Maryland Gov. Hogan signs order requiring people to wear masks at stores, on transit

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Governor Larry Hogan announced today that he has signed an executive order mandating that all Marylanders wear face coverings when inside stores, or riding on public transportation in order to safeguard against spreading COVID-19.

The order also mandates that retail locations require staff members to wear face coverings.

The order goes into effect Saturday at 7 a.m. in order to give retailers time to adjust.

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The Governor also made social distancing measures in retail stores mandatory.

Hogan suggested that as the state looks forward to a day when it can reopen the economy fully, “the wearing of masks is also something that we may all have to become more accustomed to in order to safely reopen our state.”

DC, Maryland and Virginia coronavirus case total surpasses 18,000

Despite a notable surge in the case total and the number of deaths in Maryland, the Governor said the totals would have been much worse without social distancing measures.

He also indicated that “there is a light at the end of the tunnel” for Marylanders who’ve made sacrifices while the state grapples with the novel coronavirus.