Bethesda Streatery to remain on Norfolk Avenue; Woodmont Avenue Streatery to close Sept. 7

The future of the two Bethesda Streateries, which utilize closed streets to provide outdoor dining space, will diverge in two different directions next month. The Norfolk Avenue Streatery in the Woodmont Triangle will remain in place. But on September 7, 2022, the Woodmont Avenue Streatery at Bethesda Row will close. The street will partially reopen to automobile traffic while an extension of the Bethesda Avenue bikeway is constructed along that stretch of Woodmont.

“The Streeteries have provided a practical solution to a pandemic-related problem,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement yesterday. “They served as much-needed gathering spaces during the pandemic and provided a creative solution. Now as the situation has changed, we worked with the community in each area to decide how these spaces will continue to operate. The Streeteries showed new possibilities and I would like to see how we might continue some form of these activities as we move beyond just trying to accommodate the activities within the constraints of the pandemic.”

To that end, the County has hired a consultant to determine if there is a way to expand sidewalk space and shrink the two streets down to one lane in each direction, to allow for a narrower but permanent Streatery. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center will be circulating a survey to gather feedback on the Streateries from residents and affected businesses, the center announced in an email yesterday. Bethesda Row's property owner, Federal Realty, is also exploring the addition of more outdoor dining space there, the announcement said.

Office work, transit use aren't recovering in Montgomery County, new data show

New Google Mobility data for Montgomery County show that transit use has only picked up by 1% since spring 2022, and that fewer workers are toiling in on-site offices than were this past spring. The data use a five-week period just before the pandemic hit the United States, January 3 - February 6, 2020, as the baseline. In reports I've posted over the last two years, numbers for office and transit use have been poor, as expected. But we've also seen some surprising shifts in behavior, which continue in the latest period examined here, from June 23 - August 4, 2022.

For starters, with the overwhelming message from governments and the media being to drop precautions and go back to business as usual, it's intriguing that there's been no significant increase in transit use in Montgomery County since President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. And would you have expected that the number of residents going into an office in Montgomery would actually decline by 12 percentage points since then, as well? Time spent in offices of employment in spring 2022 was 30% less than the pre-pandemic period; this summer it was 42% less than early 2020. The return of vacation travel may have been a factor - but not entirely, as summer 2021 office use was only 2 percentage points higher at 44% below the pre-pandemic period.

Use of public parks in Montgomery County has bounced back since spring. This summer, residents were 19% more likely to be in a park than they were during the pre-pandemic period of 2020. Shopping in stores and supermarkets has picked up since spring, too. The percentage of people going into retail stores compared to this past spring has doubled, but still remains 16% below pre-pandemic shopping levels. Residents' patronage of grocery stores is up 5% from spring 2022, but is 1% less than the pre-pandemic period. 

Montgomery County residents this summer are spending 10% more time at home than they did in the January-February 2020 period, the new data show. The data collected by Google is limited to those users who have opted in to allowing the tech giant to track their phone's location. It measures both the frequency of visits, and the amount of time those users stay in the places categorized in the results, such as grocery stores, transit stations and parks.

Montgomery County transit use, return to offices remains far below pre-pandemic numbers, new data show

Park use and grocery/pharmacy shopping

now less than during pandemic

New Google Mobility data show life in Montgomery County has yet to resume pre-pandemic patterns over the first three months of 2022, and some activity categories have even declined below their pandemic numbers. Transit use in the county has been even worse this year than it was last fall, dropping from 43% below early 2020 ridership numbers to 48% below in early 2022. Workers are heading back to the office only 1% more so far this year than they were last fall, with residents working on-location 30% less than during the same period before the pandemic in 2020.

Wheaton Claridge Local Park

County residents in 2022 so far are still staying home 10% more than they did in early 2020. In a troubling change, residents have actually reduced their time in parks and in grocery and drug stores. Google data during the pandemic months of 2020 and 2021 had showed residents were actually spending more time in parks, grocery stores and drug stores than they were before the pandemic. Now even those categories have gone negative.

