Columbia is the second city in the state to issue a stay-at-home order – following Charleston’s order, which went into effect on Thursday.

At 12:01 a.m. Sunday, March 29, the City of Columbia’s Stay Home, Stay Safe ordinance will go into effect.

Confused about what this all means? We’re here to break it down for you.

WHO: The ordinance applies to everyone in the City of Columbia. Individuals should stay inside their homes at all times, with a few exceptions (we’ll get to that in a second).

WHAT: City Council approved the measure in a 6-1 vote during a council meeting held Thursday afternoon. Councilman Daniel Rickenmann voted “no,” after stating his reservations about the potential impact on local businesses.

WHEN: This ordinance will take effect Sunday, March 29 at 12:01 a.m. and will last for 14 days.

WHERE: This ordinance applies throughout City of Columbia limits. Currently, neighboring municipalities – such as Blythewood, Cayce, Irmo + Lexington – are not affected by a stay-at-home order. Thursday afternoon, Governor McMaster said he was not considering a state-wide order at this time.

WHY: DHEC confirmed the virus is spreading locally from person to person in South Carolina. In other words: coronavirus cases that are popping up in SC are no longer being traced strictly to travel from other areas – rather, the virus is spreading within our communities. That creates a significantly increased risk that residents could be exposed to coronavirus and get infected – by minimizing person-to-person interaction, we can potentially minimize the spread of the virus.

Like we said, there are some exceptions as to when you can leave the house. There are also some businesses that can continue to operate under the ordinance.

Here’s what you can still leave your house to do:

○ Go to work, if your employer is permitted to stay open

○ Go grocery shopping

○ Go to the pharmacy

○ Go to a restaurant to pick up take out

○ Outdoor recreational activity that allows you to remain six feet from others and not share any equipment

Here’s what you cannot do:

○ Go to a friend or family member’s house

○ Outdoor recreational activities that can’t be done with at least six feet between you and others

○ Go to work if your employer is not permitted to stay open

Businesses that are allowed to stay open:

○ Essential health care operations including research and laboratory services, hospitals, walk-in-care health facilities, veterinary and livestock services, elder care, medical wholesale and distribution, home health care workers or aides, doctor and emergency dental, nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities, medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers.

○ Essential infrastructure operations including utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission, public water and wastewater, telecommunications and data centers, airports/airlines, transportation infrastructure such as bus, rail, or for-hire vehicles, garages, hotels and places of accommodation, and the South Carolina Port Authority.

○ Essential manufacturing operations including food processing, manufacturing agents, all food and beverage manufacturing, chemicals, medical equipment/instruments, pharmaceuticals, sanitary products, telecommunications, microelectronics/semi-conductors, agriculture/farms, household paper products, vehicle and aircraft manufacturing.

○ Essential retail operations including grocery stores and all food and beverage stores, big box stores or wholesale clubs that have in-house grocery or pharmacy services, pharmacies, convenience stores, direct farm-to-consumer sales, gas stations, restaurants/bars (but only for take-out or/delivery), hardware and building material store and online retailers that deliver products and services to individual’s homes or businesses.

○ Essential service operations including garbage, trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal, mail and shipping services, laundromats and dry cleaning, building cleaning and maintenance, child care services, warehouse/distribution and fulfillment, funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries, storage for essential businesses, animal shelters, educational institutions, for purposes of facilitating distance learning, performing critical research, or performing essential functions.

○ News media

○ Financial institutions and professional services including banks, credit unions and check cashing services, insurance, payroll, accounting, services related to financial markets and legal services.

○ Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations including homeless shelters and congregate care facilities, food banks, human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs, the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support.

○ Commercial and residential construction including skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers, landscape services, pool maintenance, nurseries, other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes, other construction where the contractor can ensure social distancing.

○ Defense operations including defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the US government.

○ Essential services necessary to maintain safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences and other essential businesses including law enforcement, fire prevention and response, building code enforcement, security, emergency management and response, building cleaners or janitors, general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor, automotive repair, disinfection mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery and pick-up services.

○ Residential and commercial real estate brokers and real estate management

You can find the ordinance in its entirety here.