The state of Maryland is lifting all capacity restrictions on indoor and outdoor dining on Friday at 5 p.m., Gov. Larry Hogan announced at a Tuesday press conference.
Capacity limits will also be lifted on retail stores, religious facilities, fitness centers and indoor recreational centers, such as bowling alleys and casinos, he said.
Larger venues, including concert halls and theaters, will operate at 50 percent capacity beginning Friday at 5 p.m., Hogan said.
The state masking mandate and physical distance restrictions remain in effect for all of these establishments, Hogan added.
Prince George’s County is currently in phase 2 of its reopening plan, which means restaurants and other food establishments are currently operating at 25 percent capacity indoors and at 50 percent capacity outdoors, according to the county’s website.
In this phase, retail stores, gyms, indoor recreation centers and shopping malls are open at 25 percent capacity.
The announcement comes as the state begins vaccinating Marylanders with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As of Monday, the state leads the country in administering this vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 19 percent of Marylanders have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to data from the New York Times. Of all Maryland jurisdictions, Prince George’s County has vaccinated the smallest proportion of its population with a first dose at 10.4 percent.
White Marylanders have received almost quadruple the vaccines that Black Marylanders have, according to state data.
This story has been updated.