Buses lined up at
Rockville Metro station

Residents spent 5% less time in parks between January 21 and March 4, 2022 than they did over the same period in 2020. They spent 6% less time in grocery and drug stores so far this year than they did in early 2020, which is odd considering that Covid-19 cases were way up when the year started, and shelves were bare for several weeks at grocery stores. And they've spent a whopping 30% less time in other types of retail stores and in recreation activities this year than they did in January - March 2020.

County residents spent less time
shopping at CVS Pharmacy so far
this year than they did over the same
period in 2020

The data collected by Google is limited to those users who have opted in to allowing the tech giant to track their phone's location. It measures both the frequency of visits, and the amount of time those users stay in the places categorized in the results, such as grocery stores, transit stations and parks.

Maryland School Board votes to rescind statewide school mask mandate

The Maryland State Board of Education voted overwhelmingly today to rescind its statewide mandate that required masks to be worn inside of public schools. However, the masks won't be coming off immediately in Montgomery County Public Schools. First, the Maryland General Assembly committee that originally approved the Board mandate must approve the decision to rescind it. Then the Montgomery County Board of Education will have the power to decide its own mask policy.

Photon via State of Maryland

Montgomery County indoor mask mandate to expire next week

Montgomery County's indoor mask mandate will expire on Monday, February 21, 2022 at 11:59 PM. The expiration was triggered by the meeting of targets for improvement on three health metrics: the number of cases per 100,000 residents, the test positivity rate, and the percentage of County hospital beds filled by Covid-19 patients. 

However, even after Monday night, masks are still required in Montgomery County Public Schools, in government buildings, and on public transportation. School mask requirements may change after the Maryland Board of Education meets to discuss the matter on Tuesday, February 22.

Grocery store supply chain woes continue in Bethesda

Reports of sparsely-stocked or empty shelves continue to come in from grocery stores across the region, amidst the omicron surge and winter weather. Last night, the Bethesda Row Giant had no milk and no meat. Highways have been clear of winter weather for several days, so the trucks are not the problem.

MCPS drops 5% threshold for virtual learning

MCPS Interim Superintendent 
Monifa McKnight

Montgomery County Public Schools announced its latest coronavirus policy about-face this afternoon. After starting the spring semester with a 5% threshold for Covid-19 cases that would trigger a school to switch to virtual learning, eleven schools were forced to go online. But when more than 100 schools met the threshold days later, MCPS canceled a scheduled Thursday email update to parents. It then announced in the past hour that it is dropping the 5% threshold for virtual learning.

"Moving forward, MCPS and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will examine schools on a case-by-case basis to determine if any particular school needs to transition to virtual learning for a designated period of time," Interim Superintendent of Schools Monifa McKnight and Acting Chief Health Officer James Bridgers wrote in this afternoon's statement. "Factors considered will continue to include the number of students and staff who have tested positive; the number of students in quarantine; the number of staff absent for COVID-related reasons; and the level of spread of the virus in the school."

McKnight and Bridgers cited the fact that the state of Maryland does not call for a specific threshold to suspend in-class learning. Their statement did not explain why the threshold was adopted if not recommended by the state. It said the Thursday emails will resume next week. Take-home rapid test kits will also be distributed to all students and staff next week, the statement added. Students who test positive will have to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positive test.

Photo courtesy MCPS

11 Montgomery County Public Schools switching to virtual learning for 2 weeks

Montgomery County Public Schools are closed today, but students at eleven schools won't be returning to the classroom anytime soon. MCPS announced this morning that the following schools are switching to virtual learning for two weeks, due to student coronavirus case numbers:

Cannon Road ES

Forest Knolls ES

Hallie Wells MS

Monocacy ES

North Chevy Chase ES

Roberto Clemente MS

Rock Terrace School

Rosemont ES

Seneca Valley HS

Sherwood ES

Waters Landing ES 

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich tests positive for Covid-19

The omicron wave has hit the top of government in Montgomery County. County Executive Marc Elrich (D) announced Saturday that he has tested positive for Covid-19. Elrich had received two doses of an RNA vaccine, and a booster, as had many victims of the omicron coronavirus variant in recent weeks. He credited those shots for his relatively mild symptoms so far.

