Westminster, MD, Thursday, September 24, 2020 – In Open Session today, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners (BOC) voted that starting immediately, Carroll County will adhere to all future Governor Hogan Executive Orders as they are issued related to COVID-19. This includes the new Executive Order effective at 5 p.m. this past Monday, September 21, 2020, allowing capacity for indoor operations at restaurants to increase from 50% to 75% with appropriate distancing, and following strict public health requirements consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Restaurant Association.

This decision will allow the county to respond and implement new orders immediately with the Governor’s timeline without a lag to allow the BOC to meet.  Any modifications to this procedure will be addressed by the board if needed. County officials caution everyone that state orders are still in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and all should continue to maintain their vigilance in adhering to safety guidelines.

Specifics for Governor Hogan’s new Executive Order can be viewed here and the corresponding press release is here. Back to Business updates and best practices for Maryland’s companies reopening in correlation with the COVID-19 outbreak is available here as well Maryland’s recovery plan:  ‘Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery,’  

In taking this action, the county is following the lead of the state leadership as well as state and local health officials. As this situation evolves, the county will continue to evaluate and assess its operations and make changes as needed.

Meetings are available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.

Accurate COVID-19 information is vital to our community. For the most current and accurate information about the situation, please refer to the following:

Carroll County Health Department (CCHD):           https://cchd.maryland.gov/covid-19/

Maryland Department of Health (MDH):     https://health.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx

Centers for Disease Control (CDC):             https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Carroll County Government has developed a dedicated COVID-19 page with important links and updates:  https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/residents/county-spotlight/covid-19-information/.

Anyone feeling ill should contact their health care professional. CCHD continues to operate a hotline, available 8 am – 5 pm at 410-876-4848, Monday-Friday. After hours, callers may leave a message or call 2-1-1. All emergencies should continue to call 9-1-1.