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During a press conference Friday afternoon, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced a statewide “stay at home” order effective Saturday, April 4, at 5 p.m.

Ivey noted during this press conference that Alabama has seen an increased number of positive tests every day and the country is currently experiencing twice as many cases as any other country.

“COVID-19 is an imminent threat to our way of life and you need to understand that we’re past urging people to stay home,” Ivey said. “It is now the law.”

The order states that all people are ordered to stay in their homes unless they are performing “essential activities,” including those necessary for health and safety.

People will still be allowed to leave home to acquire necessary supplies, such as food and other consumer goods necessary to maintain a household, supplies needed to work from home, pharmaceutical prescriptions and other medical supplies, fuel, materials for distance learning and “any other supplies necessary to maintain a person or pet’s daily routine.”

Alabamians may also leave their residences for necessary services, such as dental, medical or surgical procedures, government benefits or services, vehicle repairs, services vital to the treatment or care of someone with disabilities, services related to any public or private distance learning activities and any other necessary.

Religious ceremonies will be allowed, provided they involve fewer than 10 people and a consistent six-foot distance can be maintained or are a “drive-in” style worship service.

People may also leave their homes to care for others or to take part in limited work functions, such as minimal functions to maintain a business, activities required to enable people to work or shop from home and other work-related activities that adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Additionally, residents can leave their domiciles to engage in an outdoor activity, assuming crowd size and social distancing guidelines are followed, to seek shelter if a home becomes unsafe, to travel for law enforcement or court order-required activities and to visit family members.

The order defines “essential businesses and operations” as government operations, healthcare providers and caregivers, infrastructure operations, manufacturing facilities, agricultural operations and farms, essential retailers, restaurants and bars, essential personal services, media operations, education operations, financial services, professional services, providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations, construction and construction-related services, essential public services, military or defense operations, essential services or product providers, religious entities, federally-designated critical infrastructure, other state-designated critical infrastructure, other state-designated essential business and operations and support operations for essential businesses and operations.

These businesses will have to enforce maximum emergency occupancy rates, enforce social distancing guidelines and work to ensure recommended sanitation guidelines are followed.