Coronavirus Latest: Montgomery County Brings Back 25% Capacity Limits For Businesses, Adds Other Restrictions
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD. (WJZ) — As coronavirus cases continue to rise, Montgomery County is imposing more restrictions to stop the spread.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said the county will limit businesses, including reducing indoor dining at restaurants and retail establishments to 25% capacity.
"We have been watching the daily number of new cases go up for more than two weeks and it's unfortunately time to roll back some of our reopening steps in order to decrease the spike we are seeing," said County Executive Elrich. "Like you, I am experiencing 'COVID fatigue' and want things to go back to normal, but we have to stay at this in order to protect the health of our community."
The executive order the county has approved went into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening.
It prohibits gatherings of more than 25 people at locations including parties, receptions, parades, festivals and fundraisers. All large events planned will be canceled or postponed.
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Fitness centers, museums and art galleries, retail and religious facilities must be capped at 25%. Capacity is also down to 25% or 25 people, whichever is lower, for bowling venues, hair salons, barbershops, massage and nail salons.
The county's late-night alcohol program was suspended Friday, November 6. It allowed food establishments to serve alcohol between 10 p.m. and midnight as long as the three-day average of confirmed COVID-19 cases did not exceed 100 or if the three-day test positivity average exceeded 3.25%.
The latest three-day average for new confirmed cases is 183 and the positivity rate is 4.4%, the county said.
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.