Maryland governor ends mask mandate, lifts outdoor dining restrictions

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Wednesday announced that face masks will no longer be required outdoors and dining restrictions will be lifted.

Holding a press conference on the state’s response to COVID-19, Hogan shared the new updates of the mask mandate based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and advice of leading public health experts. Hogan said starting May 1 all restrictions for outdoor dining will be lifted, which includes standing services outdoors in bars and restaurants. 

But seated service and physical distancing requirements will remain in place indoors at bars and restaurants. 

Watch today’s #COVID19 update live: https://t.co/mK0ol29kYK

— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) April 28, 2021

“We expect to be able to take additional actions in the weeks ahead and to return to a sense of normalcy … the fastest way to put this pandemic behind us once and for all is for every single eligible Marylander to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Hogan said in his statement.  

This comes as Maryland is already ramping up its vaccination rate with more than 4.5 million vaccines having been administered and 60 percent of Marylanders over the age of 18 being vaccinated.  

The state’s COVID-19 cases have dropped 33 percent in the last two weeks with the positivity rate dropping to 3.89 percent, as well.