season.
Businesses and patrons will still have to follow social distancing and health protocols to resume these activities.
Marylanders will finally be able to dine out again, as long as it’s outside. Tables must be spaced out and only six people are allowed at each table. Restaurants must use disposable or sanitized menus and all employees must wear masks when interacting with patrons and each other. The governor has also embraced the idea of closing streets in order to create more dining space.
“We love the idea of closing streets for outside seating in Little Italy and Fells Point in Baltimore City, on West Street and Main Street in Annapolis, on Bethesda Row and in other towns across the state,” said Hogan. “Allowing for the closing of streets and expanding in parking lots and other outdoor spaces can help expand the footprints, allowing for safer outdoor dining and it can help many of these struggling restaurants to survive the crisis.”
Kids will be allowed to return to playing outdoor sports, as long as they practice social distancing, and outdoor day camps can reopen with lower capacities. Local community pools may also open, but only at 25 percent capacity.
For a detailed list of restrictions for each type of business, visit open.maryland.gov/backtobusiness.
If the trend keeps moving in the right direction, the governor hopes to move into phase two, which would include the reopening of additional essential businesses. That move could come as early as next week.
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