COVID-19 Update: Prince George’s County Will Enter a Full Phase Two Reopening on Monday, June 29 at 5:00 PM
Dear Prince Georgians:
I want to thank each and every one of you for your strength and resilience as we adjust to our new normal in Prince George’s County. Due to your diligence in following safety guidelines such as wearing a face covering and practicing physical distancing, we are continuing to see downward trends in our number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Therefore, I am announcing that Prince George’s County will enter a full phase two reopening on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 5:00 PM.
We remain cautiously optimistic as we move forward with our phased reopening and recovery of Prince George’s County. I am encouraged by the progress that we have made together as a community to slow the spread of this virus, and I know that if we all continue to take certain precautions that are part of our new normal, we can continue to contain the spread of COVID-19 in this next phase of our reopening.
As part of the full phase two reopening, we are still encouraging everyone to exercise caution and limit non-essential trips. We need all residents to continue to wear a face covering, maintain physical distancing (at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others) and practice critical hygiene actions such as washing your hands frequently with soap and water. A number of non-essential businesses and services will be able to reopen with modifications that protect the health and safety of employees and residents, including the following:
- Gyms, fitness centers and other indoor physical activities may reopen with 1 patron per 200 square feet of fitness space, not to exceed 50% capacity, with safeguards in place.
- Casinos, bingo halls bowling alleys, pool halls, indoor skating rinks, miniature golf and other recreational establishments may reopen at 50% capacity, with safeguards in place. Amusement parks may reopen at 40% capacity, with safeguards in place.
- Social and fraternal clubs may reopen at 50% capacity, with safeguards in place.
- Shopping malls may reopen up to 50% capacity, with safeguards and physical distancing in place.
- All personal services that have remained closed, including tattoo parlors, massage parlors, and spas, may reopen by appointment only with 1 customer per 200 square feet of service delivery area, up to 50% capacity. Safety and health guidelines must be in place.
Large gatherings may also resume with capacity limits, one person/family unit per 200 square feet or a maximum of 100 persons, whichever is lower. Venues for large gatherings must adhere to physical distancing requirements and CDC guidelines. A more thorough list of additional openings with modifications is included below.
This decision to move to a full phase two reopening was made under the advice of our public health officials, who made this determination based on the science and data we are monitoring. For the week ending June 13, there were 27 deaths with an average of 3.9 deaths per day. Deaths per week have decreased by 64% from our high of 74 deaths per week in April.
Our hospitalization rate is also declining. In early May, County hospitals had 244 COVID-19 inpatients, on average, per day. That has since decreased for seven consecutive weeks to 80 patients so far this week. That is a 67% decrease from the highest average. We have also experienced a decrease in med/surgery bed use, as well as the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital ICUs, which is now almost half what it was in early June. We have 58.8% of med/surgery beds available and 48.1% of ICU beds available.
We have also successfully increased our testing capacity, now operating four Health Department testing sites. The City of Hyattsville is operating a fifth testing site with supplies from the Prince George’s County Health Department. The Health Department, in addition to private entities and hospitals, are testing approximately 10,000 people per week countywide, with the capacity to test more as needed. The positivity rate has now decreased to 7.8%. The Health Department is now offering free testing without appointments at all of its testing locations, and more information on COVID-19 testing in the County is included below.
As we continue moving forward, I want to again remind everyone to use caution and good judgment. This virus has taken a terrible toll on our community and still remains in our County and region. However, we can all continue doing our part to stop the spread of this virus, and together we can ensure that COVID-19 does not have the final say.
Yours in service,
Angela Alsobrooks
Prince George’s County Executive
Full Phase Two Reopening
 Prince George’s County will move into a full phase two reopening on Monday, June 29 at 5:00 PM. Residents are asked to continue to exercise caution, limit non-essential trips and use face coverings when out in public. A number of non-essential businesses and services will be able to reopen with modifications that protect the health and safety of employees and residents, listed below.
Gyms, fitness centers and other indoor physical activities may reopen with 1 patron per 200 square feet of fitness space, not to exceed 50% capacity. All CDC guidelines and safety precautions must be adhered to.
Some recreational establishments may now reopen with capacity limits, CDC guidelines and other requirements in place. Casinos, bingo halls bowling alleys, pool halls, indoor skating rinks and miniature golf may reopen at 50% capacity. Amusement parks may reopen at 40% capacity.
Social and fraternal clubs may reopen at 50% capacity, with safeguards in place.
Retail stores will be able to expand to 1 person per 100 square feet allowed in store, not to exceed 50% percent capacity.
Shopping malls may reopen up to 50% capacity, with safeguards and physical distancing in place.
