Virginia joined Maryland in issuing a stay-at-home order on Monday, bringing much of the greater Washington region to a halt.
Gov. Ralph Northam said the order was in effect until June 10.
“Our message today is very clear. That is, stay home,” Northam said. “I want everyone to hear me. Stay home.”
“I want to be clear. Do not go out unless you need to go out. This is very different from wanting to go out. Don’t go to the store just for one thing. Wait until you have a whole list of needs,” he said.
The Democrat said residents should not leave their homes unless it’s for essential purposes. The exemptions allow people to leave their homes for medical purposes, food, and work. People will still be allowed to be outdoors as long as they follow the state’s ban on gathering in groups of more than 10 people and remain 6 feet apart from others.
Earlier Monday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued a similar order. Violating the order in Maryland is a misdemeanor subject to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine, Hogan said.
As of Monday, at least 29 states, including Maryland and Virginia, had stay-at-home orders, affecting more than 225 million people. The other states are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The Virginia stay-at-home order appears to be the longest-lasting in any state. Most others currently span through April, some stretch into May, and a few others are unclear.
President Trump said on Sunday he is extending nationwide social distancing guidelines until at least April 30. “The better you do, the faster this whole nightmare will end,” the president said.
