Learn now: What is considered an essential business in Maryland, D.C. or Virginia?

By: Idaliz Ortiz -Director of Marketing and Communications

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D.C. has joined Virginia and Maryland in closing nonessential businesses to help control the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the DMV. This includes a variety of businesses, such as coffee shops, restaurants and many retail stores.
The order goes into effect today Wednesday, March 25, at 10 p.m. through April 24.
"The intent of the order is to temporarily cease all nonessential business activities, including tour guides and touring services; gyms, health clubs, spas, and massage establishments; theaters, auditoriums, and other places of large gatherings; nightclubs; hair, nail, and tanning salons and barbershops; tattoo parlors; sales not involved in essential services; retail clothing stores; and professional services not devoted to assisting essential business operations," D.C. government officials indicated in its executive order.
 To see more on the executive order, check here. 
However, it isn’t always obvious what businesses are considered essential.

Here’s a rundown of businesses that are open and closed:
Open across the region:

• Hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities.
• Grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, farmers markets with restrictions
• Child-care facilities.
• State parks in Virginia and Maryland, and Rock Creek Park in the District.
• Banks and other financial institutions.
• Laundromats and dry cleaners.
• Home improvement, hardware, building supply retailers, auto repair shops.
• Plumbers, electricians, HVAC service and cable, phone and Internet providers.
• Pet stores.
• Liquor stores.

Closed across the region:

• Theaters, performing arts centers, nightclubs, concert venues, museums and other indoor entertainment centers.
• Fitness centers, gyms and other indoor sports facilities.
• Beauty salons, barbershops, tanning salons, tattoo shops, spas, massage studios.
• Casinos (Maryland only), racetracks and historic horse-racing facilities.
• Bowling alleys, skating rinks, arcades, amusement parks, trampoline parks, fairs, arts and craft facilities, aquariums, zoos, escape rooms, indoor shooting ranges, public and private social clubs.

Closed in the District:

• Recreation centers and playgrounds, gated parks and athletic fields.
• Door-to-door solicitations and tour services.
• Clothing stores.

​In Maryland and the District, table service at restaurants, food courts, bars and taverns, including fast-food and fast-casual establishments, is prohibited. Takeout and delivery are allowed.
In Virginia, restaurant dining rooms, other dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries and tasting rooms will be closed. Takeout and delivery are allowed.
In all three jurisdictions, residents are being urged to stay home as Metro has significantly reduced service, restaurants and bars are open only for carryout and delivery services, and personal care businesses, fitness centers, entertainment venues and schools are closed.
On Tuesday evening, Metro announced the closing of another 17 rail stations, effective Thursday, in “an effort to conserve critical resources and protect the health and safety of Metro employees and the public.”

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