May 15

Dear Marylanders,

Today at 5:00 p.m., the statewide Stay at Home order was replaced by a Safer at Home public health advisory, and many of Maryland’s jurisdictions began Stage One of the Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery.

While this is a positive step forward, it does not mean that we are safe or that this crisis is over. Low risk does not mean no risk. All Marylanders, particularly those older and more vulnerable populations, are advised to continue staying home as much as possible.

Individuals who can work from home should continue to do so. Marylanders must continue to wear masks or cloth face coverings in retail stores and on public transportation. At all times and everywhere, Marylanders should continue practicing physical distancing, staying six feet apart, and avoiding close gatherings of 10 people or more. Everyone should keep washing their hands often and frequently sanitizing high-touch areas.

We are also providing for a flexible, community-based approach which empowers individual county leaders to make decisions regarding the timing of Stage One reopenings in their jurisdictions. We are tracking this progress in an interactive map on our Roadmap to Recovery webpage, and we encourage Marylanders to stay tuned to updates from their local leaders.

Each and every one of us has an obligation to continue to exercise responsibility for ourselves, for our families, our coworkers, and our fellow Marylanders so that as a community, together, we can begin to safely get back to work and get back to our daily lives. We still have miles to go on this road, but we are all in it together, and if we stay strong—Maryland Strong— we will get through this together.

Sincerely,

Visit the Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery webpage to view the interactive map.