Montgomery, Prince George’s among 5 Maryland counties asking Hogan to tighten COVID-19 restrictions
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - FOX 5's Lindsay Watts has confirmed that multiple health officers in Maryland are asking Governor Larry Hogan to tighten restrictions statewide after an increase in COVID-19 cases. This was first reported by The Baltimore Sun.
Health officers from Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County sent Frances Phillips, the deputy secretary for Public Health Services, a letter sharing their "concerns regarding the recent increase in daily cases across the state and impact of the virus over the past week."
CORONAVIRUS IN DC, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
In the letter, the health officers say there has been an increase in daily case totals and an increased rate of transmission, as well as increasing COVID-related hospitalizations and critical care usage, throughout many of their jurisdictions.
The health officers are now urging the state to take "action to curb these trends, including revisiting the activities allowed under the current Phase 2 Executive orders."
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Everything You Need to Know
The respective counties are considering a range of revisions to the executive orders, including:
· Restrictions on gathering sizes (up to 10 or 50)
· Face covering mandates for indoor and outdoor activities,
· Closure of indoor restaurants and bars for service, permitting outdoor seating/curbside pick-up and delivery services only,
· Closure of indoor amusement facilities,
· Closure of indoor recreational facilities,
· Restrictions on travel to and from areas deemed Covid hotspots
· Closure of indoor mall activities such as food courts and allowing indoor spaces solely for entrance to stores
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The Governor's Office shared the following statement with FOX 5 on Monday night:
"We look closely at the data every day with public health experts, and we continue to emphasize caution and vigilance to Marylanders. We have stressed to local health officers the importance of enforcing the public health orders currently in place, particularly at bars and restaurants. We cannot allow a small segment of bad actors to squander the sacrifices Marylanders have made. But as the governor has said, if necessary, he is prepared to take action."