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Reopening Maryland: Restaurants With Outdoor Dining Open Up For Customers Friday

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Restaurants with outdoor dining are getting ready to reopen in Maryland when the latest coronavirus restrictions are lifted at 5 p.m. Friday -- just in time for the weekend.

Outdoor dining is among the activities permitted now in Maryland as long as they abide by some regulations, Gov. Larry Hogan announced earlier this week. Hogan also lifted restrictions on retailers, allowing for more capacity for customers, youth day camps, outdoor pools and more.

REOPENING MARYLAND:

Throughout Maryland, each county can choose to open to the level of the governor lays off in his Roadmap To Recovery plan, or they can limit some operations as they deem fit.

Montgomery and Prince George's County will not open Friday with the rest of the state, instead, they are set to reopen on Monday, June 1.

"Our sales have been down significantly," Fulton's Hudson Coastal owner Tricia Hudson said Thursday. "Will the outdoor seating allow us to recoup the percentage? No. It will allow us to bring some employees back."

Hudson Coastal in Fulton will reopen Friday for outdoor dining at the guidance of Howard County, which announced it will move forward with the governor's plan.

"It's our reputations and the health and safety of our staff and communities that's on the line," Hudson said.

Restaurants must follow state guidelines including distancing, table seating limits, paper or sanitized menus, training employees, and screening staff.

Baltimore City announced Thursday restaurants with permits for outdoor seating can move forward Friday at 5 p.m.

Groups have been protesting the restrictions from both the governor and local leaders -- one group gathering during Montgomery County Executive Marc Erlich's press conference Thursday -- booing him and yelling "fascist" and "Nazi" as he tried to announce the county's reopening plan.

Other city restaurants without permits may apply for them beginning 9 a.m. Monday, June 1, via the City's permitting site.

Decisions on reopening outdoor dining at restaurants are made at the local level. For a list of county resources, click here.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

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