Montgomery County to remain under stay-at-home order.
Montgomery County will remain under a stay-at-home order until local COVID-19 data dictates it is safe to move toward reopening. The decision follows Governor Larry Hogan’s announcement that some parts of the state could move into the first stage of recovery.
As previously reported on Conduit Street, Governor Hogan today announced that effective Friday, May 15 at 5:00 PM, the stay-at-home order will be lifted and manufacturing, retail, worship services, and some personal services will be allowed to resume with limitations. Governor Hogan emphasized the importance of local control and decision making in moving forward with the first stage of Maryland’s coronavirus recovery plan.
“Our situation is improving. We are scaling up our testing capabilities and will be able to test more people in more settings. We are also increasing contact tracing,” Couty Executive Marc Elrich said. “These efforts will help make our community safer, but we do not meet the measures set out by federal and state guidelines.”
County Executive Elrich and County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles will hold a news conference on Thursday to discuss what criteria must be met before additional openings and other activities can be allowed in Montgomery County.
“The Governor acknowledged this reality at his press conference when he pointed out that only a few jurisdictions, ours included, are still feeling the brunt of this pandemic,” Elrich said. “The state data shows that four jurisdictions, including Montgomery, account for almost 72% of the state’s cases.”
According to a press release:
Governor Hogan’s latitude in allowing local jurisdictions to make decisions based on data specific to each county is critical to ensuring the continued safety of Montgomery County residents.
Mr. Elrich stated he will continue to confer with Dr. Gayles to monitor the critical metrics so that reopening in Montgomery County will be deliberate and in the best interest of the residents. “I know this is very difficult for all of us. Our businesses are eager to reopen and our residents would love to be able to resume their usual activities, and we want to get there as quickly as possible while adhering to the essential public health guidelines.”
Press conference details:
- When: Thursday, May 14, 12 p.m.
- Where: Outside the Montgomery County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD
The news conference will be streamed live on the County’s Facebook page.
Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more information.
Useful Links
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Hogan Lifts Stay-At-Home Order, Emphasizes Local Flexibility