Mask Violations Close Anne Arundel Restaurant: Health Department

Jacob Baumgart
Updated ·2 min read

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Health officials closed a Glen Burnie restaurant Tuesday, reporting that the business was caught twice violating mask orders. The eatery, Champs Pizza, may reopen after it passes a follow-up inspection.

A customer reported the infraction to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, saying Champs employees did not wear masks. The department checked out the complaint last Friday.

Inspectors found that the manager and employees wore their masks, but they did so incorrectly. The face coverings did not fully cover their noses and mouths, an incident report noted. Masks are required in all of Maryland's indoor public places to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Department of Health gave the restaurant an order of immediate compliance. This is just a warning, and it does not include a fine.

Inspectors give first-time violators an educational packet of safety tips and governmental mandates. They revisit the site a few days later to see if the business fixed the problem.

Officials returned to Champs on Monday, finding that the eatery did not make any changes. The Department of Health closed the pizzeria the next day.

Champs must now submit a safety plan to the Department of Health, explaining what changes it will make. After reviewing Champs' strategy, officials will reinspect the restaurant to see if it is safe to reopen.

Champs, located at 7339 E. Furnace Branch Road, is the third business in Glen Burnie and fourth in the county to close after violating mask requirements. The Department of Health previously shut down Mr. Wings Pizza on Sept. 16 and Wendy's on Oct. 20.

Annapoplis' Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market was the only other business closed for mask infractions. That eatery shut down on July 24.

The first three businesses passed their reinspections and reopened within a week. While closures are not so common, orders of immediate compliance are rather frequent.

The Department of Health issued 40 of these orders in October alone. A full list of violators is available at this link.

Click here to read Patch's latest coronavirus update.

Correction: A previous version of this article listed the closed restaurant as "Chaps Pizza." The eatery's name is "Champs Pizza." Patch fixed the typo Friday at 9:21 a.m.

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This article originally appeared on the Annapolis Patch