More than 225 million Americans have now been placed on lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus after governors from Virginia, Maryland and Florida issued stay-at-home orders.
Virginia Gov Ralph Northam and Maryland Gov Larry Hogan both announced the directives on Monday, joining at least 25 other states who have done the same since the outbreak began.
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis only issued such an order for South Florida residents, with fears Miami could be one of the next epicenters in the U.S.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also told all residents to not leave their homes unless they are buying food and medication or carrying out an essential task such as going to the doctor.
The sweeping lockdowns across the country follow President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the country’s social distancing guidelines through April.
Trump announced his order after Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s foremost infection disease expert, said the United States could experience more than 100,000 deaths and millions of infections from the coronavirus pandemic.
The bleak forecasts were carried into the Oval Office by Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx, who displayed to Trump projections that, on the low end, could yield 100,000 American deaths from COVID-19.
One model showed that deaths could have soared past 2 million had there been no mitigation measures.
More than 225 million Americans have been placed on lockdown as governors from Virginia, Maryland and Florida issue stay-at-home orders
Virginia issues stay-at-home directive for 8.5 millions residents
During a press conference, Northam called out Virginia residents who packed the state’s beaches last weekend or otherwise ignored calls to avoid mass gatherings.
‘You are being very, very selfish because you are putting all of us, especially our healthcare providers, at risk,’ Northam, who is also a doctor, said at a news conference.
‘To date, this has been a suggestion to Virginians. Today, it’s an order.’
Northam’s executive order tells the state’s approximately 8.5 million people they must stay home except for limited circumstances, such as traveling to or from work, seeking medical attention, obtaining goods and services, including food, or engaging in outdoor activity.
The order also adds restrictions to the state’s public beaches, closing them to sunbathing but permitting exercising and fishing.
The order lasts until June 10, but the governor could rescind it before then.
‘Do not go out unless you need to go out. This is very different from wanting to go out,’ he said.
Virginia Gov Ralph Northam’s (pictured) executive order tells the state’s approximately 8.5 million people they must stay home
Northam’s order also directs universities to stop any in-person classes and instruction, a move likely directed at Liberty University. Students are seen walking on the campus of Liberty University on March 25
The governor has criticized Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr for welcoming students back to the Lynchburg campus
Those who violate the executive order could be subject to misdemeanor criminal penalties, but the governor said he’s expecting people to comply voluntarily.
‘This is not a time … when we’re looking to put people in jail,’ Northam said.
Northam’s move is in line with steps taken by governors in neighboring Maryland and North Carolina.
Northam’s order also directs universities to stop any in-person classes and instruction, a move likely directed at Liberty University.
The governor has criticized Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr for welcoming students back to the Lynchburg campus.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Virginia surpassed 1,000 on Monday, with more than two dozen deaths from the illness, according to the state health department.
Among the confirmed cases, over 130 required hospitalization, according to the latest Virginia Department of Health figures.
Maryland governor orders statewide shelter in place as of 8pm Monday
In Maryland, Gov Hogan said the region around the nation’s capital, which includes Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, has reached ‘a critical turning point in the fight to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic’.
The stay-at-home order will be effective at 8pm Monday.
‘No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason, such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention or for other necessary purposes,’ Hogan said at a news conference on the Maryland State House lawn.
Maryland Gov Larry Hogan announced a ‘stay-at-home’ directive during a news conference on Monday in Annapolis, Maryland
Hogan said no Maryland resident should be leaving home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason such as obtaining food, medicine or urgent medical attention. A drive-thru confessional is held at the Saint Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Bowie, Maryland
Gov Hogan also said that at least 67 people have tested positive for the virus at the Pleasant View Nursing Home (pictured) in Mount Airy, Maryland
Maryland has had at least 1,413 confirmed cases of the virus. Fifteen deaths also have been attributed to the virus in the state.
‘In addition, only essential businesses are allowed to remain open in Maryland and those businesses must also make every effort to scale down their operations in order to reduce the number of required staff, to limit in-person interaction with customers as much as they are able to and to institute telework for as much of the workforce as is practical,’ Hogan said.
The governor also said residents should reschedule all nonessential appointments.
‘We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home,’ Hogan said. ‘We are directing them to do so.’
