UPDATE: Business Guidance Regarding New COVID-19 Restrictions on Dining and Retail

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020

The Montgomery County Council approved County Executive Marc Elrich’s Executive Order 139-20AM2 yesterday that suspends indoor dining, reduces indoor sports gatherings to no more than 10 people and reduces the maximum capacity of retail establishments. 

Here is additional guidance for large retailers:

Large retail establishments have until December 23 to obtain a Letter of Approval to continue to have more than 150 people in their retail space. Businesses that request a Letter of Approval must submit a business plan that details their plan for monitoring the number of people in the building at any given time and provide information on how social distancing will be ensured at the entrance, exit and check-out lines. Businesses must also provide detailed modified staffing strategies to reduce employee exposure.  In order to be approved by December 23, requests for a Letter of Approval must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 21. Requests can be submitted on the COVID-19 website under the Executive Order portal. Effective December 23 at 5 p.m. businesses that do not have a Letter of Approval to exceed 150 people will be limited to 1 person per 200 sq. ft. of retail space up to a maximum of 150 people. 

The information above is provided as a follow-up to the Dec. 15 news release.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

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Media Contact: Mary Anderson, mary.anderson@montgomerycountymd.gov