Friday Was Day One Of Florida’s Stay-At-Home Order

April 3, 2020

Florida’s stay-at-home order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Under the order, which Gov. Ron DeSantis calls a “Safer at Home” order, Floridians should limit movements to only essential services.

The order includes the following directives and information:

Safer At Home

  • Senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) shall stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
  • All persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.

Essential Services

  • For purposes of this Order and the conduct it limits, “essential services” means and encompasses the list detailed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, v. 2 (March 28, 2020) and any subsequent lists published.
  • Essential services include, but are not limited to:
    • Healthcare/public health
    • Law enforcement, public safety and other first responders
    • Food and agriculture
    • Employees supporting the energy sector, including electricity, petroleum and natural gas industries
    • Water and wastewater
    • Transportation and logistics
    • Public works and infrastructure support services
    • Communications and information technology
    • Other community or government-based operations and essential functions
    • Critical manufacturing
    • Residential/shelter facilities and services
    • Hygiene products and services
    • View the full list of essential services and guidance here.
  • Essential services also include those businesses and activities designated by the governor’s Executive Order 20-89 which includes a list propounded by Miami-Dade County in multiple orders.
  • Other essential services may be added.
  • Nothing in this order prohibits individuals from working from home; the Order encourages individuals to work from home.
  • All businesses or organizations are encouraged to provide delivery, carry-out or curbside service outside of the business or organization, of orders placed online or via telephone, to the greatest extent practicable.

Essential Activities

  • For purposes of this order and the conduct it limits, “essential activities” means and encompasses the following:
    • Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship
    • Participating in recreational activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or swimming
    • Taking care of pets
    • Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend
  • Escambia County strongly encourages all essential activities follow social distancing guidelines.
  • Other essential activities may be added to this list.
  • A social gathering in a public space is not an essential activity. Groups of people greater than ten are not permitted to congregate in any public space

Comments

12 Responses to “Friday Was Day One Of Florida’s Stay-At-Home Order”

  1. a little old lady on April 4th, 2020 10:17 pm

    My husband ventured out for food today..he finished shopping and was leaving when he saw the store next to Food Giant ..selling their wares of alcohol to all who wanted it and across the street the bar was opened for business. we thought only essential businesses were to be open…we may be wrong so correct us if we are..everyone please keep your love ones close and your home safe…Trust in the power of God and we will all come through these dark days …

  2. Sharon on April 4th, 2020 10:03 pm

    It is times like these that who and what a person is, truly shows thru. Our Governor’s Rights is the least of our worries! Are you listening to the CDC, our medical professionals or the news. COVID 19 is a easily transmitted virus that can be deadly.
    Watch the numbers! The “Stay at Home” order is designed to protect YOU, your family, neighbors and those you come in contact with that you don’t even know. You should not have had to be told by your Governor to stay home. Much less argue about his rights. Or have your sheriff baby you by telling you he will not enforce this order. Grow up please and stay home!

  3. Melissa on April 4th, 2020 12:34 pm

    Why is a full service car wash open? Your car being dirty isn’t essential. Those workers are cleaning out your car and could carry the virus home to their family. Before I get jumped because people need to work, they would actually get more money staying at home.

  4. Brianh on April 4th, 2020 5:57 am

    Sherry Ewy , please inform us how and where the Governor has such authority to restrict rights protected under our Bill of Rights. I will wait.

  5. the undertaker on April 3rd, 2020 9:35 pm

    How stupid is to make “religious gatherings” an essential service…. Our church has been streaming the services for three weeks now. I guess if you really want to get infected go ahead and join a gathering of 50+ people in a confined space.

  6. Sherry Ewy on April 3rd, 2020 4:01 pm

    @atom yes. The Governor does have this authority, the president has left this decision in the hands of the governors. However, the high sheriff of escambia county has already said repeatedly and publicly that he’s not enforcing it so if it bothers you, go ahead and infect yourself and others as you see fit. The intelligent folks will just avoid you as a plague speader.

  7. Hmmm on April 3rd, 2020 1:01 pm

    Our governor ordered this because of being in the national news, making him look bad… however, pay attention to what they are actually saying… Sheriff Morgan for example.. “we’re not gonna arrest people for not staying home.”

    Basically it’s like “Everyone quit working and stay home… wink… wink…”

  8. JOHN on April 3rd, 2020 12:05 pm

    The garden center in Wal Mart is packed with people buying beer, beach chairs and plants. If you don’t need to be out then please stay home.

  9. Atom on April 3rd, 2020 11:46 am

    Does the governor have the authority to issue such an “order”?

  10. Not a hoarder on April 3rd, 2020 9:35 am

    Its so unfair to people that get a once a month check an you go to a store for groceries an theres no meat left to buy.these hoarders are greedy an rude.buy just what you need for a week an leave some for us people that dont have food stamps an lot of money.you leave what you dont want an leave us eating cheap wieners an bolona.you act like theres gona be no more food.shame on you hoarders

  11. Paul Drake on April 3rd, 2020 8:04 am

    One item left off the “essential activities” list – panic buying and hoarding. I would love to see the governor go out and buy his own groceries and supplies. Just when the stores were starting to recover inventory levels, so we could purchase needed items without engaging in “death race 2020”, we get stores that look like Swarms of locusts went through.

  12. Molino resident on April 3rd, 2020 5:54 am

    You would never know anything was going on. There are just as many people out this morning as there usually is. Nobody paying any attention to the “order”.