Howard County Executive Order 2022-02 (State of Emergency)

County Executive
of
Howard County, Maryland

Executive Order: 2022-02
Dated: February 1, 2022
Subject: Rescinding the indoor face
covering requirement for certain
businesses, facilities and places of
assembly open to the public; Maintaining
the requirement on Howard County
public transportation.

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020, by Executive Order No. 2020-02, pursuant to the
authority granted by Howard County Code, Sections 6.103 and 6.104, I declared a state of
emergency in Howard County, which has been extended by Council Resolution No. 41-2020, and
that emergency still exists; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order No 2021-17 required that face coverings be worn indoors
by customers over the age of 9 and staff in all areas open to the public of all businesses, facilities
and places of assembly that are open to the public; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 2021-17 also required face coverings to be worn by all
riders and operators of any Howard County public transportation; and

WHEREAS, cases of COVID-19 have substantially dropped from our peak in December
of 2021; and our positivity rate is currently 8.4 7%, a 70% decrease from its peak; our case rate per
100,000 is 34, an 83% decrease from its peak; and our hospitalizations have decreased by 60%;
and

WHEREAS, because of our decrease in cases, coupled with a wide availability of rapid
at-home testing and high-quality masks, we can now lift the face covering requirement inside
businesses, facilities and places of assembly that are open to the public; and

WHEREAS, face coverings should continue to be worn by all riders and operators of
Howard County public transportation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED AND PROCLAIMED by the County
Executive of Howard County, Maryland, that face coverings are no longer required to be worn
indoors by customers over the age of 9 and staff in all areas open to the public of all businesses,
facilities and places of assembly that are open to the public; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that face coverings shall continue to be required to be worn by all riders and operators of Howard County public transportation; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority granted by Howard County Code
section 6.103(b ):

1. This Executive Order shall be promptly publicized; and
2. A copy filed with the Administrator to the County Council of Howard County.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Calvin Ball, as County Executive of Howard County,
Maryland, have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of Howard County to be affixed this
1st day of February, 2022.

Cavin Ball
County Executive