"Just feeling tired," was Elrich's characterization of his condition as of yesterday. In a statement, he encouraged everyone to get vaccinated and boosted. Elrich said he is isolating, and will continue to execute his duties from home.

Heated tents return to Bethesda Streetery for winter

While Bethesda will slightly warm up today through Saturday, several cold snaps in recent weeks have decimated the use of the two Bethesda Streetery outdoor dining areas in downtown Bethesda. Heated tents are now returning for a second Covid Winter, as seen here at the Streetery on Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row. Omicron and the ongoing debate over just how much safer an enclosed tent is versus dining indoors aside, the structures are pretty much the only way to keep the Streeteries going until spring.

Coronavirus doesn't take a vacation, but Maryland Health Department does

Coronavirus case numbers appeared astoundingly good in Bethesda, Montgomery County and the state of Maryland on Thursday and Friday. A little too good, given that cases are trending upward across the country and the world. In fact, Maryland's coronavirus website is inaccurately showing zero new cases for Thursday and Friday, November 25 and 26, 2021. It turns out that the Maryland Department of Health took Thursday and Friday off, and did not provide accurate data for new cases of Covid-19 during this period. 

The failure to inform the public is remarkable, given the firm government hand regarding masks, school and business closures, lockdowns, and vaccinations by Maryland officials over the last two years, and the announcement of the new Omnicron variant. According to The Washington Post, Virginia and the District of Columbia also did not report case numbers for Thursday and Friday. The Post (in its print edition, at least) did not report that Maryland would also fail to do so, however.

Transit, office use still haven't recovered in Montgomery County, mobility data show

Use of parks continues to surge

New mobility data released by Google indicates Montgomery County residents still aren't riding transit or going to the office in pre-pandemic numbers, despite having one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Google compared data acquired from devices between September 29 and November 10, 2021 with pre-covid-outbreak data collected between January 3 and February 6, 2020. 

Transit use is still down 43% from early 2020 ridership numbers, the new data show. Employees are traveling to office workplaces 31% less this fall than in early 2020. 

Montgomery residents are still spending
more time in pharmacies than before the
pandemic, but less than they did this summer

County residents are still shopping in grocery stores and pharmacies more than they did before the pandemic, but only 2% more often, down from 7% more at the time of my last report. Shoppers are still not going into other types of retail stores or recreation facilities as often as they did pre-covid; those numbers are still 11% below the early 2020 baseline.

Use of Montgomery County parks during the
pandemic continues to surge

Montgomery County still has a new appreciation for the great outdoors, though. Fall use of parks countywide shot up to 42% higher than that of early 2020; that number was up only 28% more in warmer July and August 2021, by comparison. 

Westbard Giant asks customers to limit paper goods purchases to necessity only

The Giant store at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda is the latest store to bring back limits on purchases of certain items. It is a soft limit based on the honor system, however, compared to the firm numerical limits imposed by stores like Target and Costco. Signs in the paper goods aisle politely ask customers to limit their purchases to what is necessary at this time. 

There was still a good supply of almost all paper goods at the Westbard store last night, so there is no crisis at the moment. As you can see in the photos below, virtually all paper good needs can be filled at this time, and panic-buying is unnecessary. Bounty is the top-of-the-line paper towel, and there was plenty on the shelves. Supply line problems, and irrational panic buying inspired by the Delta variant, are among the factors affecting inventories across the retail sector nationwide. Giant promises it is making every effort to restock any low-inventory items as soon as possible.

