More People Can Dine Indoors In HoCo Starting Monday

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Restaurants in Howard County and across Maryland can increase their indoor dining capacity from 50 to 75 percent, effective 5 p.m. Monday. Gov. Larry Hogan signed an executive order allowing indoor operations to increase, although buffets still are not allowed and neither is serving patrons who are not seated.

Appropriate physical distancing and other precautions will be required to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Hogan's executive order states that retailers, religious facilities and restaurants may all operate at 75 percent capacity.

The state guidance can be tailored for each jurisdiction. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball expressed support for the increase in indoor dining capacity.

“Today, Howard County’s positivity rate is at 2.67 percent and has remained below 5 percent over the last several weeks. Our hospital capacity rates, PPE supplies, as well as testing and contract tracing outcomes have been at levels that allow us to enact the governor’s new criteria for restaurants," Ball said in a statement. "As we begin Maryland Restaurant Week in Howard County, this will be good news for our restaurant industry that has been hit very hard over the last six months. I encourage residents of Howard County to continue to patronize our restaurants but adhere to preventative measures – like washing our hands, wearing masks, and physically distancing whenever possible.”

The state's first Maryland Restaurant Week, which runs Sept. 18-27, is being held in partnership with the Restaurant Association of Maryland and Visit Maryland.

"Restaurants in Maryland are pleased that the governor has heard their concerns and has increased indoor dining capacity to 75 percent," President/CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland Marshall Weston said in a statement.