Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will lift capacity limits on indoor and outdoor dining, as well as numerous other businesses and recreational services, on Friday at 5 p.m. — the first local jurisdiction to do so.

“The time is right,” Hogan said during a press conference Tuesday, calling it a step toward normalcy. “We’ve been following a very balanced approach from the beginning of this, from day one to now more than a year, where we get all the input and try to balance both the health and the economic recovery of our state.”

Restaurants and bars will still have to seat people six feet apart, while indoor facilities such as religious centers, gyms, nail salons, and casinos will be allowed to open at full capacity.

Larger indoor and outdoor spaces — like concert venues, wedding halls, racing facilities, and sporting arenas — will be allowed to open at 50% capacity.

The state’s mask mandate remains in effect.

Hogan said Maryland’s health metrics continue to improve to levels not seen since late last year. More than half of people over 65 and the state’s Phase 1 population have been vaccinated, Hogan said during the press conference.

“With the pace of vaccinations rapidly rising and our health metrics steadily improving, the lifting of these restrictions is a prudent positive step in the right direction and an important part of our economic recovery,” Hogan said.

He touted the state’s vaccine distribution efforts, citing the CDC’s recent update that Maryland has inoculated more people with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine than any other state. In addition to four mass vaccination sites at each corner of the state, the governor said a fifth site on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and a sixth at the Hagerstown Premium Outlets will open within the next two weeks.

Hogan continued to urge businesses to encourage and support telework but said quarantine requirements for out-of-state travel will be lifted.

Still, he sounded a note of caution. “I want to make it clear that the virus is still with us,” he said.

Maryland is not the first state in the country to lift indoor dining restrictions, some have even done away with mask mandates, but it is the first in the region to make such a move. D.C. still limits indoor dining capacity to 25% or no more than 250 people, and Virginia caps indoor dining capacity at 50%.

In states that have lifted on-premises dining restrictions, a CDC study found that coronavirus cases and deaths increased within two to three months. The authors said mask mandates and restrictions on dining are “increasingly important given the emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants in the United States.”

Meanwhile, it’s unclear whether Prince George’s will follow the new state guidelines.  Both Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich are expected to hold press conferences Thursday to provide COVID updates.

Montgomery County officials said Tuesday they do not plan on making big changes to the county’s coronavirus restrictions but may loosen indoor and outdoor restrictions, the Washington Post reported. Both counties have some of the state’s highest coronavirus rates and have generally lagged behind previous state reopening plans.

Montgomery County Council President Tom Hucker tweeted harsh criticism of Hogan’s order.

Better headline: “Unsatisfied with Maryland’s ranking among the worst states for vaccine rollout, and pressured by TX Gov. Greg Abbott, Gov. Hogan redoubles his efforts to drive cases up and MD’s ranking down.”https://t.co/hyMX01DuDK

— Tom Hucker (@tomhucker) March 9, 2021

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a statement on Wednesday that he would align with the governor’s orders to lift capacity limits, but maintain the county’s social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

“Since Governor Hogan’s surprise announcement yesterday, I have been discussing the best path forward for Anne Arundel County,” Pittman said in the statement. “While I believe there is a risk to lifting capacity limits at this time, we are putting our faith in local business owners, operators and customers to continue abiding by the distancing and mask requirements that have pushed our case rates down.”

A spokesperson for Hogan’s office did not immediately respond to DCist’s request for comment.

“Over the last few weeks, as we marked one year of grappling with this deadly virus, many of us recalled our lasts,” Hogan said. “In the months ahead, with continued vigilance, instead, we will start to mark new firsts.”

Elliot Williams contributed reporting.

This story was updated with additional information from Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and upcoming press conferences for county executives in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.