Bethesda Target limits purchases of toilet paper, flushable wipes as panic buying resumes

Panic buying is beginning to make a comeback in the neverending pandemic, as the Delta variant continues to drive up coronavirus cases worldwide. It's nothing like it was in the spring and summer of 2020, but paper goods aisles at stores like Target and Giant are beginning to look emptier in recent weeks. Now the Bethesda Target store has placed a purchase limit on toilet paper and flushable wipes. Target guests may buy only one of each per visit, according to a sign in the aisle.

The Bethesda Target is also experiencing continued shortages of less-essential items, such as electronics, due to the microchip shortage. Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and the Apple Watch SE were all out of stock yesterday.

Montgomery County residents in parks, grocery stores more than before the pandemic, data shows

Residents still not going back to the

office, transit, or general shopping 

in great numbers

Montgomery County residents are shopping inside grocery and drug stores in larger numbers than they were before the pandemic, the latest Google Mobility data show. They're making even greater use of parks than before Covid-19 officially arrived last spring. Other travel hasn't bounced back as strongly, such as going into the office, or commuting there by transit. And in-person retail shopping for items other than groceries and medicine remains sluggish, in relative comparison.

Using a baseline of mobility data Google collected from Montgomery County residents' devices between January 3 and February 6, 2020, behavioral changes are evident. The latest Google data covers the period between Monday, July 19, 2021, and Monday, August 30, 2021.

Hillwood Manor Park in Takoma Park

Over the last half of this summer, County residents were using parks 28% more than they were at the start of 2020. One caveat to that: the new data covers a warm, summer period, while the baseline was taken during the height of winter.

Safeway in Damascus

A more apples-to-apples comparison is in grocery and pharmacy shopping; the latter surges during winter months. But during late summer 2021, County residents were going into grocery stores and drugstores 7% more than they were during the height of cold and flu season in early 2020. There has been an increasing strain on grocery supply lines again in recent weeks, as evidenced by Costco reinstating limits on the number of some items that may be purchased, such as paper towels and toilet paper. Business Insider reports that shortages are the result of panic buying over the Delta variant, and of labor shortages affecting the ability to produce, ship and restock merchandise.

CVS Pharmacy

Residents aren't shopping in other types of retail stores, or traveling for non-park recreational activities as much, though. "Retail and recreation" travel was down 12% in late summer this year, compared to early 2020. One would expect recreation to be higher in summer than in midwinter, so that is a notable decline.

Metro Red Line train in Rockville

Travel to workplaces looks better than it was during the lockdowns and peaks of the pandemic, but still follows the national trend of those working from home continuing to do so where possible. Workplace travel was 44% lower in late summer 2021 in Montgomery County than it was in January-February 2020. Those traveling for any reason are often still wary of using public transit. Bus and rail commuting was down 42% in recent weeks, compared to early 2020.

One thing many residents are doing is continuing to stay home. Despite warm weather, County residents stayed at home 11% more over the last six weeks than they did in frigid January-February 2020.

Montgomery County executive appears maskless in Montgomery College classroom

Montgomery County has been under an indoor mask order for several weeks. When County Executive Marc Elrich (D) was caught on camera without a mask in a classroom at Montgomery College on Monday, his critics pounced, calling it hypocrisy. Elrich was attending a "5G Bootcamp" at the community college with Congressman David Trone (D - 6th District).

Trone posted several photos of the event on Twitter. In all but one, Elrich is wearing a mask. But in the maskless photo, everyone but Elrich in the classroom is wearing a mask. "Rules for thee, and not for me," tweeted @justhefactsmo1, sharing Trone's tweet. "What's the ticket for doing this in the grocery store? $500?" asked @jensreesman.

Official Montgomery County mask mandate signage posted at Bethesda Row Giant

Giant shoppers at Bethesda Row are being greeted with an official memo "From the office of the Montgomery County Council [and] Travis A. Gayles, Montgomery County Health Officer," announcing the county's new indoor mask mandate. It states that anyone over the age of two years, vaccinated or unvaccinated, must wear a mask inside the store. "Thank you for understanding," reads a message from Giant at the bottom of the sign.

