Reopening Phases
| Activity | PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
| Car Washes | Open for external cleaning only with requirements | Open for internal and external cleaning with requirements | Open for internal and external cleaning with requirements |
| Childcare | Essential Personnel Child Care (EPCC) programs Expanded to Include Dependents of Phase I opening employees | MSDE continues expanding the number of EPCC programs | MSDE allows all child care programs to be open for all children with recommended health and safety precautions and social distancing measures |
| Concerts & Theaters | Closed | Closed | Limited opening with requirements
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
| Construction | Open with requirements | Open with requirements | Open with requirements |
| Farms | Open; "Pick your own" open with requirements | Open; "Pick your own" open with requirements | Open; "Pick your own" open with requirements |
| Gyms, Fitness Centers, & Other Indoor Physical Activities | Closed | Open with requirements; 1 patron per 200 sq. ft. of fitness space
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
Open with requirements; 1 patron per 100 sq. ft. of fitness space
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
| Hospital | Physicians’ offices and other health care facilities, including hospitals, are available to care for your medical needs. Contact the local facility or office for more information. | Physicians’ offices and other health care facilities, including hospitals, are available to care for your medical needs. Contact the local facility or office for more information. | Physicians’ offices and other health care facilities, including hospitals, are available to care for your medical needs. Contact the local facility or office for more information. |
| Hotels | Open with requirements | Open with requirements | Open with requirements |
| Houses of Worship | Virtual or drive-In | Virtual, drive-in, and limited indoor and outdoor services with requirements; 1 congregant/family per 200 sq. ft. of service space | Virtual, drive-in, and limited indoor and outdoor services with requirements; 1 congregant/family per 100 sq. ft. of service space |
| Indoor and Outdoor Gatherings | Limited to 10 persons | Limited to a maximum of 50 or 1 person/family unit per 200 sq. ft., whichever is lower
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
Limited to a maximum consistent with state guidelines, 1 person/family unit per 100 sq. ft., whichever is lower
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
| Libraries | Closed | Closed | No Contact Exchange of Materials |
| Manufacturing | Open with requirements | Open with requirements | Open with requirements |
| Office Spaces & Multi-tenant Commercial Buildings | Closed for nonessential personnel; Telework strongly encouraged where applicable | Limited use for nonessential personnel with requirements; Telework strongly encouraged where applicable | Expanded use for nonessential personnel with requirements; Telework strongly encouraged where applicable |
| Outdoor Community Pools (Public & Private) | Closed | Open for lap swimming with requirements | Open with requirements |
| Outdoor Day Camps | Open for 10 or fewer participants with requirements | Expanded opening with requirements | Open with requirements |
| Outdoor Youth Sports | Limited access for low-contact sports with requirements | Expanded access for low-contact sports with requirements | Permitted with requirements |
| Parks & Playgrounds | Parks open for personal fitness; Playgrounds closed; Only low-contact sports allowed | Parks open for personal fitness & fitness classes with requirements; Playgrounds open with requirements; Only low-contact sports allowed | Open with requirements |
| Recreation Facilities | Closed | Closed | Limited opening with requirements |
| Restaurants | Limited to outdoor/patio seating | Outdoor/patio seating & limited iIndoor dining with requirements; 50% capacity maximum indoors
*Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
Outdoor/patio seating & expanded indoor dining with requirements;
75% capacity maximum indoors *Not permitted until Governor Hogan lifts restriction |
| Retail | Curbside only | Curbside and limited in-store; 1 patron per 200 sq. ft. of sales space | Curbside and expanded in-store; 1 patron per 100 sq. ft. of sales space |
| Ride On Service | Expanded schedule; Expanded routes | Expanded schedule; Expanded routes | Expanded schedule; Expanded routes |
| Salons/Barbers/Personal Services | Hair Salons and barbers by appointment and for hair only; 1 patron per 200 sq. ft. of service delivery space | All personal services allowed by appointment only; 1 patron per 200 sq. ft. of service delivery space | All personal services allowed by appointment only; 1 patron per 100 sq. ft. of service delivery space |
All of the above is dependent upon Montgomery County-specific COVID-19 data meeting reopening criteria
Business Reopening Requirements
Montgomery County’s business community is a key partner in ensuring the safety and well-being of its employees and County residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. All businesses, as a condition of reopening, are required to abide by the following rules. These rules shall be posted in a visible location to alert the public and ensure compliance.
