Mar 23, 2020 - Health

Washington issues statewide stay-at-home order

Rebecca Falconer

Washington state governor Jay Inslee talks at a press conference about the coronavirus outbreak March 16, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. — Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee at a press conference about the coronavirus outbreak, March 16. Photo: Erika Schultz-Pool/Getty Images

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced via Twitter Monday evening that he's issued a stay-at-home order, effective immediately, to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Details: "This order is enforceable by law, but the legal penalties are not what should convince people to follow these orders," Inslee tweeted. "The real penalty may be the loss of a loved one to COVID-19. There are 110 Washington families who can tell you what the pain of that loss feels like."

Exceptions to the order include grocery shopping, doctor appointments and essential work duty.

The big picture: Inslee announced the move as President Trump suggested physical distancing restrictions will be lifted "fairly soon."

Other states that issued stay-at-home orders:

Ohio
Louisiana
Delaware
California
New York
New Jersey
Illinois
Connecticut
Michigan
West Virginia
Oregon
Indiana

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Add Axios on Google

Washington issues statewide stay-at-home order

What to read next