Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says the state could begin reopening some businesses and gradually lifting coronavirus restrictions next month under a three-stage recovery plan he unveiled Friday — but the reopening will only happen if the number of hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus continue on a downward trend.
Hogan announced the “Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery” from the governor’s mansion, describing it as a “well thought-out, gradual, safe and effective path forward for the people of our state.”
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Hogan stressed that the three-stage recovery plan lays out guidelines for a gradual lifting of restrictions.
“If we try to rush this, and if we don’t do it in a thoughtful and responsible way, it could cause a rebound of the virus, which could deepen the economic crisis, prolong the fiscal problems and slow our economic recovery,” he said.
Here’s a look at the three stages:
Stage One
- The stay-at-home order can be lifted
- Many small businesses can reopen
- Lower-risk community activities and quality-of-life improvements can resume
- This stage could see the reopening of golf courses, the return of recreational boating and fishing
- Elective outpatient surgeries can resume
In addition, local governments would have additional flexibility to open local parks, playgrounds, recreation centers and libraries if safety protocols are followed.
If officials don’t see any spikes in deaths, ICU cases or “significant outbreaks of community transmission,” then the plan would move to the second stage, Hogan said.
Stage Two
- More businesses can reopen
- Nonessential workers who cannot telework can return to work
- Indoor religious gatherings can resume with limited capacity
- Limits on social gatherings can be raised
- Can return to normal transit schedules
- Restaurants and bars can open with “significant restrictions”
Stage Three
- Some “higher-risk activities,” including larger social gatherings can be re-instituted
- High-capacity bars and restaurants can reopen
- Some restrictions on visits to nursing homes and hospitals can be lifted
- Some restrictions on entertainment venues and larger gatherings can be lifted
The reopening of schools is not mentioned in any of the three stages. Regarding schools, the plan states: “The governor will continue consulting with the state superintendent of schools, as well as area school superintendents, to evaluate the safe use of educational and child care facilities throughout Maryland.”
Maryland public schools are currently closed until May 15 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Key numbers to watch: Hospitalizations, deaths
Hogan said the key numbers the state is watching to trigger the gradual reopening plan are not necessarily the total number of new cases — since those numbers will continue to rise as testing expands. Rather, officials are looking at the rate of hospitalizations and the numbers of patients being admitted to intensive-care units. The plan requires both of those metrics to be trending downward for at least 14 days.
“We are watching these numbers very closely on a daily basis,” Hogan said. “When we start to see that downward trajectory, or a consistent plateauing of those metrics, that can put us in a position to consider lifting the stay at home order, and beginning our gradual, safe and effective recovery plan.”
Hogan said he’s “hopeful” the gradual easing of restrictions could come as soon as early May. He pointed to recent trends, which appear to show a “rounding off” in the number of hospitalizations in recent days, but he quickly added “three days does not make a trend.”
More detailed reopening recommendations will come from a “Coronavirus Recovery Task Force,” which is made up of doctors, public health experts and business leaders. Advisory groups covering specific industries, including retail, restaurants, construction, manufacturing and others, will also make recommendations for how those businesses can reopen safely, said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz.
“We should all expect there to be new safety considerations as we resume our daily lives,” Schulz said. “Every industry has unique challenges and may need unique solutions to ensure a clean and healthy workplace.”
Even when parts of the recovery plan go into effect, Hogan said people should continue practicing physical distancing, avoiding crowds and wearing face masks in public.
“I want to stress that even as we begin our recovery, we won’t be able to just flip a switch,” Hogan said. “Unfortunately, life is not going to just immediately go back to normal. In fact, it is important to recognize that until a vaccine is developed, the way we go about our daily lives, and the way we work is going to be significantly different for a while longer.”
Hogan emphasized that Maryland is not ready to begin reopening now.
“We have been successful and flattening and lengthening the curve in our state,” he said. “We have not had the very high spikes that you have seen in other states.” But he said, the number of new cases in Maryland and in the D.C. area continues to rise.
Maryland health authorities have reported a total of 16,616 COVID-19 cases in the state and 723 related deaths. As of Friday, about 3,600 Marylanders had been hospitalized at some point during their illness. Overall, in the entire D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, there have been 31,738 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Maryland’s plan comes a week after the White House issued broad guidelines that set out three phases for lifting coronavirus restrictions.
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