Northam issues stay-at-home order through June 10 with exceptions

RICHMOND — Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday ordered Virginia residents to remain at home except for certain necessities, stepping up the state’s restrictions on public activity to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The order — which went into effect Monday and will remain in place until June 10 — allows people to leave their homes if they “must go out for food, supplies, medical care, or to get fresh air or exercise,” Northam said during a news conference.

The order also allows people to travel to work, places of worship and child care providers and for volunteering, caretaking and to seek social services.

“You should stay home to the greatest extent possible,” Northam said.

The order comes as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb in Virginia, where 1,020 people have tested positive for the virus. On Monday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 130 new cases of COVID-19 and that the state death toll was up to 25. So far, 12,038 people have been tested in Virginia.

Unlike the stay-at-home order Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued Monday, which can lead to jail time and a fine, Northam’s order does not carry a civil or criminal penalty.

Without a means for enforcement, the order simply brings Virginia’s messaging more in line with that of neighboring states like Maryland and North Carolina, while adding clarity to what the state deems an essential outing.