Corinavirus In Alabama: Ivey Shuts Down Nonessential Businesses

MONTGOMERY, AL — Just a day after announcing the closure of all Alabama schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday that all nonessential businesses in the state must close through April 17.

Effective March 28, all non-work related gatherings of 1o or more people are prohibited, and non-essential businesses will be ordered closed. Supermarkets, banks, medical facilities, and other essential businesses will remain open.

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Nonessential businesses include:

Entertainment venues
(1) Night clubs
(2) Bowling alleys
(3) Arcades
(4) Concert venues
(5) Theaters, auditoriums, and performing arts centers
(6) Tourist attractions (including museums and planetariums)
(7) Racetracks
(8) Indoor children’s play areas
(9) Adult entertainment venues
(10) Casinos
(11) Bingo halls
(12) Venues operated by social clubs

Athletic facilities and activities
(1) Fitness centers and commercial gyms
(2) Spas and public or commercial swimming pools
(3) Yoga, barre, and spin facilities
(4) Spectator sports
(5) Sports that involve interaction with another person of closer than 6 feet
(6) Activities that require use of shared sporting apparatus and equipment
(7) Activities on commercial or public playground equipment

Close-contact service providers
(1) Barber shops
(2) Hair salons
(3) Waxing salons
(4) Threading salons
(5) Nail salons and spas
(6) Body-art facilities and tattoo services
(7) Tanning salons
(8) Massage-therapy establishments and massage services

Retail stores
(1) Furniture and home-furnishings stores
(2) Clothing, shoe, and clothing-accessory stores
(3) Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores
(4) Department stores
(5) Sporting goods stores
(6) Book, craft, and music stores

Ivey said if the business is not on the list, it is not included in the new order. As well, Ivey said all beaches shall be closed, all regular programs at Senior Citizen Centers shall be ended, except that Senior Citizen Centers and their partners are urged to assure that their clients continue to receive needed meals via curbside pick-up or delivery.

As of Friday morning, 541 coronovirus cases have been confirmed in the state out of more than 4,000 tests given, with three deaths.

While Ivey did not specifically place Alabama under a shelter-in-place order, she did say she would support any municipal or county leaders making such an order.

"I support our mayors throughout the state if they feel they need to take additional steps in response," she said. "If people want to do more individually by imposing your own shelter in place, you don't need my permission to do so."

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