NRA digital director cancels workout at Bethesda gym over mask mandate

The National Rifle Association's digital director arrived at his Bethesda gym for a workout yesterday afternoon, but scrapped those plans after being ordered to mask-up under Montgomery County's new indoor mask mandate. Billy McLaughlin called the mandate "baseless & incredibly stupid" moments later on Twitter, noting that he is fully vaccinated. "I refuse to do cardio while wearing a mask," he wrote.

"Elections have consequences," McLaughlin tweeted minutes later. "Vote these clowns out. It’s not the gym’s fault, they need to follow the law or they get shut down by health department." He did not identify the gym, but said it was next to a restaurant where diners were consuming "greasy burgers & milkshakes" without masks. Indoor diners are only required to wear masks when not eating or drinking, under the County mandate.

 The Montgomery County Council passed the indoor mask mandate last Thursday, after County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles declared the jurisdiction an "area of substantial transmission of COVID-19." It took effect Saturday morning. 

Indoor mask mandates are returning in some jurisdictions, as a result of rising case counts blamed on the delta variant of the virus. Breakthrough delta-variant infections have been increasingly reported among those who are fully vaccinated. Health officials continue to tout the slim chance of hospitalization or death for those who have taken the vaccines and contract the virus.

"Even though we have a high rate of vaccination in our community, we now know that the Delta variant is very easy to spread," Dr. Gayles said in a statement. "To protect those who are not eligible to be vaccinated, such as children under the age of 12, we need to take every measure we can to slow down the spread of the virus. Masks are an important first line of defense to keep community transmission low.”

Montgomery County Council bucks state advice to lift covid restrictions on business

While most of Maryland reopened for business without restrictions yesterday, the Montgomery County Council resisted Gov. Larry Hogan's call to end restrictions on business. The Council met as the Board of Health Friday, after debating its authority to rebuff Hogan's statewide lifting of limits on retail and restaurants all week. Councilmembers ultimately chose not to lift capacity limits on indoor dining and shopping, which will remain at 25% capacity (although some large retailers have been able to get a waiver for the 25% cap for months), and only rise to 50% on March 26. The updated guidelines unanimously approved by the Council include the following:

As of yesterday at 5:00 PM:

• removing local restrictions on capacity at child care facilities, which follow state requirements
• increasing outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 50 people
• increasing indoor gatherings to a maximum of 25 people
• eliminating the limit of one person per 200 square feet
• eliminating alcohol limits on food-service facilities; alcohol can be sold after 10 pm
• eliminating the restriction on buffet service for food-service facilities
• increasing the capacity for religious facilities to 50%

The following changes will go into effect on March 26:

• increasing the maximum capacity to 50% for indoor dining, retail shops, fitness centers and other businesses
• permitting arts and entertainment facilities to open at 25% capacity, provided they do not sell or permit food for consumption in the facility

The guidelines for entertainment venues as written do not immediately appear to apply to movie theaters, which serve food. Only "theaters" that don't serve concessions may reopen at 25% as of March 26. Given that concessions are key to profits for cineplexes, it seems unlikely they would forgo sales of food just to reopen.

County Executive Marc Elrich cited the low percentage of Montgomery County residents who have received a coronavirus vaccination as a primary reason to not lift covid restrictions to the degree the state did Friday. "County leaders will continue focusing on what works, listening to our public health experts and acting based on the needs of our community because public health is the key to a sustained and robust recovery for all," Elrich said in a statement yesterday after the Council vote.

Head2Toe Health offering rapid Covid-19 tests in downtown Bethesda

Head2Toe Health, a private medical clinic at 4938 St. Elmo Avenue in Bethesda, has been offering drive-up coronavirus testing services since last April. Now they also have rapid Covid-19 tests. Results come back while you wait after getting the test. They are also still offering the standard tests, the results of which take about two days on average, by comparison. Call 301-337-8610 for more information, or to make an appointment.