Hogan also noted an outbreak at the Pleasant View Nursing Home, where 67 residents have tested positive and a man in his 90s has died.
The governor said 27 members of the Mount Airy facility’s staff are experiencing symptoms. The facility was rated “much below average” by Medicare largely due to staffing.
‘The most frightening one today is this nursing home situation in Carroll County, because we’ve got 67 positives, but there are smaller outbreaks in a number of places around the state that are of concern that are in senior centers or nursing homes or with staff at hospitals or people in sensitive locations,’ Hogan said.
The governor also noted an outbreak at the at the Clifton T. Perkins psychiatric hospital in Howard County.
Washington, DC, issues stay-at-home order effective April 1
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, also issued a stay-at-home order on Monday afternoon.
‘Our message remains the same: stay home,’ Bowser said.
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, also issued a stay-at-home order on Monday afternoon
Like all of the stay-at-home orders, residents (pictured running at the National Mall on March 26) can leave for essential reasons such as to travel to work, seek medical attention and get food
A jogger runs along the west side of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, which Bowser closed to pedestrians due to the coronavirus pandemic
‘Staying at home is the best way to flatten the curve and protect yourself, your family, and our entire community from COVID-19.
‘Many people want to know how they can help right now, and for most people this is how – by staying home.’
Like all of the stay-at-home orders, residents can leave for essential reasons such as to travel to work, seek medical attention and get food.
Any individual who willfully violates the stay-at-home order may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both, the mayor’s statement reads.
The stay-at-home order goes into effect on April 1.
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis refuses to issue statewide shelter in place order and only locks down four counties
Meanwhile, Florida Gov DeSantis has only placed four South Florida counties on lockdown for more than a month in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
DeSantis said he expects Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe to be shutdown until mid-May.
The number of confirmed cases in Florida neared 5,500 on Monday with 62 deaths. About 60 per cent of the diagnosed cases are in the four South Florida counties.
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis (pictured on Monday) has placed four South Florida counties on lockdown for more than a month in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the state
There are more than 1,600 confirmed cases in Miami-Dade, 1,129 in Broward, 407 in Palm Beach and 21 cases in Monroe.
DeSantis said he would issue an executive order unifying the lockdown order between the counties. They already have ordered the closures of non-essential retail businesses, beaches and parks.
The governor said the high rate of infection is why he expects the area to be locked down for at least six more weeks.
He said he thinks the disease was likely circulating in the area when Miami hosted tens of thousands of guests for the Super Bowl in early February, but any illnesses were thought to be the flu at that point.
Despite criticism from Democrats and others, DeSantis has refused to issue a statewide lockdown like many other states have imposed, saying it wouldn’t be fair to counties with few or no reported cases.
Most of those are small, rural counties along the state’s northern border. Counties in the Tampa Bay area and central Florida have issued their own lockdown orders.
In Monroe County, deputies were seen at a checkpoint on US 1 leading into the Florida Keys. Monroe County administrators made the decision to prohibit tourists and only allow property owners and people who show they legitimately work in the Keys to pass through
As recent as Saturday, Gulfstream Park held races (pictured in Broward County) without fans, owners or media despite one of veteran jockey Javier Castellano testing positive for the coronavirus
With Florida lacking a direct lockdown order from the governor, worshippers took advantage and crowded into a megachurch on Sunday. DeSantis has put in place an executive order that limits faith-based gatherings to 10 people or less.
But on Sunday, hundreds of congregants attended a service at The River at Tampa Bay Church on Sunday after its conservative evangelical pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne, vowed never to close.
The service came on the same day President Donald Trump extended lockdown measures across the US as he urged Americans to stay home until the end of April to slow the spread of the deadly virus.
On Monday, Florida officials announced the arrest of the Howard-Browne who violated a safer-at-home order in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
According to jail records, Howard-Browne turned himself in to authorities Monday afternoon in Hernando County, where he lives.
He was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of a public health emergency order. Bail was set at $500, according to the jail’s website.
Hundreds of congregants attended a service at The River at Tampa Bay Church on Sunday after its conservative evangelical pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne, vowed never to close
Howard-Browne turned himself in to authorities Monday afternoon in Hernando County, where he lives. He was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of a public health emergency order. Bail was set at $500
Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a news conference Monday that he negotiated with Howard-Browne’s attorney to turn himself in to authorities in Hernando County.
