Dr. Travis Gayles, the county’s health officer, officially informed the County Council yesterday that the county had reached the mark of 60% of the population with a least one dose of vaccine, triggering the second phase of reopening the county.
The County Council will today consider and vote on a Sixth Amended Board of Health Regulation to formalize the changes in pandemic restrictions.
The major changes, according to the council staff report, include:
- Removing the capacity restrictions on outdoor gatherings and raise the capacity restrictions on indoor gatherings to 250 people
- Allowing most businesses to move to 75% capacity and may sell food and drink for consumption while seated;
- Allowing food service establishments and religious facilities to move to 75% of maximum capacity
- Removing the requirement to wear a face covering when outdoors pursuant to recent Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance, and
- Persons who are fully vaccinated would not need to wear a face covering while indoors except as required by the state, but persons who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face covering when indoors.
The state currently requires masks indoors, but will lift that restriction when at least 70% of Maryland adults receive at least one dose of the vaccine.
In addition, Gayles also certified on May 14 that 50% of Montgomery County residents have received all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
In light of this information, the amended regulation would be automatically rescinded at 6 a.m. on May 28, when that 50% will be fully vaccinated. At that point, the county will be fully reopened and residents will be asked to follow any state guidelines that are in place.
Montgomery County graphic