Maryland Gov. Hogan announces closure of non-essential businesses due to coronavirus pandemic

[honest.abe]

Source: Baltimore Sun

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday he was ordering closed all non-essential businesses in the state, including retail stores that had been allowed to remain open.

Hogan said the additional step was necessary to "slow the spread of COVID-19 in Maryland." The order, which takes effect at 5 p.m. today, does not include essential or critical industries as defined by the federal government: health care, law enforcement, emergency workers, food, energy, water, transportation, public works, communications, government, critical manufacturing, financial services, chemicals and defense. Liquor stores are exempted from the order. Daycare centers are not required to close.

Big box stores will remain open, but Hogan said he has asked local law enforcement to help those retailers deal with crowd control.

Read more: https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-pol-hogan-nonessential-businesses-20200323-mb5ltcvsjvbu3ihp236por2xvq-story.html

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This affects both my office and my wife's office. This is getting real.

[elleng]

1. NOT 'shelter in place.'

[honest.abe]

6. Yes, that correct..

for now.

[world wide wally]

2. Question:

Are liquor stores considered non-essential?

[moriah]

4. Do we want to add people with DTs to our ER loads?

If not, yes, we need to keep the drive-through liquor stores open.

It's why heart hospitals will give you beer or wine if you ask for it while staying overnight for a procedure. They're there to fix your heart, not treat your alcohol addiction, and abrupt withdrawal can adversely affect blood pressure and other vital signs.

It may be sad, but it's something I just had to discuss with my mother, who drinks daily but doesn't want to call herself an alcoholic. How we'll do a taper if we have to. At least she realizes with her high blood pressure she would NEED to taper.

[honest.abe]

9. Good question. You got me worried.

[honest.abe]

12. The answer is yes!

Grocery stores, restaurants, farmer's markets, convenience stores, liquor stores and cafeterias can remain open. The prohibition on dine-in service continues. Anyone who works in the food supply chain, from farmers to delivery drivers to retail workers, is considered essential.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/maryland-governor-hogan-orders-business-to-close-updates-latest-monday-march-23/2250774/

[world wide wally]

14. Yaaaayyyy!

That was too close for comfort.

[honest.abe]

15. Cheers1

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Has it been mostly Democratic governors that have acted to socially curtail the pandemic?

Aren't the Republican states risking quite an epidemic as the weeks roll by? This seems like a giant research experiment.

[elleng]

5. Hogan is repug,

tho MD may be considered, a Dem state. Consider our congressional delegation, ONE repug.

[honest.abe]

7. Yes, he is a Republican.. but he is moderate and reasonable.

Many Dems voted for him last election.

[elleng]

8. I know, I live in MD.

[flibbitygiblets]

10. Daycare centers are not required to close!!!

I realize that people in jobs deemed "critical" need daycare, but this is a huge liability to have daycare centers remain open.

[honest.abe]

11. Yeah, our daycare is still open but very few parents are bringing their kids.

I called there this morning and my kids class had only two kids. Typically there are over 10. We are keeping our kid home until things get better.

[turbinetree]

13. I guess I can't go pick up my tax papers to file then...............