Gov. Baker issues stay-at-home advisory, effective Tuesday

He ordered the closure of nonessential businesses but stressed that he was not ordering a shelter-in-place for Massachusetts.

GOVERNOR BAKER.MATT?MATT: AS YOU MENTIONED THIS GOESINTO EFFECT IN TOMORROW AND WILLLAST UNTIL APRIL 7.YOU MENTIONED THE BUSINESSESTHAT ARE EXEMPT.WE WANT TO MENTION OTHERS THATARE ESSENTIAL.FIRST RESPONDERS, FINANCIALSERVICES, CRITICALMANUFACTURING, CHEMICALMANUFACTURING, GROCERY STOREEMPLOYEES, AND GAS STATIONEMPLOYEES-- EMPLOYEES.THE GOVERNOR SAYS THIS DECISIONWAS MADE AFTER TALKING TO HEALTHEXPERTS, LOCAL AND FEDERALOFFICIALS, AND OTHER GOVERNORS.THE EMERGENCY ORDER SAYS THATANYONE CAUGHT VIOLATING THISORDER COULD BE FINED UP TO $300PER VIOLATION OR CRIMINALLYCHARGED.BAKER SAYS BY TAKING THESEACTIONS NOW, THE STATE WILLSIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THEIRPOSITION IN THE FIGHT TO SLOWTHE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.GOVERNOR BAKER: WHILE ALLNON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES MUSTCLOSE THEIR PHYSICAL LOCATIONSTO ALL PERSONNEL WE URGE PEOPLE, TO STAY AT HOME AND AVOID ANYUNNECESSARY ACTIVITIES BECAUSETHIS WILL HELP AVOID ANYUNNEEDED PERSON TO PERSONINTERACTIONS THAT COULD SPREADTHE VIRUS.WE WILL ALWAYS ALLOW ALL GROCERYSTORES, PHARMACIES AND OTHER, TYPES OF BUSINESSES THATPROVIDE ESSENTIAL GOODS ANDSERVICES TO MASSACHUSETTSRESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TOOPERATE.MATT: THE GOVERNOR ADDED THATTHERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ONTRAVEL AT THIS TIME, AND THATGATHERINGS ARE STILL LIMITED TO10 PEOPLE OR LESS.ADDITIONALLY, THE GOVERNOR ISSTRONGLY ADVISING THAT ANYONEOVER THE AGE OF 70 OR WITHUNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES STAYSAT HOME.FOR A FULL LIST OF ESSEN