EASTON Lori Roman does not hold back in her assessments of governments ramping up their enforcements of COVID-19 orders on small businesses and churches.

That includes tip lines set up by Gov. Larry Hogan as well as some local health departments and police departments encouraging residents to report neighbors and businesses who are not complying with coronavirus orders related to masks, social distancing or rules on capacities and gatherings.

We see a lot of state and county governments actively encouraging residents to snitch and each other, said Roman, who is president of the conservative American Constitutional Rights Union.

That is Orwellian, said Roman.

The conservative group started helping a Maryland church this month after it was issued an Order of Immediate Compliance by a local health department after receiving a complaint about whether social distancing and COVID mask rules.

The Community Methodist Church in Pasadena was issued the warning by the Anne Arundel County Health Department after receiving a complaint about whether face coverings were being worn during services and there was handshaking, high-fives and fist bumps by the congregation.

The Anne Arundel Health Department told The Star Democrat earlier this month that the church was not fined or sanctioned and that the complaint was closed after a follow-up visit by a health inspector.

Still, Roman does not like the idea of county health inspectors or police coming to churches to enforce COVID-19 orders.

Churches have very special protections in the Constitution and worship should not be infringed upon, she said in an interview with The Star Democrat.

The Florida-based conservative libertarian group is ramping up its advocacy for churches and small businesses in Maryland, including on the Eastern Shore, Roman said.

She also worries about local health departments in Maryland and other states presuming churches, restaurants and small businesses are guilty of violating COVID orders simply because they received a complaint.

Thats un-American, she said.

In response to rising reported COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations after the November election, Hogan pressed for more enforcement of the states pandemic orders requiring masks be worn indoors in public places as well as outdoors.

The governor and public health officials say the COVID orders and enforcement will help curb the spread of the virus.

Maryland has reported 5,152 deaths attributed to the coronavirus this year. There are currently 1,702 patients hospitalized for COVID statewide, according to Maryland Department of Health figures on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Roman said the COVID tip lines create a dangerous precedent for civil and religious liberties. What Orwellian world have we come to where a government official shows up at a church because a snitch said two church members shook hands, she said.

The governor also dispatched the Maryland State Police and pressed local police to do compliance checks to see if restaurants, bars and other businesses were abiding by coronavirus orders.

A COVID tip line was also established by the state police.

Top state health officials including Acting Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Jinlene Chan and senior state medical advisor Dr. David Marcozzi have said masks and social distancing will still be required into next year even as they urge residents to get new COVID vaccines.

That is because there will be residents who will not want to get vaccinated.

There has been increasing resistance to state and local orders across the country restricting church capacities and shutting down restaurant dining while other types of businesses remain open and other types of gatherings such as progressive political protests have not been restricted or chastised.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against an order from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that restricted religious services but not some other businesses.

Roman also points to Maryland and other states releasing some prison inmates early to protect them from COVID while local health departments are warning churches about social distancing.

Its an upside down world, she said.

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'That is Orwellian': Conservative group looks to help churches, small businesses deal with COVID crackdowns - Herald-Mail Media