ORDER
OF THE

GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND
NUMBER 20-04-15-01

REQUIRING USE OF FACE COVERINGS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND
REQUIRING IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES
WHEREAS,

A state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency was proclaimed on
March 5, 2020, renewed on March 17, 2020, and renewed again on April 10,
2020, to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the state, and the
state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency still exists;

WHEREAS,

COVID-19, a respiratory disease that spreads easily from person to person and
may result in serious illness or death, is a public health catastrophe and has been
confirmed throughout Maryland;

WHEREAS,

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the Maryland Department of Health recommend canceling large
gatherings and physical distancing in smaller gatherings;

WHEREAS,

The currently known and available scientific evidence and best practices support
limitations on large gatherings and physical distancing to prevent exposures and
transmissions, and reduce the threat to especially vulnerable populations,
including older individuals and those with chronic health conditions;

WHEREAS,

To reduce the threat to human health caused by transmission of the novel
coronavirus in Maryland, and to protect and save lives, it is necessary and
reasonable that individuals in the state refrain from congregating;

WHEREAS,

To protect the public health, welfare, and safety, prevent the transmission of the
novel coronavirus, control the spread of COVID-19, and save lives, it is
necessary to control and direct the movement of individuals in Maryland,
including those on the public streets; and

WHEREAS,

It is further necessary to control and direct in Maryland the occupancy and use
of buildings and premises, as well as places of amusement and assembly;
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 NOW, THEREFORE, I, LAWRENCE J. HOGAN, JR., GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF
MARYLAND, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE
CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF MARYLAND, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO TITLE 14 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE, AND IN AN EFFORT TO
CONTROL AND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 WITHIN THE STATE, DO
HEREBY ORDER:
I.

Definitions.
a. “Face Covering” means a covering that fully covers a person’s nose and mouth,
but is not a Medical-Grade Mask. The term “Face Covering” includes, without
limitation, scarves and bandanas.
b. “Foodservice Establishments” means establishments in the State of Maryland that
sell food on a delivery, carry-out, or drive-through basis.
c. “Medical-Grade Mask” means an N95, KN95, surgical, or other mask that would
be appropriate for a health care setting.
d. “Public Transportation” means shared-ride surface transportation services that are
open to the general public, including without limitation, taxi services, ride-sharing
services, car services, and transit services provided by any other unit of the State
or any political subdivision. Examples of Public Transportation include, but are
not limited to:
i. MTA bus service;
ii. MARC train service;
iii. Light Rail trains service;
iv. MTA Metro subway service; and
v. Mobility and paratransit service.
e. “Retail Establishments” means retail businesses, organizations, establishments,
and facilities in the State of Maryland, including without limitation:
i. Grocery stores, convenience stores, farmer’s markets, and any other
establishment engaged in the retail sale of non-prepared food;
ii. Pharmacies and other stores that sell medication or medical supplies;
iii. Stores that sell supplies for household consumption or use, and/or
products needed to maintain safety, sanitation, and essential maintenance
of the home or residence;
iv. Alcoholic beverage stores; and
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 v. Laundromats.
II.

Use of Face Coverings.
a. Effective as of 7:00 a.m. on April 18, 2020:
i. all riders and operators on any Public Transportation are required to wear
Face Coverings (excluding any operator in a separate compartment that is
off-limits to riders);
ii. all customers over the age of nine are required to wear Face Coverings
while inside the enclosed area of any Retail Establishment or Foodservice
Establishment;
iii. adult customers accompanying children age two through nine shall use
reasonable efforts to cause those children to wear Face Coverings while
inside the enclosed area of any Retail Establishment or Foodservice
Establishment;
iv. all Retail Establishments shall require staff to wear, and those staff shall
wear, Face Coverings while working in areas open to the general public
and areas in which interactions with other staff are likely; and
v. all Foodservice Establishments shall require staff who interact with
customers (including, without limitation, delivery personnel) to wear, and
those staff shall wear, Face Coverings while working.
b. Single-use Face Coverings shall be properly discarded in trash receptacles. It is
recommended that all reusable Face Coverings be cleaned frequently (at least
once per day).
c. Wearing a Medical-Grade Mask satisfies any requirement in paragraph II.a to
wear a Face Covering, but all Marylanders are urged to reserve Medical-Grade
Masks for use by health care workers and first responders.

III.

Physical Distancing Measures for Retail Establishments.
a. All Retail Establishments shall, in good faith and to the extent possible:
i. Where any queue is expected to form, designated with signage, tape, or by
other means at least six-foot spacing for persons in line;
ii. Sanitize, or provide customers with a means to sanitize, handles of carts
and baskets that are available to customers;
iii. Provide staff and customers with clean restrooms stocked with soap or
sanitizer, and allow staff to wash their hands at least once every 30
minutes; and
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 iv. Post signage at each entrance advising customers about the requirement to
wear Face Coverings described in paragraph II.a.
b. The Secretary of Health of the State of Maryland (the “Secretary”) is authorized
to issue directives under this Order, as the Secretary deems necessary, to prevent,
reduce the spread of, and suppress COVID-19 in and around Retail
Establishments and/or Foodservice Establishments, which may include, without
limitation, additional requirements for physical distancing, cleaning, and
disinfection at Retail Establishments and/or Foodservice Establishments.
IV.

General Provisions.
a. Each law enforcement officer of the State or a political subdivision shall execute
and enforce this Order.
b. A person who knowingly and willfully violates this Order is guilty of a
misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding one
year or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.
c. This Order remains effective until after termination of the state of emergency and
the proclamation of the catastrophic health emergency has been rescinded, or until
rescinded, superseded, amended, or revised by additional orders.
d. The effect of any statute, rule, or regulation of an agency of the State or a political
subdivision inconsistent with this order is hereby suspended.
e. The underlined paragraph headings in this Order are for convenience of reference
only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Order.
f. If any provision of this Order or its application to any person, entity, or
circumstance is held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, all other
provisions or applications of the Order shall remain in effect to the extent possible
without the invalid provision or application. To achieve this purpose, the
provisions of this Order are severable.
ISSUED UNDER MY HAND THIS 15TH DAY OF APRIL, 2020, AND
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

_______________________________________
Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.
Governor

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