What A Stay-At-Home MD Coronavirus Order Could Look Like

MARYLAND — Over the past two days, California and New York officials have ordered tens of million of residents to stay home in the most extreme U.S. measures taken yet to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Illinois, Connecticut and Oregon are following suit. As of Saturday, Maryland health officials reported 19o confirmed cases of coronavirus in 13 counties and the city of Baltimore, along with two deaths — and said they expected those numbers to continue to rise.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan was an early leader among states nationwide in announcing the closure of schools and businesses. He has repeatedly expressed frustration with the slow national buildup of testing kits and with Marylanders who gathered in bars the weekend before St. Patrick's Day. In response, he ordered the closure of bars, restaurants, movie theaters and gyms across the state, effective March 16, and on Thursday also restricted access to BWI Airport and public transit.

He said, "this fight against this global pandemic is a race against time ... to protect the health of millions of Marylanders and to save thousands of lives."

Hogan closed all enclosed shopping malls and entertainment venues across the state on March 19. Events of more than 10 people in close proximity are now prohibited.

"Despite all of our repeated warnings for weeks ... and the rapid escalation of this virus," Hogan said, "some people are treating this like a vacation or a spring break with parties and cookouts and large gatherings at some of our parks."

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Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich urged residents to take these measures seriously.

"We are just one step away from sheltering in place. Because when you get below 10, there's not much left but to say we're going to shelter in place," Elrich said. "If we cannot bend this curve, then the only responsible response from government is going to be to take further steps to try to get people to shelter in place. That is the only known way of reducing the spread of this until there's both a treatment and a vaccine and those aren't coming anytime soon."

What is a stay-at-home order?

Usually government officials order residents to shelter in place during emergencies like storms or police activity. Residents are often required to stay at home for the duration of the event. With a viral outbreak that could last months, the order may not be quite as restrictive.

What's the point?

In this case, the idea of a stay-at-home order would be to enforce social distancing. Public health officials recommend residents avoid gatherings and maintain at least six feet between them, in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. That's why schools were closed, gatherings over 10 people were prohibited and dine-in customers were barred from restaurants.

Say they call a stay-at-home order here. Could I get arrested if I violated it?

That would likely depend on Hogan's order, but the California order is enforceable by law. When six San Francisco Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter-in-place earlier this week, law enforcement agencies said they'd look to "educate people, not to make arrests." In Alameda County, officials explained that violating the order is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine or arrest, but the "intent is not for anyone to get in trouble."

Would that mean I couldn't get groceries?

Generally, residents are allowed to leave the house for "essential needs," which is defined as visits to grocery stores, banks, convenience stores, pharmacies, restaurants for delivery and pickup only, hardware stores and laundromats; skilled trades essential to maintaining the safety and sanitation of residences; medical service providers; first responders; transportation providers; government activities; and essential social service providers and shelters."

The stay-at-home order in California has a number of exceptions:

• Gas stations
• Pharmacies
• Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants
• Banks
• Laundromats/laundry services

Essential government functions are still open. Currently in Maryland, many government offices are closed, but residents can still access government services online or by phone.

What about exercising or walking the dog?

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that residents can still take their kids outside or walk their dogs, as long as they practice social distancing.

What's it like being locked-down long term?

It's still early, but the San Francisco Bay Area has been under a shelter-in-place order since Monday afternoon. For vox.com, resident Kelsey Piper wrote about her experience so far with the lockdown. She described last-minute visits with friends before the order went into effect and the psychological effects of being required to stay home.

"It's weird how much being locked down feels different from staying home voluntarily. We'd decided weeks ago we should avoid others, do our part in preventing this pandemic from overrunning hospitals. But now that it's required, it's stressful," Piper wrote.

She also described confusion over what businesses count as essential and more generally about what people can do to slow the spread of the virus.

"There's a sense of patriotism, of courage, of civic duty, but it's stifled and poorly directed," Piper continued. "We want to serve our country, but we don't know how. We want to save our neighbors, but we don't know how. On many of the most critical questions, the experts don't know either."

Follow our latest coronavirus coverage in Maryland

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With reporting from Christopher Huffaker, Elizabeth Janney and Alessia Grunberger, Patch Staff