Alabama Governor Ivey orders closing of nonessential businesses
Gov. Kay Ivey is ordering several types of “nonessential” businesses to be closed until April 17 as the state expands its efforts to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effective Saturday, March 28, 2020, at 5 p.m. all non-work related gatherings of 10 people or more, or non-work related gatherings of any size that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons, are prohibited. Employers are to take all reasonable steps to meet these standards for employees and customers.
The following nonessential businesses, venues, and activities are to be closed to non-employees or not take place. These businesses and activities fall into one of four broad categories.
Entertainment venues
- Night clubs
- Bowling alleys
- Arcades
- Concert venues
- Theaters, auditoriums and performing art centers
- Tourist attractions (including museums and planetariums)
- Racetracks
- Indoor children’s play areas
- Adult entertainment venues
- Casinos
- Bingo halls
- Venues operated by social clubs
Athletic facilities and activities
- Fitness centers and commercial gyms
- Spas and public or commercial swimming pools
- Yoga, barre and spin facilities
- Spectator sports
- Sports that involved interaction with another person closer than 6 feet
- Activities that require use of shared sporting apparatus and equipment
- Activities on commercial or public playground equipment
Non-essential “close-contact” service establishments
- Close-contact service providers as follows:
- Barbershops
- Hair salons
- Waxing salons
- Threading salons
- Nail salons and spas
- Body-art facilities and tattoo services
- Tanning salons
- Massage-therapy establishment and massage services
Non-essential retail stores
- Furniture and home-furnishing stores
- Clothing, shoe and clothing-accessory stores
- Jewelry, luggage and leather goods store
- Department stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Book, craft and music stores
Essentially, the order blankets most retail, entertainment, and sporting venues, including gyms. Previously released health orders also apply to restaurants and bars. Gun stores can remain open.
Ivey said if the business is not on the list, it’s not included in the new order. Violations of the emergency order can result in fines of up to $500, the governor added.