Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Proposes New COVID-19 Restrictions
ROCKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced Wednesday a proposal for new COVID-19 restrictions amid a rise in cases throughout the area.
The restrictions would begin at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15 if approved by the County Council. They can approve or disapprove the order but cannot change it.
"We have been experiencing weeks with our daily case counts up dramatically," Elrich said. "Our cases per 100,000 are now at 41, and 78 percent of our hospital beds are full. All the data and trends indicate that we are heading toward more difficult times and it is imperative that we take action now.
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The new executive order will restrict restaurant service to outdoor dining. Carry-out, delivery and drive-through service will be allowed to continue.
The order also limits indoor sports gatherings to a maximum of 10 people in total.
The maximum capacity for retail establishments has been changed to one person per 200 square feet of retail space—not to exceed a maximum of 150 persons.
Correction: A previous version of this article did not include that these restrictions must be approved by the County Council, and therefore are simply proposed restrictions at this time.
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.