Westminster, MD, Thursday, May 14, 2020 – Today in Open Session, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to follow State of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s new Executive Order to begin Stage One of the ‘Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery,’ which includes moving from a Stay at Home order to a Safer at Home public health advisory and the gradual re-opening of retail, manufacturing, houses of worship, and some personal services.
The commissioners praised Governor Hogan for his strong leadership during the COVID-19 crisis and his direction for Maryland to take early, aggressive, and unprecedented actions to contain and slow the spread of COVID-19. The commissioners also thanked Carroll County residents for their sacrifices in staying home, practicing physical distancing and following the guidance of local health officials.
“We want to thank our residents, who took the restrictions very seriously, and as a result, have helped the county successfully flatten and lengthen the curve, allowing us to move into Stage One of the governor’s plan,” said Commissioner President Stephen Wantz. “If we continue to take the threat of spreading the virus seriously, move slowly and maintain precautions, I am hopeful we will move on to Stage Two sooner than later.”
Governor Hogan’s new Executive Order can be viewed here. The interpretive guidance can be found here.
These are unprecedented times and COVID-19 is a rapidly changing situation. In taking this measure, the county is following the lead of the state leadership as well as state and local health officials. As this situation evolves, the county will continue to evaluate and assess its operations and make changes as needed.
Meetings are available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.
Accurate COVID-19 information is vital to our community. For the most current and accurate information about the situation, please refer to the following:
Carroll County Health Department (CCHD): https://cchd.maryland.gov/covid-19/
Maryland Department of Health (MDH): https://health.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx
Centers for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Carroll County Government has developed a dedicated COVID-19 page with important links and updates: https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/residents/county-spotlight/covid-19-information/.
Anyone feeling ill should contact their health care professional. CCHD continues to operate a hotline, available 8 am – 5 pm at 410-876-4848, 7 days a week. After hours, callers may leave a message or call 2-1-1. All emergencies should continue to call 9-1-1.