ANNAPOLIS, MD. (WJZ) — Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29, Maryland restaurants and social organizations will be able to safely reopen for outdoor dining, following strict public health requirements.

“Now, as of Friday at 5 o’clock, all jurisdictions statewide are able to move forward with fully completing stage one of reopening,” Gov. Hogan said.

The state saw hospitalizations slightly increase for the second day in a row Wednesday.

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Effective Friday beginning at 5 pm, restaurants and social organizations (American Legion/VFW/Elks) may begin safely reopening for outdoor dining following strict public health requirements.

Hogan said customers must be appropriately distanced, with no more than 6 people seated at a table and restaurants must use single-use disposable menus or sanitize reusable menus between each use.

According to Hogan, restaurants must sanitize outdoor tables and chairs, and begin screening procedures, including daily temperature checks of staff. Masks must be worn when interacting with employees or patrons.

Safe youth sports activities may resume on Friday as well beginning at 5 pm, following CDC guidelines with limited, low contact, outdoor practices.

Outdoor activities at youth day camps may resume with capacity limitations of no more than 10 individuals in a group and daily COVID-19 symptom checks for camp staff and campers.

Outdoor pools may also reopen Friday with strict safety guidelines including: 25 percent capacity restrictions and strict physical distancing and sanitization measures.

Pool visitors will be required to sign-in and sign-out, and pools will be required to post signage warning anyone who is sick not to enter.

Drive-in movie theaters will also be able to safely reopen on Friday.

Hogan said these additional Stage One reopenings will continue to follow a flexible, community-based approach.

Counties will be able to make certain decisions regarding the timing of reopenings in their individual jurisdictions.

Since the governor lifted some restrictions, many counties have followed suit. But some have remained under a stay at home order — like Baltimore City, Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, as cases continued to grow there. Baltimore City officials announced Tuesday they were finally seeing some promising improvement.

Businesses are preparing for the next phase of the governor’s reopening plan. Restaurants and bars are looking at ways they can make sure customers social distance and are looking at outdoor eating opportunities. Many communities are setting up pick-up/drop-off zones as well as looking at ways to shut down roads to vehicular traffic to allow for more space for restaurants to expand their seating. Read more at WJZ