Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of the staff and those we serve. We have continued to serve our missions while our operations are almost fully online.
The Alumni Association and Foundation offices will remain closed to visitors and staff will continue teleworking through 31 July. Our small footprint of essential employees will continue to practice social distancing and wearing masks while working at Building 274 on the Yard. Our operational stance is consistent with the Yard, Anne Arundel County and Maryland guidance and best practices. Further, we are working on a staged reentry plan for our staff to support mission-critical activity. To that end, we are working closely with Yard staff to support both I-Day and Plebe Summer activities with a modified event and coverage plan to ensure the safety of our staff, our guests and the Brigade of Midshipmen.
Maryland is following Governor Hogan’s Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery plan, which includes a phased approach to reopening business. The state is in Stage Two per the Governor’s Executive Orders. Key openings and points under this Order are as follows:
- As of 12 June at 5 p.m., outdoor entertainment and recreational attractions along with indoor dining reopened to the general public, though specific closures and restrictions are still in place.
- As of 19 June at 5 p.m., indoor entertainment and recreational attractions reopened to the general public, along with casinos, malls and gyms.
- Teleworking should still be considered for staff.
- Staff shall be 6 feet apart in all settings including offices, desks and lobby waiting areas.
- Residents should continue practicing physical distancing of 6 feet or more outdoors and in public places.
Please see these FAQs Regarding Community, Recreational, Leisure, Cultural and Sporting Gatherings and Events.
Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman has aligned AA with Stage 2 of the state’s Roadmap to Recovery. The state prohibition on gatherings of 10 or more people has been lifted as well. Both Governor Hogan and County Executive Pittman recommend that people continue following the latest guidance from the CDC and the Maryland Department of Health regarding social distancing, including avoiding large gatherings and crowded places.
As an additional layer of safety, County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman issued a revised public health order that requires face coverings in indoor public areas, retail stores and on public transportation, except to the extent a face covering on a customer would make it impossible for permitted services to be performed or when a health condition prevents its usage.
We continue to take this recovery seriously and keep safety and health in mind while working on our reentry plan. We will be conservative in our approach to our reentry and will continue to support and follow Governor Hogan’s Maryland Strong: BACK TO BUSINESS PLEDGE guidelines by reinforcing a socially distant environment, conducting routine cleanings, encouraging employees to wash their hands frequently, providing flexibility to our employees and following the guidance by the CDC and the local health department.
For additional operational updates and statements, visit https://www.usna.com/covid-19 and www.usna.edu/covid-19.