What you can and cannot do during Florida’s stay-at-home order

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on April 1 enacting a stay-at-home order through the end of the month to help fend off the spread of the coronavirus.

While these types of order will not stop the spread of the virus, the CDC has said that this act will help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“I’m going to be doing an executive order today directing all Floridians to limit movements and personal interactions outside the home to only those necessary,” he said. “To obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.”

Here is what Executive Order 20-91 allows. You can download the order below.

When is this in effect?

The order goes into effect 12:01 a.m. on April 30 and expires April 30 unless it is extended by a subsequent order.

What about my local community stay-at-home order?

This state order supersedes all local orders, although local governments can impose further restrictions as they deem appropriate.

What are essential activities? What can I do?

The four outlined in the order by DeSantis are:

1. Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship.
2. Participating in recreational activities (consistent with social distancing guidelines) such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or swimming
3. Taking care of pets
4. Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend.

You can still go to the store to go food shopping, go to the hardware store, drop off packages for mailing, go to medical appointments, and pick up take-out food. And go to work if your business is deemed essential (see below).

However, social distancing must be maintained and no social gathering is allowed.

“A social gathering in a public space is not an essential activity,” the governor’s order noted. “Local jurisdictions shall ensure that groups of people greater than ten are not permitted to congregate in any public space.”

What are “essential services?”

The list of “Essential Services” is long and includes a variety of services as outline by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, v. 2 (March 28, 2020) and those identified in the Miami-Dade County order. This includes:

Healthcare providers: Including, but not limited to, hospitals, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, urgent care centers, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapists, mental health professionals, therapists, and pharmacies

Grocers: Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products, such as cleaning and personal care products.

Food cultivation:, Including farming, livestock, and fishing

Social services: Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals

Media: Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services

Automobile: Gas stations; new and used automobile dealerships; auto-supply, auto-repair, and related facilities

Finance: Banks and related financial institutions

Hardware stores

Contractors and other tradesmen: Including appliance repair personnel, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other structures.

Mail and shipping services: Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes.

Educational institutions: Private colleges, trade schools, and technical colleges, but only as needed for online or distance learning

Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers.

Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but limited to take-out and delivery service only.

Free food services: Schools and other entities providing free food services to students or members of the public may continue to do so on the condition that the food is provided to students or members of the public on a pick-up and takeaway basis only and the food isn’t consumed on site.

Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate, and which do not interact with the general public

Transportation: Airlines, taxis, and other private transportation providers providing transportation services via automobile, truck, bus, or train.

Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children.

Care services: Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and adult day care centers, and senior residential facilities.

Professional services. Legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities.

Landscape and pool care businesses, including residential landscape and pool care services.

Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in the order to work as permitted.

Businesses operating governmental facilities. This includes businesses that operated at any airport, seaport, or other government facility, including parks and government offices.

Logistics providers. This includes warehouses, trucking, consolidators, fumigators

Telecommunications providers. This includes sales of computer or telecommunications devices and the provision of home telecommunications.

Propane, natural gas providers.

Office space and administrative support necessary to perform any other essential services.

Open construction sites, irrespective of the type of building.

Architectural, engineering, or land surveying services

Factories, manufacturing facilities, bottling plants, or other industrial uses.

Waste management services, including collection and disposal of waste.

Any business that is interacting with customers solely through electronic or telephonic means, and delivering products via mailing, shipping, or delivery services.