Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Friday he will begin his three-stage plan for reopening the state’s economy once the state has met benchmarks in taming the spread of the coronavirus.
“Each of these recovery stages will need to be instituted in a safe, gradual manner,” Mr. Hogan said in announcing his “Maryland Strong Roadmap to Recovery” blueprint. “If we try to rush this and if we don’t do it in a thoughtful and responsible way, it could cause a rebound of the virus which could deepen the economic crises, prolong the fiscal problems and slow our economic recovery.”
Mr. Hogan said he expects to begin reopening the state in early May once new cases of coronavirus have plateaued, the state has sufficient supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and test kits, hospitals have increased bed capacity for a surge, and a robust contact tracing effort is in place.
His three-stage plan for reopening the state begins with lifting the stay-at-home order, allowing small retailers, tennis courts and golf courses to open, resuming outpatient elective surgeries in certain counties, and allowing recreational boating and fishing.
Mr. Hogan said localities will have the flexibility to reopen parks, playgrounds and libraries if they deem it safe.
If after stage one is implemented, and the state doesn’t see a spike in deaths or hospitalizations from COVID-19, Mr. Hogan said he will implement stage two.
In stage two, nonessential workers could return to work, indoor religious gatherings could resume with limited capacity and social distancing, public transit will return to normal schedules, and bars and restaurants could reopen with “significant safety restrictions.”
Stage three involves easing restrictions further for larger social gatherings, entertainment venues, bars and restaurants, nursing homes and hospitals.
Maryland, which has a population of 6 million, has recorded 16,6216 cases and 723 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. More than 1,100 Marylanders have recovered.
The governor also convened 15 industry-specific advisory groups to offer recommendations for their recovery.
“Until a vaccine is developed the way we go about our daily lives, the way we work is going to be different for a little while longer,” Mr. Hogan said.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.
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