All personal services that have remained closed, including tattoo parlors, spas and massage parlors, will be able to reopen by appointment only with 1 customer per 200 square feet, not to exceed 50% capacity. The same safety and health guidelines remain in place from the modified phase two reopening for these businesses.
Houses of worship may expand indoor services to 50% capacity, with safeguards and physical distancing requirements in place.
Childcare facilities can reopen for all children with health and safety precautions. In addition to the use of masks and gloves for all employees and having appropriate social distancing and disinfecting in place, they must also have a schedule for staggered drop offs and pickups, conduct daily symptom checks and have a strict dismissal policy in the event of positive cases.
Outdoor community pools, both public and private, may now expand to 50% capacity, but must practice proper social distancing guidelines. Indoor pools will remain closed.
Car washes are now allowed to perform internal cleaning, with all employees wearing PPE and other safeguards in place.
Outdoor youth sports may expand to no more than 100 people in any area, still in small groups with no more than 9 children and 1 coach per group.
Unless expressed otherwise in our Executive Order, large gatherings may resume with capacity limits of one person/family unit per 200 square feet or a maximum of 100 persons, whichever is lower. Venues for large gatherings must adhere to physical distancing requirements and CDC guidelines.
For County Government, buildings will remain closed to the public. The County Government is still open and operational, adding a number of virtual services in our agencies to ensure that we can still serve our residents.
For additional details on the County’s full phase two reopening and to access a copy of the Executive Order, please visit our County website.
COVID-19 Testing is Now Appointment Free
 Prince George’s County now offers free COVID-19 testing at five sites around the County, no appointment necessary. The sites include the Cheverly Health Center, the Rollingcrest-Chillum Recreational Center, the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, the Wayne K. Curry Sports & Learning Center, and First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville (operated by the City of Hyattsville).
These tests are free for all residents, regardless of insurance coverage. Testing sites can accommodate drive-thru or walk-up testing of those with or without symptoms. For more information about testing, please click here. Residents can also call our COVID-19 hotline at 301-883-6627 for questions about testing or other COVID-19 concerns.
Business Questions About Reopening
 All County businesses with questions about whether they can be open and how they can operate in this next phase of the County’s reopening should reach out to our team at Experience Prince George’s. They can be reached at ReopenPrinceGeorges@co.pg.md.us or 301-925-8300.
June 18 Tele-Town Hall Now Online
 County Executive Alsobrooks’ most recent COVID-19 Tele-Town Hall is now available online. Anyone that missed this update from the County Executive, her administration leadership and other elected officials can listen to the entire event online here.
WMATA Service Updates
 WMATA has announced that they will reopen fifteen Metro rail stations that were closed due to COVID-19 on June 28, 2020. The following day, they will add more buses to some of Metro’s busiest bus lines. More information from WMATA is available here.
Senior Nutrition Program
 The County's Senior Nutrition Program provides home-delivered meals for older adults 60 years and over during the coronavirus pandemic. For more information, contact the Senior Nutrition Program at 301-265-8475. Older adults needing guidance with delivery services from grocery stores and pharmacies should call 301-265-8450.
PGCPS Summer Meals
 Prince George’s County Public Schools’ annual Summer Food Service Program will begin Monday, June 29 and run through August 13. For additional information about the program, as well as a list of meal sites, visit the PGCPS website.
Stand Up & Deliver Program
  Next week, we will continue our distribution of prepared meals and groceries through our Stand Up & Deliver program. On Tuesday, June 30, we will distribute prepared meals to go at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hyattsville. On Thursday, July 2, we will distribute prepared meals to go at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Piscataway in Clinton. Finally, on Friday, July 3, we will distribute groceries to go at 5 locations in the County:
- Creative Suitland in Suitland
- Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Ft. Washington
- Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Capitol Heights
- Turner A.M.E. Church in Hyattsville
- Walker Mill Baptist Church in Capitol Heights
All of these distributions will take place at 12:30 PM, while supplies last. We will continue to keep you updated on future distribution locations and dates as we work to combat food insecurity in Prince George’s County.
COVID-19 Health Insurance Enrollment Period Extended to July 15
 PGC Health Connect wants to let all Prince Georgians know that the COVID-19 health insurance enrollment period has been extended to July 15, which includes the Maryland Easy Enrollment Program (MEEP) that allows residents to sign up for health coverage when filing their taxes. Nearly 8,000 County residents have enrolled in health coverage during the COVID-19 special enrollment period. The new date coincides with the deadline for filing federal and state income tax returns. PGC Health Connect Navigators are available by telephone Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 301-927-4500 or 240-719-2167. For more information, visit PGCHealthConnect.org.
Updates from the Library
 The Prince George's County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) is “fine free” beginning on July 1, 2020. The Library will waive all existing overdue fines from customer accounts when the policy takes effect. The new “fine free” policy ensures that all Prince Georgians have equitable access to the Library’s resources and services, while eliminating the financial barrier of overdue fines. Visit pgcmls.info for more information.
