05/08/2020
Today I provided several updates on Maryland’s COVID-19 response and recovery plan.
At my direction, the Maryland Department of Health has issued guidelines, effective immediately, to allow for elective procedures to resume at the discretion of local hospitals and health care providers.
Effective tomorrow at 7 a.m., the list of safe outdoor activities will be broadened to now include golf, tennis, boating, fishing, camping, and other activities. We are opening closed functions at our state parks, including all state beaches, for walking and exercise, as well as safe playgrounds at the state parks. Local governments will have the flexibility to take similar actions at their discretion. However, it will remain critical that you continue to follow public health guidance, continue to practice physical distancing, and most of all, that you continue to take actions to keep yourself and your fellow Marylanders safe. Read the updated stay at home order here: https://bit.ly/2W8NbaO
State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon also announced that schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. Online and distance learning will continue, and the Maryland State Department of Education is issuing its “Maryland Together: Recovery Plan for Education,” a comprehensive plan for long-term recovery.
I realize that these are only small steps, and that they may be of little comfort to those who are out of work and struggling. But it is thanks to all of you and your incredible sacrifices that we are making great progress. We are indeed flattening the curve and we are preparing to launch our reopening plan in order to safely get people back to work, to safely get our small businesses back open again, and to get our economy back on track, so that Maryland, and our nation, can defeat this virus and come back stronger and better than ever.
