Maryland Stay at Home Order

In order to combat the escalating COVID-19 crisis, Governor Hogan has issued several rules and a Stay at Home Order to protect the health and safety of Maryland residents. The Order itself dictated that no Maryland residents should leave their home unless it is for an essential job or necessary reason, such as buying food or medicine.

If you must venture out for any necessities, it is very important to follow the rules that Governor Hogan has outlined to help avoid spreading the virus:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water – for at least 30 seconds
• Always cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing
• Avoid touching your face
• Avoid contact with sick people
• If you are sick, self-isolate and contact your healthcare provider
• Always practice social distancing – keep a distance of at least six feet from other people and avoid crowds.

Social distancing is one of the most effective ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Social distancing keeps people from interacting closely or frequently enough to spread the virus, and it can take several different forms depending on your family, lifestyle, or work situation.

• Avoid handshaking, hugging, or other intimate greetings
• Avoid non-essential travel
• Avoid crowds
• Work from home if possible
• Avoid unnecessary errands

In addition to individual Marylanders being ordered to stay home, Governor Hogan has also ordered Maryland businesses to close indefinitely – unless they are considered an essential business. Examples of an essential business include the grocery store, or a pharmacy. Even so, these essential businesses must still scale down operations in order to reduce the number of required staff, to limit interactions with customers, and to institute telework as much as possible.

While restaurants are absolutely barred from opening their doors for customers to sit down and eat, they are still allowed to continue selling food and drink via carry-out and curbside pick-up. However, since Governor Hogan has issued the Stay at Home order, there can no longer be any curbside pickup from non-essential businesses.

As far as out of state travel, Hogan has declared that at this time there should be no Marylanders traveling outside of the state unless absolutely necessary, and any individuals that have broken this order should then self-quarantine for at least 14 days.

If you are a Maryland citizen and believe that you may have COVID-19, Governor Hogan has announced the opening of 4 drive-thru COVID-19 screening and testing sites. However, you must have a referral from your health care provider and an appointment to access these sites as testing is being strictly limited.

For Governor Hogan’s entire Stay at home directive, you can go here. If you’d like more information and updates on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland – as well as tips on how to combat the virus or resources for struggling residents – you can go to the MD Department of Health’s Coronavirus Outbreak page.