Montgomery Co won’t lift outdoor dining restrictions yet; Prince George's Co reviewing Gov's guidance
Montgomery County not following Gov. Hogan’s mask order
Montgomery County says it won’t lift outdoor dining restrictions, despite new guidelines announced by Governor Larry Hogan on Tuesday.
ROCKVILLE, Md. - Montgomery County says it won’t lift outdoor dining restrictions, despite new guidelines announced by Governor Larry Hogan on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, officials in their suburban D.C. neighbor, Prince George's County, say they are reviewing the governor's new guidance.
Officials from Prince George's County released the following statement:
Prince George’s County is reviewing the Governor’s updated order and consulting with its public health officials. As soon as decisions are made, County officials will inform the public as quickly as possible.
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In addition to lifting of the statewide outdoor mask mandate, Hogan also announced that standing service will be allowed to resume outdoors at bars and restaurants, and all capacity and distancing restrictions related to outdoor dining will be lifted beginning Saturday.
READ MORE: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announces lifting of outdoor mask mandate, dining restrictions
Seated service and physical distancing requirements will remain in place indoors at bars and restaurants in Maryland.
But Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich says all current outdoor dining restrictions will remain in place in Maryland’s most densely populated county.
Elrich said in a statement:
"It is good news that the state’s COVID rates has been declining. I’d like to point out that with almost 20% of the state’s population, Montgomery County’s low case rates have significantly contributed to reducing the state’s case rates. We will follow the CDC guidelines on masking per the existing Board of Health order, which directs us to use the stricter of the CDC or state guidance.
Despite his statement on the website, the Governor’s order regarding masks does not comport with the CDC guidelines.
As far as outdoor dining restrictions, Montgomery County will not be aligned with the Governor’s new orders today but will continue to follow the County’s Board of Health regulations and guidance.
The County’s reopening plan is aligned with our vaccination metrics and this is the smartest, most strategic way to safely reopen all of businesses. Among 78 large counties and metro areas, Montgomery County has the lowest case rate per 100,000 east of the Mississippi River, according to the New York Times data tracker. Our previous decisions have resulted in these low case rates, we should stay the same course."