Both states issue stay-at-home orders
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a mandatory statewide shutdown order last Wednesday in wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey followed suit Friday with both states virtually closing all non-essential businesses.
Alabama's shutdown began at 5 p.m. Saturday saying “every person is ordered to stay at his or her place of residence except as necessary to perform essential activities.”
The order says a person can leave their residence to purchase food or other consumer goods necessary to maintain a person's daily routine or to maintain safety, sanitation and routine operation of a home or residence.
The list includes supplies needed to work from home, pharmaceutical prescriptions or other medical supplies, materials for distant learning or other education-related purposes and any other supplies necessary to maintain a person's or pet's daily routine or to maintain the safety, sanitation and routine operation of a home or residence.
Persons are also allowed to leave their homes to care for a friend or family member or to go to and from work.
The order also lists 'non-essential' businesses and venues, noting they were closed to non-employees.
Those businesses specifically closed include night clubs, bowling alleys, arcades, concert venues, theaters, auditoriums and performing arts centers, tourist attractions that include museums, racetracks, indoor children's play areas, adult entertainment venues, adult novelty stores, casinos, bingo halls and venues operated by social clubs.
The order also closes most all athletic facilities and any activities on commercial or public playground equipment.
Other close-contact businesses ordered to close include barber shops, hair salons, waxing salons, nail salons and spas, body art facilities and tattoo services, tanning salons and massage therapy establishments and services.
The order also requires the employees of essential retail operations to maintain at least a 6-foot distance between customers.
Restaurants are allowed to remain open but must either provide drive-thru or take out services only.
