During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Governor Larry Hogan announced the launch of Stage 1 of the Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. Effective Friday, May 15th at 5:00 p.m., the stay-at-home order will be lifted and replaced with a "safer at home" advisory.
Guidelines will be issued for the safe reopening of the following businesses. Strong social distancing measures, masking, and other precautions must be taken. Curbside pickup and delivery is still strongly encouraged.
- Personal services, such as barber shops and hair salons at 50% capacity, by appointment only.
- Retail stores at 50% capacity.
- Manufacturing facilities
- Car washes, art galleries
- Pet groomers and animal adoption shelters
- Churches and houses of worship may hold religious services, with outdoor services strongly encouraged
Reopening may be done at the discretion of each county. Those counties with higher number of cases may choose to delay the reopening proces.
Marylanders are advised to continue staying home as much as possible. Telework is strongly encouraged for those who are able to do so. Masks should continue to be worn inside public places and while riding public transportation. Additionally, gatherings should be limited to groups of 10 or less, with participants still maintaining a safe social distance of 6 feet.