Governor Carney Issues Stay At Home Order for Delaware As Coronavirus Cases Increase
Governor John Carney has issued a Stay At Home order for Delaware effective this Tuesday March 24th at 8am and ending Friday May 15th. 11 new cases were reported today, bringing the total number of positive coronavirus cases in Delaware to 56.
Governor Carney said during his statement, “This was not an easy decision, but it’s the right decision to protect the safety of Delawareans and Delaware families. If you have any questions about whether you should be staying home or going out, stay home. Go to work, and go straight back home. If you don't need food or other essential items, stay home."
He added, "We’re acting with urgency to prevent a spike in coronavirus cases that could overwhelm our hospital system,” said Governor Carney. “Delawareans cannot go out in public unnecessarily. Wash your hands and disinfect surfaces frequently. Essential businesses that remain open must provide easy access to hand washing stations or sanitizer, enforce social distancing, and provide flexible sick leave policies for their employees. That will reduce our risk and help keep all Delawareans healthy. We’ll get through this, but we all need to pitch in and take this threat seriously.”
Dr. Karyl Rattay, Director of Delaware Divison of Public Health, said in a statement yesterday: “The presence of community spread shows that we all must take the danger associated with this virus seriously. For every person infected with COVID-19, they typically infect two to three additional people.”
The order allows for Delawareans to leave their homes for essential activities only. This includes doctors appointments, going to the grocery store, picking up a prescription and other activities essential to their health and well-being and that of their pets. Additionally, the order allows Delawareans to exercise or engage in outdoor activities as long as social distancing practices are used. You can see the list of essential businesses here.
You can read the full Stay At Home Order here.
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