The Library announced its Phased Reopening Plan today, which is organized in four phases. Phase 1 offers curbside service by appointment only. Curbside service will be available at 16 of the Library's branches beginning on Tuesday, July 21 (Tuesday 1:00-8:00 PM, Wednesday-Friday 1:00-6:00 PM, Saturday 1:00-5:00 PM). Customers will be required to wear face coverings for curbside service appointments, which may be scheduled July 21 via the PGCMLS app, pgcmls.info, or by calling 240-455-5451. Public access to the Library's buildings remains suspended until Phase 2 (limited branch access, date to be announced). Customers may begin to return materials to book drops beginning on Thursday, July 9. Visit pgcmls.info/reopening for details.
100 Events of Summer “Try Something New Thursday”
 Join the Office of Community Relations (OCR) as they host their first 100 Events of Summer “Try Something New Thursday!” If you are interested in learning some new dance moves, join in on Thursday, July 2 at 6:00 PM for a FREE virtual dance session. “Afrobeats: A Dance Session with Azeez” will be live on ocr.mypgc.us/100EOS. Follow OCR on Instagram (@pgc_communityrelations) and Twitter (@PGCCommunity) for updates on upcoming events and more.
Men’s Challenge Initiative
 Join the Department of Family Services for a new installment of the Men’s Challenge Initiative, a series of group discussions that seeks to influence men and boys through conversations about developing healthy relationships. The first topic of discussion will focus on Men’s Health Month, the importance of weight management and how to stay active during quarantine. Other topics of discussion, titled “Emmett Till to George Floyd” and “The Ancient Future of Black Fatherhood in the 21st Century,” will dive into the alienation of marginalized black lives and historical views of black fatherhood.
For a full list of discussion topics and meeting dates, visit the Department of Family Services, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking page.
How to Be an Antiracist (Rescheduled Virtually)
 Several Prince George's County partners are proud to host a timely virtual conversation with Dr. Ibram Kendi, author of the best-selling work “How to Be an Antiracist”, on July 20, 2020 at 7:00 PM. During this seminal moment in the ongoing movement for racial equity and understanding, Dr. Kendi’s award-winning book provides insight and guidance on our collective abilities to actively be anti-racist. Free registration can be found here.
The event is co-presented by Joe's Movement Emporium, the Prince George's County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS), the Prince George's County Human Relations Commission (HRC), the Prince George's Community College Center for Performing Arts, and Maryland State Library. As a lead-in to this discussion, PGCMLS and HRC will discuss the book as part of their “The Elephant We Don’t See Diversity Dialogue” on June 30. Registration for that free discussion can be found here.
Waste Collection Updates
 County Government offices, with the exception of public safety agencies, will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of Independence Day. All trash and recycling collections remain on a regular schedule.
Modified bulky trash drop-off collections continue throughout the nine councilmanic districts through August 1, 2020. No box trucks, commercial, or U-Haul trucks are allowed at the drop-off locations. The Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Recycling Acceptance Sites have reopened for disposal from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. All other services at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill remain closed to residents. Visit environment.mypgc.us for a complete list of drop-off locations and other information.
311 Call Center Receives National Recognition
County Executive Alsobrooks pictured with the 311 Award of Excellence.
Congratulations to our 311 Call Center on receiving the national 311 Award of Excellence Finalist Award! This is due to the hard work of our call center employees, our Office of Community Relations (OCR) Director Euniesha Davis, and OCR Special Assistant to the Director Charice Young. They accomplished a number of things in the first year of our administration, including reducing call wait times from four minutes to six seconds and setting a record for the number of calls taken at the call center. We are excited to continue strengthening our County’s 311 system to ensure Prince Georgians get the high-quality government services that they deserve.
Experience Prince George’s County – the Crown Jewel of Maryland
 Prince George’s County is the Crown Jewel of Maryland, and we invite everyone to experience our County. Watch our video here to see where our County can take you as you create new memories. To learn more about all our County has to offer, visit the Experience Prince George’s website.
Office of Emergency Management Distributes “Starter Kits” to Daycare Facilities
 We are Prince George’s Proud of the Office of Emergency Management, which has been distributing “starter kits” to daycare facilities that are caring for the children of essential workers during this pandemic. These kits include items such as disposable masks, gloves and hand sanitizer so our daycare facilities can continue to safely serve our community. Watch our video here.
Complete the 2020 Census
 No matter what area of education impacts your life or that of your family, the 2020 Census makes a difference. Complete the Census to help the children in your life build the right blocks. Call 844-330-2020 or visit my2020Census.gov to complete your Census today.
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