What Columbia says you can and can’t do under its coronavirus stay-at-home order
Starting Sunday, more than 130,000 people in South Carolina’s capital city will be told to stay at home for two weeks.
Columbia City Council approved an ordinance Thursday requiring residents to shelter at home due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. But the same ordinance includes a long list of exceptions for “essential services,” which means much of normal life — or what passes for normal life these days — will continue to operate.
Also, state Attorney General Allen Wilson’s office on Friday issued an opinion that seemed to question the legality of the city’s order.
For residents planning to abide by the city’s stay-at-home ordinance, here’s what you can and can’t do.
When you can leave your home
▪ To buy groceries
▪ To go to the doctor’s office, hospital or pick up medical supplies
▪ To order or pick up food. Restaurants are still operating take-out services, and offering delivery
▪ To care for others who may need assistance
▪ Go outdoors. Running, walking, biking, etc., are still allowed, but you might want to do it solo. Gatherings of more than three people are currently prohibited.
▪ Go to worship services. Many churches have already suspended regular services due to the pandemic, but religious activity is protected by the First Amendment.
▪ Go to the bank
▪ Get gas, or take your car to the shop for repairs. Bicycle shops are also unaffected.
▪ Go to a laundromat or dry cleaners’.
▪ Go to work outside the city limits.
▪ Go to work in any “essential service” specified in the city ordinance
So what’s an essential service?
▪ First responders; police, fire and medical personnel
▪ Hospital staff and other medical providers
▪ Public utilities
▪ Public transportation
▪ Car sales and services
▪ Hotels
▪ Manufacturing operations
▪ Stores selling food, drinks or medicine
▪ Hardware stores
▪ Gas stations
▪ Bars and restaurants offering takeaway or delivery service
▪ Garbage collection
▪ Laundromats and dry cleaners
▪ Building maintenance
▪ Child care
▪ Educational institutions offering distance learning
▪ Funeral homes
▪ News media
▪ Financial services
▪ Homeless shelters
▪ Food banks
▪ Human service providers
▪ Construction
▪ Home repair services
▪ Government workers
▪ Real estate
What you won’t be able to do
▪ Go to work in any non-essential service
▪ Go to the barber shop
▪ Go to the nail salon
▪ Go to the gym
▪ Get together in a private gathering of more than three people
▪ Buy guns. Firearms distributors are not classed as an essential service.
What happens if I violate the stay-at-home order?
Violating the ordinance is a misdemeanor and you could be fined. In the week since Columbia instituted a nightly curfew — essentially a more limited stay-at-home order — Columbia police report issuing 50 verbal warnings to violators and have issued two $500 fines.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 1:51 PM.
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