Delaware governor says beach reopening went well

LEWES, Del. (AP) - Delaware Gov. John Carney said Monday he was pleased with the behavior he saw over the holiday weekend as the state’s beaches reopened with distancing measures in place.

Speaking at a news conference in Lewes, Carney said he was “impressed” after seeing people wearing face coverings on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach and spreading out on the sand, Delaware State News reported.

“So it shows that attitudes have changed in a significant way,” he said.

For more than two months, the state’s beaches have been closed for everything but exercising to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Out-of-state residents were also prohibited Memorial Day weekend unless they had already quarantined in Delaware for two weeks.

Carney said the behavior he saw in Delaware stood in contrast to Ocean City, Maryland, where news outlets documented throngs of people, many unmasked, on the beaches and boardwalk.

Delaware will be “using June to gradually reopen” its beach communities so July 4 doesn’t lead to people swamping the beaches and boardwalks, the newspaper reported.

The governor also said said he will make an announcement about an existing ban on short-term rentals Tuesday.