CLEVELAND, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Sunday announced a stay-at-home order to continue combating the spread of coronavirus, essentially telling all residents to remain in their houses and apartments most of the time.

Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton signed the order, which will go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday and remain in effect until April 6. At a news briefing, he said his administration will re-assess at that point.

The order, which is the strictest one the state has imposed to date, does allow people to leave their homes to pick up essential supplies, see the doctor and to go outside to exercise or walk the dog.

It also closes certain nonessential businesses, though grocery stores, gas stations, take-out restaurants, pet stores and pharmacies will remain open. So will many government services. (See other exceptions to the order.)

DeWine noted that other states, which include New York, California and Illinois, have issued similar mandates, with some calling them "shelter-in-place” orders. He said he preferred “stay at home” but that the effect is essentially the same.

“Time is of the essence and we have to buy that time,” DeWine said.

DeWine on Sunday also announced an order that said daycares will not be allowed to operate unless they obtain a special “pandemic” license. That order goes into effect Thursday.

The orders came at the news briefing where the Health Department reported 351 positive tests for coronavirus throughout the state. Three people have died from the virus.

“This is an order,” DeWine said. “It is a reasonable order. If everybody does this we’re going to save a lot of lives.”

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