- Employees and customers will be required to maintain physical distance (greater than 6’), wherever possible. We will utilize markings and signage to guide our employees and customers.
- Employees and customers are required to wear face coverings while in our business.
- All employees will receive training based on CDC COVID-19 guidance appropriate to our business sector before reopening.
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Our business will use CDC- and EPA-approved disinfectants to clean our spaces daily. We will also use disinfectants to wipe down high-contact surfaces* at least every 2 hours while staff or customers are present.
- Our employees will wash their hands hourly.
- Our business will review and implement new CDC, Maryland Department of Health, and Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services guidelines as they are received.
* High-contact surfaces are those surfaces that will have human contact once an hour or more.
Reopening - Phase 1
Executive Order
Reopening Questions?
Contact Us
Reopening - Phase 1
Childcare
State-approved emergency programs open for dependents of essential employees and Phase 1 reopening employees
Physical Precautions:
- Maintain physical distancing (greater than 6') wherever possible.
- Use of personal protective equipment, including face coverings and gloves, by all employees.
- High-contact surfaces (those with hourly or greater contact frequency) will be cleaned with CDC- & EPA-approved disinfectant at least every 2 hours.
- All employees must receive training on CDC COVID-19 guidance appropriate to their workplace prior to working.
Manufacturing
Reopen fully with precautions and guidance
- Maintain physical distancing (greater than 6') wherever possible.
- Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings, by all employees.
- Physical distancing markers for staff.
- High-contact surfaces (those with hourly or greater contact frequency) will be cleaned with CDC- & EPA-approved disinfectant at least every 2 hours.
- All employees must receive training on CDC COVID-19 guidance appropriate to their workplace prior to working.
Personal Services
Hair salons and barber shops for select hair services only
Physical Precautions:
- Maintain physical distancing (greater than 6') wherever possible.
- Use of personal protective equipment, including face coverings and gloves, by all employees.
- Limited to 1 customer for every 200 sq. ft of service delivery space.
- Physical distancing markers for staff and customers required.
- Customers required to wear face coverings.
- High-contact surfaces (those with hourly or greater contact frequency) will be cleaned with CDC- & EPA-approved disinfectant at least every 2 hours.
- All employees must receive training on CDC COVID-19 guidance appropriate to their workplace prior to working.
MD Best Practice for Reopening Personal Services Download Protective Measures
Restaurants and Bars
Outdoor seating (Curbside pick-up still allowed)
Starting Monday, June 1, at 6 a.m., all restaurants, bars, and other similar establishments that sell food and beverages for on-site consumption in Montgomery County will be permitted to serve customers in outdoor seating areas after completing an easy registration process with the County. The County’s goal is to make this process as easy as possible so that restaurants can provide outdoor dining in a safe and responsible way.
Easy Steps for Outdoor Dining
Scenario #1: if your facility is currently permitted to have outdoor dining/alcohol service and you simply want to reopen this service under the new guidelines, you will need to:- Register your establishment’s interest in providing outdoor dining under the COVID-19 guidelines with the County’s Department of Permitting Services.
- Review Montgomery County’s reopening “ Restaurants Checklist.” - and abide by the requirements
- Register your establishment’s interest in providing outdoor dining under the COVID-19 guidelines with the County’s Department of Permitting Services.
- Review Montgomery County’s reopening “ Restaurants Checklist.” - and abide by the requirements
- Apply for a “Temporary Business Modification” (extended outdoor space) with the County’s Alcohol Beverage Services unit.
Outdoor Dining Registration and Temporary Business Modifications will be in effect the day of application! A County representative will be in touch after your submission to offer assistance.
Scenario #3: if you are a property owner, business organization, or group of businesses interested in creating “streeteries,” communal dining areas, temporary consumption areas, dining in public spaces and the like, please send an email to [email protected] and we will be happy to guide you through this process.Download Easy Steps for Outdoor Dining
Physical Precautions:
- Maintain physical distancing (greater than 6') wherever possible.
