Great news! Governor Hogan announced on Wednesday, May 13th that Maryland would be entering Phase I of reopening and resuming normal life across the state. I am especially pleased that the Governor has allowed county-by-county flexibility in the reopening process.

Here are the highlights:

• The Stay-At-Home Order will be lifted at 5:00pm on Friday, May 15th
• Marylanders must still practice social distancing and wear face masks in public
• Gatherings of more than 10 persons are still prohibited
• Houses of worship are encouraged to host outdoor services, and indoor services are permitted at 50% capacity with social distancing and strong safety procedures
• Retail business may open at 50% capacity with social distancing and strong safety procedures
• Some personal services (hair salons, barbershops) may open at 50% capacity with social distancing and strong safety procedures

Governor Hogan is encouraging all businesses to commit to the Maryland Strong: Back to Business Pledge and display it.

For the full-text of the Executive Order, please click here.

Resources for Reopening

As our local businesses prepare to reopen, I wanted to share the following state and local resources to help them make the necessary operational adjustments to welcome the public safely:

State Best Practices:

General Business Best Practices

Manufacturing Business Best Practices

Personal Service Business Best Practices

Retail Business Best Practices

Houses of Worship Guidelines

Local Resources:

Washington County Back-To-Business Tool Kit