New COVID-19 Restrictions

Due to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Maryland announced new actions they are taking to protect the health of the population and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Beginning on December 16th, restaurants are restricted to curbside/takeout only.

COVID-19 cases are surging throughout Maryland, and Anne Arundel County released information on a new record of 341 new COVID-19 cases in one day. The Center for Disease Control released guidance for the public on December 4th encouraging government officials to issue policies regulating indoor places that pose a high risk for spread. The restrictions target situations where people are gathering indoors with no masks. Therefore, restaurants pose a large risk for the transmission of the virus. The restrictions will be effective on December 16th and stay in place until January 13th, 2021.

Restaurants will be restricted to curbside pickup and takeout. In addition to these restrictions, retail stores, indoor gyms, fitness centers, personal services establishments, and casinos will have a reduced capacity limit of 25 percent. Indoor entertainment like movies, bowling alleys, and ice-skating rinks will be closed until further notice. The announcement also suspends organized sports.

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, so due to the winter season, it is spreading faster than before the winter. The actions that were taken in the summer are not as effective now. Therefore, strict regulations are being put in place to help prevent the spread.

The actions that are being taken help prevent people from being hospitalized. The hospital beds are majorly being used for COVID-19 patients, but hospital beds are still needed for other incidents that occur in everyday lives. These actions are also preventing the spread of COVID-19 and prevent people from dying, therefore they will be able to be vaccinated when it becomes available to the public. 

Overall, there many restrictions that are being in place limiting maximum capacity numbers and we are seeing the closure of many places. Due to these restrictions that are in place, the restaurant industry will be highly affected. Support your local restaurant and order curbside pick-up and takeout to help prevent restaurant closure and come enjoy The Crab Shack when we open in Edgewater, and Crofton in 2021.