Virginia's new stay-at-home order is in effect until mid-June
Virginians better prepare to hunker down.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) issued a new stay-at-home order for residents on Monday. It's pretty similar to directives in other states that have enacted them — people can only leave their homes for essentials like food and health care, and they can also step outside to exercise — but it stands out for its length. The order is effective until June 10, over two months from now.
Northam said he came to the decision because people were not complying with the state's recommendations of social distancing, and instead were crowding beaches and other recreational areas. Neighboring Maryland earlier issued a stay-at-home order, but it's not clear for how long, and Washington, D.C., followed suit as well to make an all-region mission.
Across the country, the San Francisco Bay area — the first region in the country to implement shelter-in-place — is extending the initial three-week measure until at least May 1.
This looks like it's part of a trend, after President Trump extended the federal government's social distancing guidelines until April 30.
More stories from theweek.com
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is what real coronavirus leadership looks like
The case for cautious optimism about the pandemic
Chris Meloni's Elliot Stabler reportedly getting Law & Order: SVU spinoff show on NBC