‘Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,’ Chronister said. ‘We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.’
The church has said it sanitized the building, and the pastor said on Twitter that the church is an essential business. He also attacked the media for ‘religious bigotry and hate’.
Though DeSantis has not taken action by ordering a statewide lockdown, he has taken some measures to keep others out.
Florida Highway Patrol officers set up checkpoints at its borders in hopes of deterring visitors from hard-hit states like New York
Florida border controls have begun in the fight against coronavirus, with officers pulling over and questioning drivers trying to enter.
The Florida Department of Transportation is taking action to help limit the spread of the coronavirus, particularly from hard-hit states like Louisiana.
According to FDOT, when entering Florida, every arriving traveler must complete a traveler form with their contact information and trip details.
Motorists who are traveling from areas with substantial community spread including Louisiana, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, will be required to isolate for a period of 14 days upon entry to Florida.
Staff will be at the checkpoint at I-10 at the Alabama-Florida line, 24 hours a day with approximately 16 troopers in 12-hour shifts.
Staff will be at the checkpoint at I-10 at the Alabama-Florida line, 24 hours a day with approximately 16 troopers in 12-hour shifts
Motorists who are traveling from areas with substantial community spread including Louisiana, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, will be required to isolate for a period of 14 days upon entry to Florida. A checkpoint is pictured near Key Largo, Florida, on Saturday
Commercial vehicles may bypass the checkpoint to make sure that products can still be delivered across the state.
Checkpoints have also been set up along I-95 in Florida, which is how many travelers from the tri-state area would get to the Sunshine State by car.
National Guard members are also greeting travelers from the New York City area at Florida airports.
President Donald Trump considered a quarantine for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut amid concerns that their residents have traveled to Florida and infected people in the state.
‘Whatever works I think we need to do,’ DeSantis said. ‘The more people are being shuttled around the country, I just think it makes it more difficult. I think it would make it a lot easier if we didn’t have folks coming in from hot zones.’
But Trump abandoned that idea and issued a travel advisory for the tri-state area instead.
Vice President Mike Pence tweeted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was urging residents of the three states ‘to refrain from non-essential travel for the next 14 days’.
On Saturday, DeSantis revealed that a man who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 was on a flight from a New York City airport to Jacksonville International Airport (file image) on Friday when he was intercepted at an airport checkpoint and taken to a local hospital
Florida residents are seen out and about after local authorities ordered the closing of all the beaches in Miami-Dade County for precaution due amid the coronavirus pandemic
On Saturday, DeSantis revealed that a man who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 was on a flight from a New York City airport to Jacksonville International Airport on Friday when he was intercepted at an airport checkpoint and taken to a local hospital.
The man told authorities that he believed his symptoms had lessened enough to travel but then the symptoms returned.
Passengers who were sitting near him at the airport are not being treated by the CDC.
Many critics have continued to slam DeSantis over the past few weeks after Spring Breakers were seen partying on beaches and boats despite orders to social distance.
The governor’s refusal to lockdown the entire state has prompted local officials to issue orders of their own, which included closing several of the state’s popular beaches.
Miami reports first coronavirus death amid fears it could become the nation’s new hotspot
Over the weekend, Miami reported its first COVID-19 related death, prompting officials to speculate that Miami could become a hotspot for the virus.
Israel Carreras, 40, died in hospital Friday due to complications from the highly contagious virus he is believed to have caught at a dance party held on Miami Beach earlier this month.
Over the weekend, Miami reported its first COVID-19 related death. Israel Carreras (left), 40, died in hospital Friday due to complications from the highly contagious virus he is believed to have caught at a dance party held on Miami Beach earlier this month
Carreras attended the Winter Party Festival between March 4 and 10, before coming down with a horrible cough. At least
Carreras’ heartbroken partner, Franco Conquista, paid tribute to his boyfriend in an interview with NBC, stating: ‘Everybody loved him. His personality just shined … [there was] just an aura around him’.
Carreras attended the Winter Party Festival between March 4 and 10, before coming down with a horrible cough.
The party attracts thousands of people each year, who squeeze into close confines to enjoy house music.
At least nine other attendees have also tested positive to COVID-19.