Governors in several states early Monday issued orders for residents to stay home and non-essential businesses to close. A city leader planned to issue a stay-at-home advisory for residents later Monday.
Like Ohio and Illinois governors before them, several governors in states including Massachusetts, Maryland and Michigan issued advisories for residents to stay at home Monday. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will join the growing number of city leaders issuing such orders.
Bottoms told the city council Monday that she is ready to issue a stay-at-home order, but, at Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's request, she is holding off announcing it until his news conference at 5 p.m.
Here are what some state governors announced about stay-at-home orders Monday:
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker joined other state leaders mandating that residents stay home unless for essential needs until next month.
Baker announced Monday morning that all non-essential businesses must close to workers and the public starting at noon Tuesday until noon April 7, according to Wicked Local Easton. The order does not apply to grocery, package stores, gas stations, pharmacies, medical supply/manufacturers and restaurants.
Massachusetts has reported five deaths due to the emerging coronavirus.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also issued a statewide stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with an exemption for certain workers, outdoor exercise and trips to the grocery store or hospital, according to ABC-13. The order, which will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, will allow essential employees necessary to sustain and protect life to continue going to work.
"The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home," Whitmer said during an 11 a.m. news conference. "I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives."
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday he was ordering the closure of all non-essential businesses in the state, including retail stores that had been allowed to remain open. The order takes place at 5 p.m. Monday, and does not include essential or critical industries as defined by the federal government: health care, law enforcement, emergency workers, food, energy, water, transportation, public works, communications, government, critical manufacturing, financial services, chemicals and defense.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Monday ordered residents to remain in their homes except for essential errands in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The order still allows for essential exemptions including groceries and medicine.
Oregon and Wisconsin later Monday announced stay-at-home orders for its residents. The Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued the order for resident beginning Tuesday.
The order is effective immediately in Oregon, and remains in effect until ended by the Gov. Kate Brown, according to news station KTVZ.
“We are learning more about this virus and how people react to it every day," Brown said in a news release announcing her steps. "Not just from a medical standpoint, but from a social and behavioral standpoint."
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