Maryland is lifting its quarantine requirements and other restrictions for out-of-state travelers beginning at 5 p.m. ET Friday, Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday.
Currently, people who travel to Maryland – with the exception of people coming from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC – must immediately get a Covid-19 test upon arrival and self-quarantine until getting a negative result, or get a Covid-19 negative test result within 72 hours of arrival, according to state guidance.
State authorities will continue to encourage out-of-state travelers to get tested upon their return anyways, but the official restrictions will be lifted, the governor said.
Hogan reiterated that Maryland's statewide mask order remains in full effect and employers in the state are still strongly encouraged to allow for telework where possible.
Maryland's state of emergency also remains in effect because it allows for the use of National Guard troops, the receipt of federal funding, and for the state to maximize its testing and vaccination capacity, he said.
Hogan cited improving health metrics for the reason why he is lifting restrictions, saying "the time is right."
"Our health metrics are great, as I said, and it's time to get our economy going," Hogan said. He acknowledged that the Covid-19 virus can mutate and their health metrics can change, but also said it was "time to get people back to work."