Amid a spike in new coronavirus cases in the greater Washington region, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has announced new measures to protect against the spread of the virus.
“We are in a war right now, and the virus is winning,” Hogan, a Republican, said in a press release Tuesday. “Now more than ever, I am pleading with the people of our state to stand together a while longer to help us battle this surging virus.”
The new measures will go into effect this Friday at 5 PM, according to the press release. They include the following:
10 PM CLOSURE FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS STATEWIDE. All bars, restaurants, and venues serving food and alcohol must close between 10 PM and 6 AM, except for the purposes of carryout and delivery.
LIMITED CAPACITY FOR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS AND RELIGIOUS FACILITIES. Capacity at retail establishments and religious facilities will be reduced to 50%, bringing them into line with indoor dining and personal services businesses, as well as bingo halls, bowling alleys, pool halls, roller and ice skating rinks, fitness centers, and social and fraternal clubs.
NO FANS FOR RACETRACKS AND STADIUMS. No fans will be permitted at racetracks or professional and collegiate stadiums across the state….
HOSPITAL VISITATION PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. State health officials have issued an emergency order to prohibit all hospital visitation until further notice with some exceptions—including end-of-life care, obstetrics, parents or guardians of minors, and support for people with disabilities…
NEW LIMITATIONS ON NURSING HOME VISITATION. Until further notice, indoor visitation at Maryland nursing homes will generally be limited to compassionate care, and all visitors must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to their visit.
See the press release for the full list of new measures.
Luke Mullins is a senior writer at Washingtonian magazine focusing on the people and institutions that control the city’s levers of power. He has written about the Koch Brothers’ attempt to take over The Cato Institute, David Gregory’s ouster as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, the collapse of Washington’s Metro system, and the conflict that split apart the founders of Politico.
