States and counties across the nation are cracking down on residents’ movements amid the continued spread of the coronavirus.
While some officials are instituting “shelter-in-place” orders, others are calling their directives “stay-at-home” orders. The directives differ by location but generally require residents to avoid all nonessential outings and stay inside as much as possible.
Don’t panic, the orders are not “lockdowns.” They allow residents to continue performing tasks essential to the health and safety of family and pets. It’s still fine to buy groceries, go for a run, walk the dog, pick up medicine, visit a doctor or get supplies to work from home.
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Federal guidelines give state and local authorities leeway in what they consider “essential” businesses during an emergency. But in general, those industries include grocery stores and food production, pharmacies, health care, utilities, shipping, banking, other governmental services, law enforcement, emergency personnel and journalists.
Since each state can designate what is classified as essential, employers must be careful to follow regulations. Civil penalties could result from not following such executive orders.
As of Saturday, here’s a look at the latest orders for people to stay home:
- San Miguel County, Colorado, is under a shelter-in-place order until April 3.
- Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, is under a shelter-in-place order until April 7.
- Blaine County, Idaho, is under a shelter-in-place order.
Here’s what the new orders look like in each state:
California shelter-in-place order
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide shelter-in-place order Thursday evening.
Newsom identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors — including those providing food, health care and energy — that will remain open. When asked how long the shelter-in-place order may last, Newsom said it depended on people’s behaviors and how well the state is able to contain the virus.
“This is a dynamic situation,” Newsom said. “I don’t expect this to be many, many months, but for the time being, we are recognizing the next eight weeks” as especially important.
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New York ‘PAUSE’ plan
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday announced that all New York residents must stay home “to the maximum extent possible,” effective 8 p.m. Sunday, March 22.
Cuomo called the order the “New York State on PAUSE” plan, and it bans all nonessential gatherings of individuals “of any size for any reason.”
Residents can leave their homes for solitary exercise or to obtain essential services or items, including trips to the grocery stores. When in public, they must keep a 6-foot distance from others.
Mass transit will stay operational; food delivery and takeout services will stay open, as will other essential businesses, such as gas stations and grocery stores. But all workers should stay home unless they fall into the list of essential businesses.
Cuomo has repeatedly said that the term “shelter-in-place” is inappropriate to apply to the new order because most people associate the term with an active shooter situation.
Here’s what you can and cannot do in New York.
Illinois stay-at-home order
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced a “stay-at-home” order that will begin Saturday and last until at least April 7.
All nonessential businesses must close, and all people who can work from home must do so, Pritzker said. All Illinois schools will stay closed until at least April 8.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the order “is not a lockdown or martial law.” Pharmacies, grocery stories and clinics will not close. Airports will be open and garbage will be collected.
Connecticut stay-at-home order
In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced an executive order directing all nonessential businesses and not-for-profit entities in the state to prohibit all in-person functions if they are able to, effective 8 p.m. Monday.
The order excludes essential business, such as health care, food service, law enforcement and similar critical services, Lamont said. Further guidance for businesses would be released over the weekend, he said.
The order recommends that people maintain social distancing, limit outdoor recreational activities to noncontact and limit the use of public transportation to when absolutely necessary, among other items.
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Oregon stay-at-home order
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Friday told residents to stay home, calling the directive “both an order and a public awareness campaign.”
“I am directing Oregonians tonight to stay home to stay healthy. Social distancing done well and done early can save lives,” Brown said in a press conference.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said on Twitter on Friday that he was working with the governor and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury to draft the specifics of the order over the weekend. “This is not a lockdown,” Wheeler said in the post. “This is a ‘stay at home unless it’s absolutely necessary to go out’ order.”
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New Jersey stay-at-home order
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Saturday that he would be ordering residents to stay at home, effective at 9 p.m. He also canceled gatherings of any number, including parties, weddings and religious ceremonies.
“We need you to just stay at home,” Murphy said. “We have to change our behaviors.”
Murphy said the restrictions would not change “anytime soon” and could continue for weeks or months.
Pennsylvania closes nonessential businesses
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to close Thursday night. He made the order after being granted extraordinary powers upon his “declaration of a disaster emergency, such as COVID-19.”
Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY; Ashley Balcerzak, NorthJersey.com
Follow Grace Hauck on Twitter @grace_hauck
Source Article from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/21/coronavirus-lockdown-orders-shelter-place-stay-home-state-list/2891193001/
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