UPDATED: New statewide stay-at-home orders issued in five states

Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Missouri are the latest states to issue some version of a statewide stay-at-home order.

In Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson on April 3 announced a stay-at-home order for the state. It goes into effect Monday, April 6, and remains in effect through Friday, April 24, unless extended by further order of the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services. The order explicitly orders residents to avoid leaving their homes or places of residence unless necessary. All gatherings of 10 or more people are to be avoided. All schools must remain closed for the duration of the order.

During a news conference on April 1, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced he will sign a statewide stay-at-home order on Thursday, April 2. The order will remain in effect through April 13.

“Tomorrow, I will sign a statewide shelter in place order, which will go into effect on Friday and run through April 13, 2020, in line with our public health emergency order,” Kemp said. “(Department of Public Health Commissioner) Dr. Toomey and I are finalizing the order to make sure it keeps our citizens – in every zip code – safe and healthy.”

As of publication, no official executive order had been released.

Just one day after issuing an order for a single county, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves extended the order to the entire state. On April 1, Reeves signed Executive Order 1466, which issues a “shelter in place” order for Mississippians. Beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3, residents are to remain home except for essential business and essential activities. Furthermore, the order suspends all residential evictions. The order remains in effect until April 20.

Missed in previous coverage, New Mexico has been under a stay-at-home order since March 24. In the form of a public health emergency order from the state Department of Health, the order has the same effect as an executive order from the governor. In addition to shutting down nonessential businesses, the order also prohibits gatherings of five or more people. The order is in effect indefinitely.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued a “safer-at-home” order, which is slightly less restrictive than a stay-at-home order.

The seventh amended executive order closes all businesses not within the critical infrastructure sector. Also, restaurants in all 77 counties are allowed to provide take-out and delivery options only. Furthermore, gatherings should be no more than 10 people.

One key difference with the Oklahoma order is that it does not mention restrictions on activities in which residents can participate. Most stay-at-home orders include a provision limiting movement to only essential activities. However, such provisions are in effect for Oklahomans over the age of 65 and vulnerable individuals with serious underlying medical conditions.

During a news conference, Stitt repeatedly used the phrase “personal responsibility” when justifying not issuing stricter orders.

“In my opinion, I cannot shut down and bunker in place,” Stitt said. “It sounds good, and it’s kind of a sound bite, but it’s unpractical for us to do a bunker in place for the next 30 days, because not everyone can get their food delivered. We have to get out and do some things.”

After phasing in orders over a series of amendments to the state of emergency declaration, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf finally issued a statewide stay-at-home order on April 1.

With nearly half of the 67 counties already under the order, the latest moves adds the remaining counties.

The order follows previous county-specific orders and remains in effect until April 30.

Keep in mind, local and county governments in states without a statewide order may have issued their own orders. Check local and county government official websites for updates.

Previous Land Line coverage of stay-at-home orders:

• Stay-at-home order for Texas and Florida; other states expand orders
  
• Stay-at-home orders installed in Arizona and D.C.
• Total statewide stay-at-home orders now at 38
• UPDATED: Montana, New Hampshire, Kansas issue stay-at-home orders.
• More than half of states have stay-at-home orders.
• Stay-at-home orders issued in several more states.
• Stay-at-home orders issued in more than a dozen states.