Bullock issues statewide stay-at-home order
FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2019, file photo, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock speaks at the National Press Club in Washington. Bullock's office warned Friday, March 20, 2020, that Montana could face extended closures of public gathering places in the push to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Gov. Steve Bullock issued a statewide stay-at-home directive on Thursday afternoon to combat the spread of COVID-19. The directive will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and will last until at least April 10.
Montanans can leave their homes for essential activities, such as restocking on groceries, but the order prohibits all non-essential activities and requires all non-essential businesses to close.
Bullock said he will follow federal guidelines to determine what is an “essential business.” Restaurants may continue to offer curbside services, but must follow social-distancing guidelines to ensure people are 6 feet apart.
The directive states Montanans may participate in outdoor activities and visit public parks and public lands that remain open, as long as people abide by social-distancing requirements.
“In other states hospitals are overwhelmed,” Bullock said at a press conference. “I don’t want that to become Montana.”
He added the order will help “buy time for health-care workers on the front lines.”
The governor said that because this is a public-health order, it is legally enforceable. However, Bullock said it should not take a sheriff to tell Montanans to practice common sense.
“In order to have a healthy economy we need a healthy population. We cannot rebuild our economic strength without doing everything we can now to flatten the curve and slow the spread of this virus,” Bullock said.
Montana had 90 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Thursday afternoon.
Most are in urban areas — Gallatin County, where Bozeman is, tops the list at 38 — but individual cases also have begun to appear in rural areas such as Hill, Toole, Roosevelt and Lincoln counties.
Businesses with questions can contact a dedicated state line at 1-800-755-6672. Voice messages will receive a prompt response.
The directive follows federal guidance for determining which businesses and operations are essential, which can be found at https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce.
Reporter Colin Gaiser may be reached at 758-4439 or cgaiser@dailyinterlake.com