- Use of personal protective equipment by all employees.
- Physical distancing markers for staff and customers required.
- Customers required to wear face coverings except when eating.
- High contact surfaces (those with hourly or greater contact frequency) will be cleaned with CDC- & EPA- approved disinfectant at least every 2 hours.
- All employees must receive training on CDC COVID-19 guidance.
Restaurants Checklist
Business owners should assess whether they are ready to open in a modified posture, while adhering to public health guidance.Operations checklist
Restaurant should develop an operations plan, The plan should address the following:- Creation of a sitemap (including location of business staff, proposed signage of requirements, queue spacing among customers, seating, access to bathrooms, entry and exits to the line, hand sanitizer stations, if applicable).
- Ensure proper sanitization protocols and supplies to include:
- Sanitize all common items at each table seating, and consider using single-use utensils and condiments. Also consider single-use disposable paper menus or sanitize reusable menus between each seating.
- Clean and sanitize all food-contact surfaces every 2 hours.
- Ensure food-handling staff wear masks and gloves.
- Prepare online reservation and ordering systems whenever possible to keep customer logs to facilitate contact tracing.
- Speak with your staff to assess who is ready and willing to return and inform them of your operations plan.
Implementation checklist
Restaurants should develop an implementation plan, addressing the following:- Communication strategy, both before and during hours of operation, to inform the public and staff of the safety requirements.
- Communication strategy regarding safety requirements for customers, both before and during hours of operation.
- Method for monitoring and ensuring compliance with safety requirements for employees.
- Proposed measures should an employee or employer fail to comply with safety requirements.
- Staffing needed to address concerns or potential violations, and show the location of applicable staff on the site plan.
Closure plan checklist
In the event restaurant operation must modify due to a health incident or executive order, the business should be prepared to initiate a closure plan. The closure plan should address the following:- Proposed steps the restaurant will take to close.
- If closure or modified operations is mandated through an executive order.
- Communications to employees and customers about the modified operations or closure.
Retail
Curbside only
Physical Precautions:
- Maintain physical distancing (greater than 6'), wherever possible, between employees and customers at curbside and in-store operations.
- Use of personal protective equipment by all employees.
- Physical distancing markers for staff and customers required.
- Customers required to wear face coverings.
- High-contact surfaces (those with hourly or greater contact frequency) will be cleaned with CDC- & EPA-approved disinfectant at least every 2 hours.
- All employees must receive training on CDC COVID-19 guidance appropriate to their workplace prior to working.
CDC Business and Workplace Toolkit
Curbside Retailers Checklist
Business owners should assess if they are ready to open in a modified posture, while adhering to public health guidance.Operations Checklist
In developing an operations plan, it should address the following:Create sitemap (including location of business staff, propose signage of requirements, queue spacing among customers, entry and exits to the line, hand-sanitizer stations (if applicable))
- Ensure proper sanitization protocols and supplies to include:
- Sanitize carts, pens, and other commonly use shopping materials between customers
- Provide hand sanitizer in areas of high contact (e.g. at checkout counters)
- Ensure mask and glove use by employees
- Allow multiple ways to pay, including mobile applications
- Prepare online ordering or reservations systems whenever possible to keep customer logs to facilitate contact tracing
- Speak with your staff to assess who is ready and willing to return and inform them of your plan operations
Implementation Checklist
In developing an implementation plan, it should address the following:- Communication strategy, both before and during hours of operation, to inform the public and staff of the safety requirements
- Communication strategy regarding safety requirements for customers, both before and during hours of operation
- Method for monitoring and ensuring compliance with safety requirements for employees
- Proposed implementation measures should an employee or employer fail to comply with safety requirements and
- Staffing needed to address concerns or potential violations - show location on - site plan
Closure Plan Checklist
In the event retail operations must modify due to a health incident or executive order, the business should be prepared to initiate a closure plan. The closure plan should address the following:- Proposed steps to close
- If closure or modified operations is mandated through an executive order, ensure full steps are taken to comply with the order
- Communications to employees and customers about the modified operations or closure and
- Continue to monitor guidance from Montgomery County Government at montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19
