Ohio residents must remain at home, except to conduct essential business, until May 1 to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state, officials announced Thursday afternoon.

“We understand that this is tough – it is very difficult. But, I would not be making these decisions if it wasn’t a [matter] of life and death,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “We have to keep this monster down. It’s not dead – it’s very much alive.”