County Executive Steuart Pittman announced today that Anne Arundel County will allow theaters and performance venues to reopen, beginning Friday, September 25. The decision comes after careful review of industry safety protocols and impacts of reopening on other jurisdictions, and in consultation with health experts, his recovery work group, and others. The County Executive announced the decision today to give county theaters and venues time to prepare their facilities and get staff in place for opening next weekend.
“When Governor Hogan authorized limited re-opening of theaters earlier this month, our county’s coronavirus numbers were rising,” said County Executive Pittman. “We chose a cautious approach. Since then, we have carefully reviewed the protocols developed by the industry, monitored the impact in counties that took the action before us, and considered potential impacts on community spread with our health officer, our recovery work group, and others. Like all other openings, this one has the potential to increase the spread of coronavirus at a time when we must reduce case rates to meet the school reopening metrics set forth by the state. Please, wear your mask and maintain social distance.”
County Executive Pittman’s decision comes after a rigorous discussion with his Recovery Work Group on September 17. In that meeting, Dr. Kalyanaraman presented a series of data slides to outline the status and trends of COVID-19 cases in Anne Arundel County. That presentation is available on the Department of Health’s website.
Beginning Friday, September 25 at 9:00 a.m., indoor theaters and outdoor venues in Anne Arundel County will be allowed to reopen under the following guidance:
INDOOR THEATERS. Indoor theaters where live performances occur or motion pictures are shown may open to the general public at 50% capacity, or 100 people per auditorium—whichever is less—with appropriate health and safety protocols in place.
OUTDOOR VENUES. Outdoor venues where live performances occur or motion pictures are shown outdoors may open to the general public at 50% capacity, or 100 people—whichever is less—with appropriate health and safety protocols in place.
The County Executive will sign an executive order next week to make these changes effective. The county’s Frequently Asked Questions document will be updated at that time and available at https://www.aacounty.org/coronavirus/road-to-recovery.
