Baltimore County Opens Some Businesses, Others Stay Closed

Elizabeth Janney
Updated ·4 min read

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — As the governor's stay-at-home order is lifted Friday, Baltimore County will ease some restrictions and keep others in place. County Executive Johnny Olszewski said Thursday that his administration took a "line-by-line approach" in reviewing the guidance from Gov. Larry Hogan.

Starting Friday at 5 p.m., Hogan said retail businesses in Maryland could reopen at 50 percent capacity with safety precautions, manufacturing could resume normal operations, religious organizations could hold services at 50 percent capacity, and some personal services like hair salons could reopen at 50 percent capacity and by appointment only.

Hogan said that stage one of the state's recovery plan presents a "flexible, community-based approach" that empowers local leaders to control the timing of their jurisdiction's reopening.

In Baltimore County, only some restrictions will be lifted at 5 p.m. Friday, Olszewski said.

"We are not yet in a position to safely move toward a significant reopening," Olszewski said at a news conference Thursday. "Where we could move forward toward reopening, we want to."

Here's a breakdown of what will be open and closed in Baltimore County at 5 p.m. Friday, May 15:

OPEN

Retail stores with curbside pickup and delivery can open. In-person retail will not open, except for businesses that had been deemed essential before, Olszewski said — the stores that have remained open during the stay-at-home order will remain open.

Manufacturing companies will be able to operate as long as they operate according to CDC guidelines and have appropriate personal protective equipment. Olszewski noted that many were deemed essential and had been open throughout the pandemic but the remaining factories, which were mostly small businesses, would be allowed to open with multiple shifts and other safety precautions encouraged.

CLOSED

Religious institutions may not hold worship ceremonies indoors, Olszewski said.

"Shopping malls must continue to remain closed," Olszewski said.

Barbershops, nail salons, hair salons and other personal services will be closed. "That interaction," Olszewski said, referencing person-to-person contact, drove his decision to keep these institutions closed.

Baltimore County Offering Assistance

"We know how hard our businesses have been hit," Olszewski said. "We are working every day to meet the gaps locally."

Baltimore County government and Baltimore County Public Schools provided more than 1 million meals since the pandemic began, he said. See where to get free meals.

In places where personal protective equipment wasn't available, he said: "We're looking at ways to partner to get it out in the street."

The county has made grants available to community groups, businesses and artists.

What You Can Do: Stay Home, Social Distance

Travel should be limited to going to work or medical appointments, getting groceries, traveling for recreation or picking up retail goods. Vulnerable residents such as those who are older or immunocompromised should stay home as much as possible, county officials advised.

"Residents should continue to stay home when they can," Olszewski said.

"They should wear masks in public spaces," he added, and keep 6 feet between one another.

People should wash their hands frequently and sanitize areas that are touched frequently.

Employers should continue encouraging telework for their employees when possible, and people who can work from home should keep doing that.

"Moving too quickly would reverse all of the progress we have made," Olszewski said. Moving too quickly "risks the health and lives of our residents."

As of Thursday, he reported 4,290 residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, and 123 patients in Baltimore County hospitals were hospitalized with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

"In two months, we've lost more than 200 of our neighbors" to COVID-19, Olszewski said.

"I ask for grace," he said, from those who would criticize him. "Our neighbors in other jurisdictions around the state are making similar decisions."

Gov. Larry Hogan's lifting of the stay-at-home order takes effect at 5 p.m. Friday.

Baltimore City as well as Montgomery, Prince George's and Howard counties will continue encouraging residents to stay at home.

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This article originally appeared on the Towson Patch