Coronavirus: What A Shelter-In-Place Order Would Look Like In MA

Over the past 24 hours, California and New York ordered tens of million of residents to stay home, the most extreme measures taken yet to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

Gov. Charlie Baker has repeatedly said he has no plans to issue a shelter-in-place order in Massachusetts, but he has also acknowledged that may change as the outbreak continues. Baker is expected to speak at 2 p.m. Friday, when he is sure to be asked again about a potential order.

What would a shelter-in-place order look like in Massachusetts:

What is a shelter-in-place order?

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

What's the point?

In this case, the idea of a shelter-in-place order would be to enforce social distancing. Public health officials recommend residents avoid gatherings and maintain at least 6 feet between them, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. That's why Baker has closed schools statewide and banned gatherings over 25 and eating at restaurants.

Say they call a shelter-in-place order here. Could I get arrested if I violated it?

That would likely depend on Baker'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 have said they'd look to "educate people, not to make arrests." In Alameda County, officials explained that violating order is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine or arrest, but the "intent is not for anyone to get in trouble."

Would that mean I wouldn't be able to get groceries?

Generally, residents are allowed to leave the house for "essential needs." The stay-at-home order in California has a number of exceptions:

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

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

What about exercising or walking the dog?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said 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," Piper wrote. "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."

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 Massachusetts:

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• Daycares, Early Education Centers To Close