PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Maryland — Concern over the spread of COVID-19 is behind the decision to impose a curfew on unaccompanied minors at National Harbor.
The curfew went into effect last Friday and applies to unaccompanied minors 17 and under. They are banned from the area Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 5 pm to 6 am.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said, “We have had repeated issues at National Harbor with young people gathering in large crowds without masks, and due to the concerning rise in COVID-19 cases in our County and State, we are required to take this necessary action to limit the spread of the virus.”
Minors who work at National Harbor are excluded from the curfew. Kids who violate the order and guardians who permit them to violate the order can be fined up to $1,00 or charged with a misdemeanor. They could even face jail time.
Alsobrooks said, “We did not make this decision lightly, but we know from contact tracing that most people who tested positive for COVID-19 have said they had recently attended large gatherings and parties. In addition, we continue to see a concerning rise in COVID-19 metrics. For the week of November 8, the County saw 2,087 new cases, a 51% increase from the previous week and the highest number of new cases in one week since the start of May. In addition, the County’s positivity rate rose to 8.5% for the week of November 8, doubling in the past month. Hospitalization numbers continue to increase as well.”