Anne Arundel County restaurant capacity to expand on Friday, exec says
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Anne Arundel County will expand its restaurant capacity by the end of the week, officials announced on Tuesday.
County Executive Steuart Pittman announced during a virtual news conference that after a promising decline in COVID-19 numbers, indoor dining capacity at restaurants – and other businesses – may expand from 25 percent to 50 percent on Friday at 5 p.m.
He said additional details about loosened restrictions will be released on Wednesday, but added that some businesses that are currently closed will be also be permitted to open.
Anne Arundel County – and other jurisdictions throughout Maryland – resumed increased restrictions around the holidays when COVID-19 cases spiked once again.
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However, Pittman said a drop in hospitalizations and cases has enable the county to loosen their strict guidelines.
State restrictions – such as guidelines prohibiting people from congregating around bars, as well as table spacing – will remain in effect.
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Anne Arundel County has the fifth-highest number of cases in the state, following Maryland’s densely populated suburban D.C. counties, as well as Baltimore.