It’s finally here, the news we have all been waiting for in Montgomery County. As previously reported, Montgomery County had entered Phase 2 on Monday, May 17, 2021. As we enter a new phase in the it's 3-phased approach, Montgomery County has reached more of the needed data to lift mask restrictions.
Montgomery County continues with its plans to lift all coronavirus capacity restrictions on May 28, when 50% of Montgomery County are fully vaccinated. An individual is fully vaccinated two weeks after recieving the last vaccine dose. For those individuals who recieved the J&J vaccine, it is two weeks after that one-dose vaccination.
With the newest numbers of Montgomery County residents vaccinated, the Montgomery County Board of Health, also known as the Montgomery County Council met today and unanimously voted to modify and ease the masking rules in Montgomery County.
According to the Sixth Amendment Board of Health Regulation, the following changes have been made:
1. incorporate the changes that automatically happened when the County reached the second reopening phase into the body of the Regulation;
2. eliminate the description of the first and second reopening phases from the Regulation;
3. remove the capacity restrictions on outdoor gatherings and raise the capacity restrictions on indoor gatherings to 250 people;
4. remove the requirement to wear a face covering when outdoors pursuant to recent CDC and MDH guidance;
5. persons who are fully vaccinated would not need to wear a face covering while indoors except as required by MDH, but persons who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face covering when indoors;
6. align the requirements for summer camps with the State’s requirements; and
7. the Regulation would be automatically rescinded on May 28, 2021 when 50% of
the County population would be fully vaccinated.
“Because you and so many others are getting vaccinated, today we relaxed the rules for face coverings by lifting the outdoor mask mandate entirely and allowing people who are fully vaccinated to go without masks when indoors.”--Montgomery County Councilmember, Evan Glass
The updated Montgomery County COVID-19 Information Portal provides masking guidelines for public spaces, those vaccinated, and those who are not vaccinated.
Face coverings must be worn:
- In or on any public transportation or school bus
- When you get health care services, including from
- Doctors and dentists
- Hospitals
- Pharmacies, and
- Laboratories
- Indoors anywhere in a school where you are likely to interact with others, including
- Classrooms
- Hallways
- Cafeterias
- Auditoriums
- Gymnasiums
People who are not fully vaccinated must wear face coverings
- When indoors
- In an area where members of the public are generally permitted, and
- In an indoor work area where interaction with others is likely or where food is prepared
Face coverings are not required
- Outdoors, though strongly encouraged for persons who are not fully vaccinated
- While eating or drinking
- While swimming or engaging in other physical activities where the use of a face covering is likely to pose a bona fide safety risk;
- In other situations included in State Executive order 21-05-14-01 paragraph III.b. (PDF)
Earl Stoddard, the director of the county’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, urges residents to practice kindness as people decide their level of comfort with the new face covering guidelines.
Understandably, after more than a year of practicing physical distancing, masking, and avoiding large group gatherings, there may still be a subsection of residents who will still prefer to keep their distance and wear a face covering. Others are ready to shed the mask and see people’s faces again.
No matter which group you are in, please remember to practice kindness as we navigate in this post-pandemic world.
What about you? How do you feel about the new guidelines? Are you ready to shed the mask or are you still going to practice caution? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.