Hunker Down

County Executive Angela Alsobrooks Calls for New Restrictions As Cases Rise and Holidays Near

By Raoul Dennis

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced new restrictions at a November 12 press conference as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the county. Alsobrooks also introduced new programs being implemented as a result of the pandemic’s negative impact on county residents and businesses.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks

The new guidelines call for county residents to wear masks outdoors as well as indoors at stores and other public gathering places. Residents are asked not to have more than 25 persons per outdoor location and not to have more than 10 people at home (indoors) at any given time (includes private and public facilities). Restaurants are limited to 25% maximum capacity indoors and 50% outdoors. Adults are required to wear masks at all times when outside. All children above the age of five will be required to wear a mask and are expected to be properly guided and supervised accordingly by parents or guardians.

Alsobrooks reemphasized concern about social gathering amongst teenagers at National Harbor. She said that the county will more stringently enforce fines for parents leaving their children at the harbor unattended for social gathering and that the property owners will also be targeted for enforcement.

Gyms (one patron per 200 sq. feet) and bowling alleys will remain open but at 25% capacity overall (no more than 50 people – whichever is lower).

The new guidelines take affect November 15 beginning at 5 p.m. Alsobrooks is asking residents who observe people or establishments that are not compliant to call 311 to allow compliance agencies to step in and enforce safety guidelines.

The county executive went as far as to say that residents should plan their food shopping strategically to reduce the high volume of traffic as the holidays approach. And she noted, in detail, that facial coverings and facemasks must be worn to cover the nose, otherwise the face covering does no good.

With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner, the county executive asked that Prince George and not travel outside the area and that they refrain from having extended family visit this year.

Although the county never moved into Phase 3 of   the governor’s reopening plan for Maryland as other parts of the state had done last summer, Prince George’s County’s health leaders noted the continuing spike here similar to what is occurring with the virus across the nation.

Hospitalizations are increasing in Prince George’s County. It was announced that there have been 35,434 confirmed cases in the county since March 2020 when the virus was first discovered in the area. There have been over 4,000 hospitalizations since then and the numbers are increasing.

Alsobrooks announced that 865 Prince Georgians have died of COVID-19.

“We continue to pray for them and their families,” the county executive said. “I urge all Prince Georgians to do likewise to remember that people are still suffering. Especially remember [them] during the holiday season [which] can be very lonely for many who have lost loved ones.”

“Our infection rate is trending in the wrong direction,” the county’s top executive continued. “During the first week of November we saw 1,309 cases – up from 649 cases the last full week of September.” This represents a doubling of new COVID cases in the county in less than two months.

She announced that the county is now in a high risk category.

“We are not finished yet. We have to hunker down,” Alsobrooks said. “That is the message of the day.”

For greater detail and to view the press conference, click here.

Gov. Larry S. Hogan, also shared a Coronavirus update on November 12 speaking from the Maryland State House. Although he announced no new restrictions, the governor outlined $70 million in CARES Act spending on PPE, rental assistance, food banks and more.