Reopening Maryland: Youth Day Camps, Outdoor Pools, Drive-In Theaters Can Open With Some Restrictions
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Gov. Larry Hogan announced that youth day camps, low-contact outdoor sports practices and outdoor pools can reopen with some restrictions starting Friday, May 29 at 5 p.m.
Hogan announced the lifting of more coronavirus-related restrictions Wednesday after he said the state has seen a steady plateau of COVID-19 numbers over a 24-day period.
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Youth Day Camps can resume outdoor activities with capacity limitations of 10 people or less per group and campers must practice social distancing and other CDC guidelines.
Camps must create spaces where both campers and staff can physically distance.
Outdoor pools can also reopen with strict safety guidelines, including 25% capacity restrictions and strict physical distancing and sanitation measures. Patrons will be required to sign-in and sign-out of pools and pools will be required to post signage warning anyone who is sick not to enter.
Drive-in theaters can also reopen on Friday.
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Limited low-contact outdoor practices that are focuses on individual skill building and with limited group sizes will also be permitted. However, coaches should limit the touching of shared equipment and gear and be sure to make sure physical distance when not actively engaged in playing.
Hogan also announced that restaurants and social groups, like VFWs and Elks Lodges, could operate outdoor dining starting Friday as well.
If things continue to trend positively, Hogan said that Maryland could officially move into Stage 2 next week.
The governor is also opening drive-in movie theaters. That's welcome news to the iconic Bengies Drive-In in Baltimore County.
Baltimore City and suburban counties are still deciding how to proceed after the governor's announcements Wednesday. Gov. Hogan is allowing them flexibility to decide when to reopen.
"The county leaders begged for and requested that flexibility and the decision-making ability in their individual counties, which we gave them. Then, some of them seemed to say we shouldn't have given them what they asked for," the governor said.
Click to see the state's guidelines on reopening: outdoor pools -- youth sports -- and youth day camps.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
