UPDATE: Baltimore County officials have announced plans to align with the state and enter Stage Three.

Original story below…

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ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to provide an update on Maryland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Thursday’s event, Governor Hogan announced that Maryland would enter Stage Three of the Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery.

As of Friday September 4, at 5 p.m., 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.

Outdoor venues where live performances occur or motion pictures are shown outdoors may open to the general public at 50% capacity, or 250 people.

Capacity for retail establishments and religious facilities may increase from 50 to 75 percent.

Governor Hogan’s full executive order can be viewed here.

As with Stages One and Two, Stage Three will be implemented in multiple phases with a flexible, community-based approach that empowers individual jurisdictions to make decisions regarding the timing of reopenings.

As Labor Day weekend nears, the governor reminded Marylanders that, based on contact tracing data, family gatherings are the most common thread among recent positive COVID-19 cases.

The governor also announced that, in collaboration with Apple and Google, Maryland will be one of the first states to deploy a new exposure notification tool to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Exposure Notifications Express is designed to help public health officials more quickly and easily provide notifications for their residents about potential COVID-19 exposure and guide them on recommended actions. This new technology will be optional for users.

More information will be forthcoming within the next few days.

Tuesday’s full announcement from Governor Hogan and additional details can be viewed here.

Governor Hogan’s full Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery can be viewed here.

Click to access Gatherings-12th-AMENDED-9.1.20.pdf